News

03.06.2008 | permalink

Belgian colza fields contaminated with banned GMOs

Fifteen Belgian colza fields, owned by Bayer CropScience, have been contaminated by genetically modified organisms (GMOs) banned in Europe, the country's public health ministry announced Tuesday. The Bayer subsidiary, which specialises in improving crop yields, informed the Belgian authorities of the contamination, which happened last month during the planting of normal colza -- a crop similar to rapeseed and used in cattlefeed, cooking oil, machinery lubricant and, increasingly, as a biofuel. "The conventional seed lot was contaminated by five percent GMO colza," the statement said. A preliminary investigation carried out by the multinational put the problem down to "human error."

AFP: Belgian colza fields contaminated with banned GMOs

27.05.2008 | permalink

How Africa’s media is pushing GM crops

Unwitting African countries are being coaxed and coerced to cultivate and consume genetically modified crops in a campaign bankrolled by giant biotech multinationals and executed by cash-rich «scientific” organisations who extol technology as the panacea for the continent’s hunger and low agricultural productivity. The big-bucks campaign has been picking up steam in East Africa in recent months with one announcement after another being made through compliant media outlets of grandiose initiatives aimed at helping the region’s countries to fight hunger.

The East African, Kenya: How Africa’s media is pushing GM crops

22.05.2008 | permalink

New Polish GMO bill would allow GMO-free zones

The environment ministry has prepared a new bill on GMO, which does not include a formal ban on the cultivation of transgenic plants, but provides tools which allow to practically exclude GMOs. Former environment minister professor Jan Szyszko said that the bill practically allows regions of Poland to remain GMO-free zones. Poland is seen as an ecologically clear country in the European Union, which produces more food than is needed in the country, but is restricted by EU quota.

Polskie Radio, Poland: Poland doesn’t want GMOs

28.04.2008 | permalink

Griechenland verlängert Verbot des MON 810

Honig
Honig wird durch Gentechnik verunreinigt.Griechenland ist eines der Länder, wo der gentechnisch veränderte Mais der Linie MON 810, der in diesen Tag in Deutschland ausgebracht wird, verboten ist. Und das wird auch in den nächsten 2 Jahren so bleiben. Letzte Woche wurde das griechische Verbot verlängert und auf 70 Mais-Sorten ausgeweitet. Der griechische Agrarminister Alexandros Kondos begründete das Verbot mit möglichen gesundheitlichen Risiken sowie mit der Bedrohung für die Imkerei. In Griechenland werden ca. 16% des europäischen Honigs hergestellt.

28.03.2008 | permalink

Romania is 7th European country to say ’No’ to GE MON810 maize

Greenpeace welcomes the Romanian Government’s landmark decision to ban genetically engineered (GE) maize, announced today. The move is particularly significant as GE maize is the only commercially cultivated GE crop permitted in Europe. Mr Attila Korodi’s, Minister of Environment and Durable Development, announcement banning Monsanto’s GE maize MON 810, makes Europe’s largest per hectare maize producer GE-free. Romania is the seventh of Europe’s leading maize producers to ban the growing of GE varieties, following France, Hungary, Italy, Austria, Greece and Poland.

17.03.2008 | permalink

Brazilain soybean harvest to exceed 60 Mill tonnes, 59% GMO-free

Soybean production in the 2007/08 crop is estimated at 62.416 million tonnes (t.). [...] The result showed that 59.1% of the analyzed crops used transgenic crops. The South region topped the ranking with 82.1% of the crops planted with genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

01.02.2008 | permalink

Monsanto says French GMO ban illegal and harmful

U.S. biotech company Monsanto said on Thursday France’s decision to ban one of its genetically modified varieties of maize was illegal and would be harmful to the sector. [...] Monsanto said the committee had not turned up any scientific proof which had not already been reviewed by the EU, which had authorized use of MON 810 throughout the 27-nation bloc in 1998. ”There is no doubt that the (committee’s) opinion does not fulfill any of the criteria which would allow ... the French state to suspend the application of a legal authorization based on a rational and scientific evaluation,” Monsanto said.

Reuters: Monsanto says French GMO ban illegal and harmful

01.02.2008 | permalink

EU Member States ask EFSA for more guidance on GM assessment

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is working with member states to update risk assessment guidance for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to bring it in line with scientific progress and provide more in-depth advice. More than 60 GMO experts from national regulatory risk assessment bodies came together in November to discuss the best scientific approaches for evaluating the safety of GMOs at national and European level. Today the findings from the meeting, including the fact that differences exist among member states with respect to the practical organisation of GMO risk assessment will be presented to an Advisory Forum.

Food Navigator, France: States ask EFSA for more guidance on GM assessment

14.01.2008 | permalink

French president announces ban on GE maize MON810

French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Saturday announced a ban on Monsanto's MON 810 GM maize in France, the only GM maize variety presently legal to grow within the European Union. Farm activist José Bove publicly finished his hunger strike against the crop while Monsanto and the large farmers association complained.

03.01.2008 | permalink

Jose Bové on hunger strike against GMOs

French activist and head of the farmers union Confederation Paysanne José Bove started a hunger strike demanding a moratorium on GMO cultivation in France.