GENET news: Food

30.11.2006

USA Rice issues action plan to eliminate genetically engineered traits from rice supply

ARLINGTON, VA, November 28, 2006 — The USA Rice Federation today released a recommended plan of action to remove genetically engineered rice from the U.S. supply to re-establish a marketable supply of U.S. rice. Following U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Mike Johanns’ August 18, 2006, announcement of the trace presence of genetically engineered (GE) rice in the commercial supply, the USA Rice Federation has worked with industry and government officials to identify the Bayer CropScience Liberty Link traits and to mitigate their market effects. "The action plan released today proposes urgent, concrete steps to be taken to restore market confidence,” declared Al Montna, a California rice producer and chairman of the USA Rice Federation. «We are requesting that state authorities take specific actions to ensure that commercial seed supplies for the 2007 crop have tested negative for the presence of Liberty Link (LL) genetically engineered traits. The plan also makes recommendations to all segments of the rice industry to further ensure that Liberty Link traits do not appear in the rice supply from 2007 forward,” Montna said.

29.11.2006

WTO: Russia welcomes US to participate in the creation of its biosafety regulation

In frame of the bilateral agreement signed on the 19th of November by the US and Russia’s economic and trade officials there was also a specific GMO document: US Russia Side Letter on Biotechnology. Despite the fact that in this letter nothing is said about rejection of labeling regulation on which US insisted during the negotiations (it was mentioned by President Putin at Civil G8 meeting in July in Moscow: Within Russia’s WTO negotiations process one of the main requirements that was brought by some countries is to reject regulations aimed at informing of public on GMOs in food products), this letter provides an opportunity for US lobby to influence the biosafety related decision making process. This influence will range from consumer rights regulation to GM crops registration regime.

29.11.2006

GMO rice contamination found in the Philippines

Thailand, Vietnam slam doors against GE rice as contamination spreads further
Manila, PHILIPPINES — Greenpeace today revealed that illegal GE (genetically-engineered) rice has contaminated the Philippine food chain, in the latest in a series of GE rice contamination scandals around the world. Bayer's LL601—which has not been approved for human consumption anywhere in the world except in the US last week—has contaminated rice products from the US which are currently on sale in Manila. The brand found to be contaminated by GE rice is "Uncle Sam Texas Long Grain Rice" which is distributed in the Philippines by Purefeeds Inc and sold in major supermarkets like Robinson's, Shopwise, and SM.

28.11.2006

Bowlful of worry

In China, where rice is an honored staple, a bid to grow genetically altered varieties would put the country in biotech's forefront. But market and environmental concerns have delayed approval. In myth, seeds of rice came to China tied to a dog's tail, rescuing the people from famine after a time of severe floods. Ancient writings held that grains — rice foremost among them — were more precious than jade or pearls. Now China is deliberating whether to allow farmers to plant rice seed born of biotechnology, modified by scientists in the laboratory.

28.11.2006

EU cautious on US plan to milk cloned cows

Debate on whether to approve milk from cloned cattle for general consumption in the US is unlikely to be replicated in Europe in the near future, because consumers would reject the products. The European Dairy Association said there were no plans to get dairy foods from cloned animals approved for consumption in the EU. Its comments follow a statement from America's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that it hoped to draft regulations on milk and meat from cloned animals in the US in the next few months.

27.11.2006

West African food aid contaminated with GM rice

Accra (Ghana), Freetown (Sierra Leone). 24 November 2006. A genetically modified (GM) rice not allowed for human consumption originated from the United states has been found in food aid and other rice supplies in West Africa. The findings were revealed today by Friends of the Earth at simultaneous press conferences in Ghana and Sierra Leone where the environmental campaign group urged the governments of Sierra Leone and Ghana to immediately recall the contaminated products.

25.11.2006

Biggest Russian food and feed importers adopt GE free policy

After three weeks of intensive campaigning against imports of genetically engineered food (GE) and feed coming into Russia, Greenpeace received an announcement from two major Russian food and feed importers that they have adopted a policy of only using non GE products. Sodruzhestvo, the biggest soya importer in Russia, which supplies 70% of all soya used in the Russian food and feed industry, has stated that it will turn its new factory currently under construction in Kaliningrad into a GE free zone. The new oil-extraction and feed-processing plant will not only produce GE free soya oils and feeds, but also GE free maize and GE free oilseed rape products. Following the move by Sodruzhestvo the feed producer Rybflotprom, which controls 7 % of the Russian feed market and is 80 % owned by the French company Provimi, also announced it has adopted a GE free policy for all its products.

22.11.2006

FDA cloning report draft coming soon

The draft may come before the end of the year, and is expected to conclude that food from cloned animals is safe for consumption. An FDA risk assessment draft on the subject of safety of food from cloned animals is expected as soon as December. "We understand that the conclusion will be that foods from livestock clones and their offspring are as safe as foods from animals raised conventionally," says Dr. Barb Glenn, Managing Director of Animal Biotechnology, Food & Agriculture Section, BIO.

21.11.2006

EFSA issues draft guidance on GM approvals

Europe's food safety authority has issued draft guidance for the renewal of authorisations of existing genetically modified products lawfully placed on the market. The guidance, from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), aims to assist applicants in the preparation and presentation of applications for renewal of authorisation of existing products according to articles 11 and 23 of regulation (EC) 1829/2003 on genetically modified food and feed.

20.11.2006

GM cottonseeds could feed world’s starving millions

SCIENTISTS have genetically modified the cotton plant’s naturally toxic seeds to turn them into a potential food source for millions of people.
Researchers have found a way of reducing gossypol, a powerful toxin in the seeds, to a negligible level that allows them to be consumed by humans. At present they are thrown away or fed to cows.

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