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17.11.2008 | permalink
Tomatoes with added Viagra: how to get consumers to love GM crops
Should our response to these challenges include genetically modified (GM) crops? Most agricultural scientists say yes. So far the European consumer has said no. For the scientist, GM is an extension of the past 10,000 years of genetic modification by agricultural selection. It is precision engineering as opposed to the blunderbuss of conventional breeding, and has the potential to transform agriculture in regions left out of the green revolution, such as sub-Saharan Africa, by creating crops that are more nutritious, resistant to disease or drought, and can grow without chemical fertilisers. In other words GM could help to produce more and better food with less environmental damage.
13.11.2008 | permalink
Gentechnisch veränderter Weizen darf angebaut werden
Das Bundesverwaltungsgericht hat dem dreijährigen Feldversuch mit gentechnisch verändertem Weizen in Pully VD grünes Licht gegeben. Laut dem Urteil sind die Sicherheitsanforderungen erfüllt. Der Entscheid kann beim Bundesgericht angefochten werden. Die ETH und die Universität Zürich wollen in Pully versuchsweise gentechnisch veränderten Weizen anbauen, der gegen Pilzerkrankungen resistent sein soll. Das Bundesamt für Umwelt (BAFU) erteilte 2007 die Bewilligung für drei Versuchsjahre. Mehrere Anwohner gelangten dagegen ans Bundesverwaltungsgericht. Es hat ihre Beschwerde nun abgewiesen. Die Beschwerdeführer hatten argumentiert, dass Freisetzungsversuche mit gentechnisch veränderten Organismen unbekannte Gefahren mit sich bringen würden. Das Gericht räumt ein, dass nicht alle Auswirkungen bekannt sind. Der Gesetzgeber habe Versuche dennoch nicht ausschliessen wollen.
11.11.2008 | permalink
Newspaper brings to light abuses against poor farmers in Argentina
According to official statistics, between 2002 and 2006, more than 500,000 hectares were deforested to make way for genetically modified soybeans, Argentina’s main export crop. The advance of monoculture, besides destroying the area’s natural biodiversity, is also undermining the very survival of campesinos who have lived and farmed in the region for generations.
11.11.2008 | permalink
Indian campaign against GM crops gaining momentum
The distinction between a vegetarian and a non-vegetarian might soon get blurred with the introduction of genetically modified crops. Now, imagine tomatoes, which are genetically modified with the gene of a pig. This has sparked a global campaign against genetically modified (GM) foods. Uttar Pradesh, too, has been engulfed in the campaign — ”I am no lab rat”.
10.11.2008 | permalink
First GM canola crop delivered to silo in New South Wales (Australia)
THE first genetically-modified canola crop has been delivered into a silo in NSW, Monsanto Australia announced. Parkes farmer Graham Barron, who delivered his Roundup Ready canola crop to a silo at Grenfell this week, said in a statement issued by Monsanto that he was impressed by the results and with the supply chain processes.
05.11.2008 | permalink
US biotech firms target Philippines for introduction of new GE corn
US-based biotechnology companies Dow AgriSciences and Monsanto are now eyeing markets for more potent and pest-resistant GM corn after having successfully marketed the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn since 2003. Bt corn has the sole trait of being Asiatic corn-borer resistant. Before even setting foot in other Asian countries, biotechnology companies have already seen opportunities in starting out in the Philippines. The country is internationally recognized for having a more established regulatory policy on biotechnology.
22.10.2008 | permalink
GE crops prohibited in Lake County (California, USA)
Genetically engineered crops are prohibited in Lake County after a 3-2 vote by the Lake County Board of Supervisors Tuesday. Supervisors Rob Brown and Jeff Smith voted against the ban. The vote came after three and a half hours of discussion. The board took input on both sides of the issue from farmers, business owners and representatives from the Lake County Farm Bureau, Lake County Agricultural Department, Lake County Sierra Club, Lakeport Regional Chamber of Commerce and California Certified Organic Farmers.
Lake County Record-Bee, USA: GE crops prohibited in county- The Press Democrat, USA: Lake County bans genetically modified crops
- Lake County News, USA: GE crop ordinance, subdivision appeal on Tuesday supervisors’ agenda
- Lake County News, USA: What are GMOs and why should you care?
- Lake County Record-Bee, USA: Paper’s position on GMO missed several points
- Lake County Record-Bee, USA: Supervisors to discuss GMO ban
- The Press Democrat, USA: Lake County votes to ban GMO crops
22.10.2008 | permalink
France hopes to break GMO deadlock by December
EU envrionment ministers continued to disagree on whether member states should be allowed to establish GMO-free zones for sensitive areas, although they did concur on the need for better long-term environmental risk assessment of GMOs. Following a number of informal discussions earlier this summer, the EU-27 environment ministers debated the bloc’s GMO authorisation procedure in a Council meeting on 20 October. But member states clashed on the issues of protecting sensitive and protected territories and establishing GMO-free zones.
22.10.2008 | permalink
EU’s Vassiliou: no need to change GM zero tolerance
Europe’s food safety chief said on Thursday she did not believe there was any need to change the European Union’s ”zero tolerance” policy on unauthorised genetically modified material in food imports. [...] ”My cabinet advises me that there is no need at this point to change the zero tolerance because we have already approved one event, we are in the process of approving a second event.
18.09.2008 | permalink
Transgenic crops’ days may be numbered in Europe
Pressure from the president of the European Commission has not succeeded in advancing the cause of transgenic crops. In spite of the power wielded by the executive organ of the European Union, the bloc’s member countries are gradually discontinuing the use of genetically modified seeds. [...] Portuguese biologist Margarida Silva, the national coordinator of Plataforma Transgénicos Fora, comprising 12 Portuguese non-governmental organisations working on agriculture and the environment and networking with likeminded NGOs in the EU, told [...] that ”the movement against transgenics is growing in civil society throughout Europe, and GM crops have already been banned in several countries.” ”There isn’t much that Europeans can do, but the power of numbers is still on our side, and we can use them to back Stavros Dimas,” she said.
Headlines
- Tomatoes with added Viagra: how to get consumers to love GM crops
- Gentechnisch veränderter Weizen darf angebaut werden
- Newspaper brings to light abuses against poor farmers in Argentina
- Indian campaign against GM crops gaining momentum
- First GM canola crop delivered to silo in New South Wales (Australia)
- US biotech firms target Philippines for introduction of new GE corn
- GE crops prohibited in Lake County (California, USA)
- France hopes to break GMO deadlock by December
- EU’s Vassiliou: no need to change GM zero tolerance
- Transgenic crops’ days may be numbered in Europe
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