GENET news: Food

16.12.2008

GMO contamination in Mexico’s cradle of corn

”We battled for two years to get the results of our study published,” declares Mrs. Alvarez-Buylla. ”In the course of my entire career, I have never encountered so many difficulties! There were efforts to stop the publication of this scientific data!” Biologist José Sarukhan, a UNAM researcher and member of the United States National Academy of Science, had recommended the article for publication by that organization’s review. The latter rejected the article in March, with the justification that it risked provoking ”excessive media attention for political or environmentally-related reasons ...”

15.12.2008

EFSA GMO Panel on Austrian GE maize NK603 x MON 810 study

The GMO Panel considered this report and came to the following conclusions. Regarding the RACB study, the summary Table 59 contains calculation errors and inconsistencies in the treatment of the data regarding the 3rd and 4th litters. In addition, it seems that the authors have calculated the number of pups at birth per pair and not per delivering pair, which is standard practice. [...] On the basis of the data presented the GMO Panel is of the opinion that no conclusions can be drawn from the report.

15.12.2008

Food labeling has a busy, controversial year in the USA

The chicken at the grocery store might be labeled ”naturally raised.” The crackers might say ”no GMOs” were used. The tomato could have a little green-and-white sticker that says ”USDA Organic.” The salmon might say ”Wild Caught. Product of China.” [...] The last 12 months have seen major changes in the way Americans will get information about their food.

15.12.2008

EU gets ready to test GMO crop growing

Europe’s environment chief has prepared draft authorisations for two biotech maize types to be grown in the European Union, testing the political climate of 27 countries that together are historically wary of biotechnology. If EU governments agree to the approvals, it would represent the first authorisation to grow a GM crop in 10 years. While politically, that scenario still appears touch-and-go, Brussels is under a lot of pressure to move forward on GM crop approvals.

12.12.2008

Genetically modified food, a hot potato for the Indian Government

After imposing a ban on smoking in public, Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss is working towards banning genetically modified (GM) seeds. [...] ”As the Union Health Minister, I will continue opposing it. BT Brinjal is being brought into the country without proper research on its safety. We should oppose it collectively,” Ramadoss says. [...] Union Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal, however, is well known for his advocacy of GM food.

12.12.2008

Uganda needs patents to protect its crops

By 2030, the pressure on African governments from highly organised and wealthy proponents of IPRs will be overwhelming. While portraying themselves as benevolent sources of technologies, these proponents, who have already developed genetically modified seeds (GMOs), will shove regionally-harmonised IPR legislations down African governments’ throats. Today, Africa is yet to see that these proponents seek to profit from the poor farmers and not to ”help” them with better seed.

11.12.2008

Irish company secured non-GE icecream contract for Middle East region

The country’s largest icecream manufacturer, Silver Pail Dairy, has secured a three-year contract with US ice-cream brand BaskinRobbins to produce 300,000 ice-cream cakes at its Fermoy plant for export to the Middle East. [...] ”It needed a European manufacturer for its ice-cream sold in Europe, or else it would have to label all its icecream shipped from the US as genetically modified. It didn’t want that - it wanted a manufacturer that used natural products, so it chose us,” said Murphy, who negotiated the Middle East deal.

10.12.2008

Different views on the GMO decision of the EU Council

Long-term environmental risk assessment of GMOs should be improved and member states allowed to establish GMO-free zones, EU ministers agreed last week. On 4 December, the bloc’s environment ministers a six-month process launched by the French EU Presidency aimed at overcoming the Council’s inability to take authorisation decisions on new GM products for cultivation in the EU. It is not yet clear whether the conclusions of the exercise will actually help to break the current deadlock.

10.12.2008

Indian Minister for Health to oppose entry of GM food

Union Minister for Health Anbumani Ramadoss on Tuesday said that he would oppose any move to introduce genetically modified food or seeds in the agriculture sector. Addressing a State-level farmer’s conference, organised by the Thamizhnadu Uzhavar Periyakkam, here, he said, ”As a Central Minister I will oppose any move to introduce GM food or seeds in India.” The Pattali Makkal Katchi had taken a policy decision to oppose introduction of genetically modified seeds.

09.12.2008

China finds suspected GMO soy in state reserve buys

China’s Heilongjiang province, the largest soy area, has found suspected genetically-modified soybeans (GMO) amid state reserve stocks, provincial authorities said, as sellers take advantage of higher prices. Beijing agreed to buy 2 million tonnes of local non-GMO soy from farmers in the northeast province as part of plans to shore up domestic prices and help farmers cover higher input costs.

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