Articles

Biotechnology company Monsanto Co. plans to debut its second-generation of genetically modified soybean seeds in its key South American market during the next growing season. [...] With the patents on its first-generation seeds set to expire next year, Monsanto is pinning its hopes on new seeds that combine glyphosate resistance with defenses against insects. Monsanto plans to sell just 200,000 bags of its new Roundup Ready 2 soybean seeds in the region for the upcoming 2012-13 season, but expects 60%-65% of South America’s soybean fields to be planted with the seeds within five years, Pablo Vaquero, vice president of Monsanto Argentina and director of corporate affairs for Southern Latin America, said in an interview Tuesday.

The Supreme Court of Justice (STJ) ruled on Thursday 16 May that Monsanto’s claim to extend the life of the patent on GM soybeans was illegal. In a unanimous ruling, the four judges of the Third Instance reaffirmed the initial decision of Judge Ricardo Cueva Villas Boas, who ruled that the 20-year patent, registered on August 31, 1990, had expired. The appeal brought by Monsanto against Judge Cueva’s decision had aimed to invalidate Brazilian legislation on patents. The president of Famato, Rui Prado, said the decision of the Supreme Court reinforces what the soy producers have been fighting for since last year - for the judicial system to recognize that the patent had expired.

Paraguay has commercially released transgenic cotton Bollgard tolerant – Round up Ready (Bt-RR), the Producers’ Guild has announced. [...] Its commercial sale was approved by Paraguayan Government last year, but was subject to various tests before it was to be finally released. The Producers’ Guild said all the regulatory processes have been met for making Bt-RR cotton seeds available to farmers for the cotton sowing season 2013-14, EntornoInteligente.com reported. According to the Cotton Chamber of Paraguay (CADELPA or Camara Algodonera del Paraguay), more than half of cotton sown in the country during last season was transgenic cotton.

Pigs fed a diet of only genetically modified grain showed markedly higher stomach inflammation than pigs who dined on conventional feed, according to a new study by a team of Australian scientists and U.S. researchers. The study adds to an intensifying public debate over the impact of genetically modified crops, which are widely used by U.S. and Latin American farmers and in many other countries around the world. The study was published in the June issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of Organic Systems by researchers from Australia who worked with two veterinarians and a farmer in Iowa to study the U.S. pigs.

European Union governments failed to agree on Monday whether to approve three genetically modified maize varieties for use in food and feed, the European Commission said. [...] If the appeal committee is also unable to reach agreement, the Commission will be free to grant EU marketing approval. Two of the applications are for maize varieties containing multiple or “stacked” gene traits, designed to protect the growing plants from multiple insect pests and make them herbicide-tolerant. Both products were developed jointly by Monsanto Co and Dow Chemical Co.

More pest species are becoming resistant to the most popular type of genetically-modified, insect-repellent crops, but not in areas where farmers follow expert advice, a study said on Monday. [...] Of 13 major pest species examined, five were resistant by 2011, compared with only one in 2005, they found. The benchmark was resistance among more than 50 percent of insects in a location. Of the five species, three were cotton pests and two were corn pests. Three of the five cases of resistance were in the United States, which accounts for roughly half of Bt crop plantings, while the others were in South Africa and India.

An “army of lobbyists” led by Monsanto Company helped convince Connecticut lawmakers to water down the nation’s first GMO labeling law. Though the mere fact that the Connecticut General Assembly passed a GMO labeling bill is a step in the right direction, the full story is a disturbing reminder of how powerful the biotech lobby really is. [...] lobbyists led by Monsanto Company and the Biotechnology Industry Organization trade association succeeded in neutering the law by launching a large-scale lobbying campaign aimed at state lawmakers, who were convinced in part by the lobby to add requirements that two triggers be met in order for the law to go into effect.

The conference was held under the theme of "GMO-Free Declaration from Yamanashi: Let's Protect Precious Food for Our Livelihood." Mr. Chiaki Horikawa, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the JA Rihoku (local agricultural cooperative) made an opening comment as the chairperson of the planning committee for the conference. He expressed his concern over risks of the TPP negotiations regarding universal health care and food safety. "We want to keep our fruits and vegetables safe and secure. To this end, we include the clause ‘GM crops are not permitted’ in the agriculture promotion plan of JA Rihoku," said Mr. Horikawa.

According to a report by a government-affiliated institute, there has been a significant increase in the number of cases of prohibited genetically modified crops being released into the natural environment during the process of import and distribution. [...] the National Institute of Environmental Research collected 626 samples of four main genetically modified crops (corn, soybeans, cotton, and rapeseed) in 2012 from the area around major ports in Korea where imported GMCs are unloaded, around factories where GMCs are processed, around livestock breeding areas (the final consumer of GMC feed), and along the routes by which GMCs are transported from ports to the final consumer. Analysis of these samples found genetically modified DNA in 42 samples from 19 regions.

Costa Rica’s Ombudsman’s Office on Wednesday filed a legal action challenging the constitutionality of permission granted to a Monsanto subsidiary to grow genetically modified corn in the country. In January, the subsidiary of multinational biotechnology company Monsanto received permission to grow GM corn in a decision that was highly criticized by environmental groups. The Ombudsman’s Office said in a press release that “growing GMOs has environmental, social, cultural and economic implications for human life.”