News
13.11.2007 | permalink
Three million people vote to make Italy GM-free
More than 3 million Italians have signed a petition calling for Italy to ban all genetically modified foods. Campaigners collected signatures at marketplaces and food fairs across the country over the last few months and hope the government will respond by banning all imports and cultivation of GMOs.
Reuters: Three million people vote to make Italy GM-free26.10.2007 | permalink
EU environment chief opposes GE maizes Bt-11 and 1507
The European Union’s environment chief is proposing that two types of genetically modified (GMO) maize not be authorized for cultivation in the bloc, setting up a clash within the 27-member EU executive body. The maize types in question are Syngenta’s Bt-11 and the 1507 maize developed jointly by Pioneer Hi-Bred International, a subsidiary of DuPont Co, and Dow AgroSciences unit Mycogen Seeds, according to documents seen by Reuters on Thursday. But the other members of the European Commission oppose the position of Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas, sources familiar with the situation said, implying the rejection may not take effect. One EU source said all 26 other members of the EU executive body were against Dimas’ proposal.
26.10.2007 | permalink
France suspends planting of GMO crops until early 2008
French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Thursday he would suspend the planting of genetically modified (GMO) pest-resistant crops until the results of an appraisal of the issue later this year or early in 2008. Unveiling the country’s new environment policy, Sarkozy said no GMO crops would be planted in France until the government had received the results of an evaluation by a new authority on GMOs set to be launched later this year. ”I don’t want to be in contradiction with EU laws, but I have to make a choice. In line of the precautionary principle, I wish that the commercial cultivation of genetically modified pesticide GMOs be suspended,” he said.
25.10.2007 | permalink
US opposes WTO membership of Ukraine due to GE food labelling law
Liga website published an article ”Gene Engineering May Obstruct Ukraine’s Way to WTO” drawing the readers’ attention to this problem. The author of the article reminds that the Cabinet of Ministers decided to introduce an obligation of marking genetically modified foodstuffs starting from November 1, 2007. ”However, the American side of WTO holds a firm stand against such actions,” runs the article.
24.10.2007 | permalink
West Australia considers GM cotton for the Ord
The Western Australian government says it will consider an exemption to its genetically modified crop ban, to allow GM cotton to be grown in the Ord Valley. The move comes after positive public feedback to a discussion paper on the crop. Agriculture Minister, Kim Chance, says the government is still to receive a response from the traditional owners of the Kimberley region, but so far support has been positive.
23.10.2007 | permalink
Two killed in Brazil landless peasants‘ protest
Two people were killed during weekend clashes after landless peasants in Brazil occupied the farm of a multinational agrochemical company in the latest of several such protests over the past week. Police said on Monday a peasant leader and a guard were killed at the Swiss-owned Syngenta Seeds farm in the southern state of Parana after it was occupied by 200 landless militants on Sunday. [...] The MST and similar groups frequently occupy farms, block highways, torch crops, and stage rallies to pressure the government to give more land to the poor. Landowners often hire armed guards and hit squads to repel invasions.
23.10.2007 | permalink
Russia‘s lower house OKs bill to ease legislation on GM food
The State Duma, the Russian parliament’s lower house, approved Thursday a bill under which packages with genetically modified (GM) food must contain information on genetic modification if GM content is more than 0.9%. According to current legislation, they must always contain that information. The bill was initially approved by the State Duma in June and rejected by the Federation Council, the upper house, in July. The upper house objected to a clause of the bill under which packages with GM food should contain information about genetic modification only in some exceptional cases. The houses set up a committee to reach a compromise and agreed on the 0.9% GM content clause. To become law, the bill must be signed by the president.
Eremurus Club, Russia: Russian GM News #523.10.2007 | permalink
Greenpeace forces Carrefour to withdraw genetically modified soy bread in Romania
Carrefour Romania withdrew from its shelves all Snack Attacks products on Monday, reasoning that its bread contains genetically modified soy bread. The action comes after Greenpeace protesters argued with proof that the white bread does not contain any GMO labelling for consumers. The bread was provided by Snack Attack, a well known fast food chain. State authorities were taken aback by the decision but said that they would meet with both Greenpeace officials and Snack Attack representatives on Tuesday to analyze the situation.
19.10.2007 | permalink
All About: GM Rice
Feed the world’s starving. Cure vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Put an end to crop failure. Combat global warming. Such are the promises of genetically modified (GM) rice. But if it all sounds too good to be true, environmentalists say, that’s because it is. For proponents of GM rice, GM food is the obvious solution to the ongoing problems of population growth, changing climate conditions and malnutrition. For its opponents, it’s an unnecessary and potentially catastrophic exercise which only feeds corporate interests and does little to solve the real problems of global food supply, malnutrition and farming practices.
19.10.2007 | permalink
Sacred plants might stop Bt eggplant trials in Karnataka (India)
Heritage and the humble brinjal have come in conflict in India’s southern Karnataka state, with the controversy even threatening to halt a US funded biotechnology project. [...] But Ramesh Bhat, one of India’s leading biologists and former deputy director of the National Institute of Nutrition in Hyderabad, [...] says field trials of Bt-brinjal carry the danger of the Bt gene contaminating the native variety of brinjal called Mattu gulla which people consider ’sacred’ because its seeds were reportedly given to the people of Mattu village by the 15th century Hindu saint Vadiraja.
Headlines
- Three million people vote to make Italy GM-free
- EU environment chief opposes GE maizes Bt-11 and 1507
- France suspends planting of GMO crops until early 2008
- US opposes WTO membership of Ukraine due to GE food labelling law
- West Australia considers GM cotton for the Ord
- Two killed in Brazil landless peasants‘ protest
- Russia‘s lower house OKs bill to ease legislation on GM food
- Greenpeace forces Carrefour to withdraw genetically modified soy bread in Romania
- All About: GM Rice
- Sacred plants might stop Bt eggplant trials in Karnataka (India)
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