GENET news: Protein

18.12.2008

Switch to ecological engineering would aid independence

In your News Feature ’Is China ready for GM rice?’, you consider the merits of using genetically modified (GM) crops for pest control. But don’t overlook the potential of ecological engineering, which can provide an important and undervalued approach to tackling agricultural problems.

17.12.2008

Arcadia Biosciences and African Agricultural Technology Foundation enter into agreement for development of improved Afrian rice

Arcadia Biosciences, Inc., an agricultural technology company focused on products that benefit the environment and human health, and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), a not-for-profit organization focused on the access and delivery of new agricultural technologies for African smallholder farmers, today announced an agreement in which Arcadia will perform technology development activities for Nitrogen Use Efficient and Salt-Tolerant African rice.

17.12.2008

Obama picks Vilsack as U.S. Agriculture secretary

Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, who aggressively campaigned for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton before his state’s caucuses in January, will be named Agriculture secretary by President-elect Barack Obama, three Democratic officials confirmed Tuesday. The formal announcement was expected this morning at a news conference in Chicago. Vilsack declined to comment on the report. ”Those questions should be answered by the transition office and the president-elect,” he said.

17.12.2008

GM crops an aid to coping with new climate, says Australian report

The State’s major farm groups have seized on a new report - which argues genetically modified crops can help farmers better adapt to climate change - to call for a lifting of the ban on GM food crops. A report by the Federal Government’s Bureau of Rural Sciences found GM technology could allow crops to be grown with less water and to become more tolerant to heat. The controversial technology could also help cut greenhouse gas emissions by improving resistance to insects and herbicides and so reduce the number of times crops must be sprayed, which lowers fuel use.

16.12.2008

GM crops in India: environment ministry proposes, Ramadoss opposes

The environment ministry might be planning to bring genetically modified (GM) crops like Bt Brinjal to your plate but Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss has promised to ”continue to oppose” GM foods. Ramadoss, in a meeting with hundreds of farmers organised by his party PMK in Kancheepuram town of Tamil Nadu last week, promised to resist the entry of GM foods for common use.

16.12.2008

Recent European Commission news alerts on GE crop risk research

Ensuring the purity of conventional crops grown in the vicinity of genetically modified (GM) crops depends on understanding both short and long distance pollen flows. New research shows that current guidelines on the safe isolation distances for GM maize may not adequately prevent cross pollination of conventional crops.

16.12.2008

Development of uncontrollable wild GE canola unlikely in Australia

THE ”escape” of genetically modified canola on to roadsides is not likely to develop into uncontrollable wild populations contaminating conventional crops. Four years of research by the University of Melbourne has shown volunteer canola competes poorly with other plants and does not establish breeding populations on roadsides.
And other research has shown that concerns of roadside canola crossbreeding with other canola plants are unfounded.

16.12.2008

GM crop output rises but can it deliver?

Alice McKeown, a researcher for the Worldwatch Institute and author of the report, said: ”GM crops are definitely not a silver bullet. They sound good on paper, but we have yet to see glowing results.” ”There are still many unanswered questions about GM crops. But the good news is that we have solutions to food security and other problems available today that we know work and are safe for humans and the environment, including organic farming.”

15.12.2008

USDA reporting positive GE crop developments in EU countries

Italy’s has approved the resumption of biotech field trials after a hiatus of 10 years. Protocols for nine crops were approved but leave implementing regulations up to the regions—many of which have declared themselves to be GMO free. While the approval of these protocols may be a positive step, most Italian scientists remain skeptical about their actual significance. In their view, too many constraints exist to make field tests practical.

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.

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