A United States consignment of genetically modified corn gluten feed tainted with an illegal strain of Bt10 has been impounded upon arrival at an Irish port, the European Commission said on Wednesday.</p><p><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=789912">Reuters: Tainted biotech maize impounded at Irish port</a></p><p><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/25/AR2005052500515.html">Washington Post: EU: Ireland Intercepts U.S. Biotech Corn</a></p><p><a href="http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/05/608&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en">EU press release</a>

Tasmania is one of few territories worldwide that can claim a 100% disease-free status for their food products. There is also an absolute ban on genetically modified (GM) produce and antibiotics in beef production; and many products are organic. "Our strengths lie in producing high quality, safe food products that appeal to niche and premium markets," says Alan Campbell of the Tasmanian government.</p><p><a href="http://www.freshplaza.com/2005/23mei/2_au_diseasestatus.htm">Fresh plaza: Tasmania cashes in on disease-free status</a>

Over 250 people from across Europe attended a conference in Brussels to hear regional Ministers and MEP's call for a bigger say in whether GM crops are grown commercially in their region. The number of European regions and provinces now declaring themselves "GM Free zones", or publicly wishing to restrict GM crops, has climbed to 162. Over 4500 local governments and smaller areas in Europe are similarly calling for restrictions to commercial growing. Participants endorsed ten principles on future GMO planting</p><p><a href="http://www.foeeurope.org/press/2005/joint_17_May_gmo_free_zones.htm">FOE/AER: Press Release</a></p><p><a href="http://www.foeeurope.org/press/2005/10_principles_EN.pdf">Ten principles</a>

The Green Party of Cyprus calls for a GMO free country.</p><p><a href="http://gmo-free-regions.org/Downloads/cyprus_green_party.pdf">Declaration</a>

Our campaign for a GMO Free Poland is now bringing together Provincialauthorities, activists and farmers in order to try and devise a commonstrategto enforce the GMO Free Zone status already in place in 9 Polish Provinces.We are running a conference on the 11th /12th May with participants fromall over Poland to launch this next phase and to build on the momentumalready achieved. It is a critical time for the Polish countryside. Thefirst GM fieldtrials have already been announced for this spring and there is the constantdanger of unauthorised seeds finding their way into the market. These arethreatsthat need to be directly addressed and, in common with other Europeanregions, there is no recourse to the law (national or EU) to provideprotection</p><p><a href="http://icppc.pl/pl/gmo/index.php">International Coalition to Protect the Polish Countryside</a>

An ordinance entering into force in January 2006 to control the cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops in Hokkaido aims to prevent cross-pollination between GM and non-GM crops. The strict regulagtions, which will practically prevent GMO growing aims to gain consumers' confidence and further enhance the image of Hokkaido brands</p><p><a href="http://www.japanfs.org/db/database.cgi?cmd=dp&num=965&dp=data_e.html">Japan for Sustainability</a>

Canadas "potatoe" island Prince Edward Island might be the fist GMO free area in the country. Hearings are being held by the legislative assembly and a controversial debate is on</p><p><a href="http://www.assembly.pe.ca/consult/biotech.php">PEI offical web-site: Biotechnology and Prince Edward Island</a></p><p><a href="http://www.wired.com/news/medtech/0,1286,62521,00.html">Wired: Canada Island May Boot GMO Crops</a>

The new Bulgarian law on GMOs has been published March 27th. It is intended to harmonize with EU legislation, but falls short of that according to "Agrolink" and other Bulgarian NGOs. The law provides for 30 km protection zones around natural protection areas and special protection for organic fields. It also prohibits the release of genetically modified tobacco, rose for oil, grapevines, vegetables and fruits, cotton and wheat</p><p><a href="http://www.gmo-free-regions.org/countries/bulgaria/bulgaria.html">NGO statement on new Bulgarian GMO law</a>

Pomorskie Province (with capital Gdansk) has declared itself GMO free. It is an area on the Baltic sea, popularwith tourists. The area is 18,000km2 and has a population of 2.2 million.Also a commune in Dolnoslaskie Province called Dziadowa-Kloda has declareditself a GMO Free Zone. There are 4,600 citizens in Dziadowa-Kloda and the area is105km2.

One thousand GMO-Free Zones were declared throughout the island of Ireland today - 22nd April, Earth Day 2005 - by farmers, food producers, hotels, restaurants, markets, pubs, retailers, and homes North and South of the border. These sites require legal protection from contamination by genetically modified (GM) seeds, crops, trees, livestock and fish. Hundreds of participants have placed GMO-FREE ZONE signs outside their place of business</p><p><a href="http://www.gmfreeireland.org/press/GMFIearthday2005.pdf">GM-free Ireland Press Release (pdf)</a></p><p><a href="http://www.gmfreeireland.org">GM-free Ireland Homepage</a>