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The International Rice Research Institute, IRRI, based in the Phillipines has corrected recent media stories that the 30 year old GM rice, which is supposed to provide beta carotine to vitamin A deficient mothers and children, was about to be planted and disseminated this year. The rice would only be commercialised if it was deemend safe and proven to actually improve the vitamin A status of its consumers. This was still to be proven: "This process may take another two years or more."

In order to join the World Trade Organisation, Serbia must change a 2008 law which prohibits producing or trafficking genetically modified foods on its territory. With membership in the organisation, Serbia can still ban production of foods with genetically modified organisms, but cannot ban import of it. While some have accepted the argument in favour of changing the law, many remain against genetically enhanced foods.

A coalition of consumer and environmental groups is urging New Jersey to become the first state to require the labeling of genetically engineered foods. About 80 percent of corn and soybean crops are now grown with genetically modified seeds, but consumers aren’t aware that’s what they’re eating, said Stephanie Harris with the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Jersey. “The health risks today are not entirely known, and many consumers feel that they do not want to be the guinea pigs of the industry in order to find out, 20 years down the road, what the health risks are,” she said.

Maize meal sold in some shops in Namibia is derived from genetically modified organisms, a recent test has revealed. Moreover, unsuspecting Namibian consumers are being charged at least an 8 percent “GMO free premium” on maize products [...] The test revealed Ace Instant porridge contains 56.82 percent GM maize while the popular White Star Maize contains 2.75 percent GM maize, and Top Score maize meal contains 1.09 percent GM maize. “The latter two are supposedly Namibia produced and are expected to have been GMO-free, but this is clearly not the case,” the NCT chairperson, Sandi Tjaronda, said at a media briefing yesterday.

U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, D-Boulder, this week will announce his introduction of a bill that would require food containing genetically modified organisms to be clearly identified. “I am proud to help lead the GMO Labeling Bill, which is all about consumer choice and information,” Polis said in a news release. “It’s important to empower people with the information they need to make their own healthy choices. People have the right to make consumer decisions based on accurate transparency in labeling, and knowledge is power.” [...] “We were very honored his office called and asked if they could hold this press conference at Alfalfa’s,” said Mark Retzloff, president of Alfalfa’s. “Our company’s mission and beliefs resonate very closely with what Jared is doing.”

Under a bill gaining support in the Statehouse, Vermont could be the first state in the nation to require labels on products made with genetically modified crops. Lawmakers are trying to craft the measure so it can withstand an expected court challenge. The labeling bill has attracted celebrity supporters. Jerry Greenfield of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream fame came to the Statehouse last week to make his pitch that consumers have a right to know what’s in their food. “And it’s a fundamental right. Why shouldn’t we know what we’re putting into our bodies?” he asked.

The next time you head into town for the family treat of fish and chips, ask your fryer what oil they’re using. Chances are it’s cottonseed oil. My local milkbar has just switched to it. It’s cheaper than what they were using and has a higher burning point which means less smell. If it’s cottonseed oil produced in Australia, it’s more than likely to be genetically modified because most cotton seed produced in Australia is genetically modified. Genetically modified cotton has been a boon for farmers: it contains genes from a bacteria that produces a protein that kills caterpillars when they eat it. Some cotton varieties now also contain genes that make the cotton tolerant to herbicides such as glyphosate.

A hearing before the Agriculture, Water and Rural Economic Development Committee is likely as far as the GMO labeling initiative will get in the state Senate. “I don’t think there’s four votes,” the number that would be needed to get the initiative out of committee, chairman Brian Hatfield, D-Raymond, said. mandate labeling most foods that have genetically modified ingredients, will also be heard in the House ag committee. The tentative date is March 6.

Stagnating acreage is prompting Bt cotton seed makers to diversify into food crops such as hybrid rice, corn and vegetables, where they see a big market potential. Companies such as Nuziveedu Seeds Ltd and Rasi Seeds (Pvt) Ltd, which currently earn a major share of their revenues from Bt cotton seeds, are aggressively charting plans to scale up exposure to food crops. The Rs 500-crore firm [...] plans to scale up its breeding programme to introduce more hybrids. Rasi Seeds has partnered with Israeli firm, Evogene Ltd, to develop yield-enhancing and drought-tolerant rice varieties.

Tomorrow EU Member States will discuss the Commission’s proposal to amend the Honey Directive in what is widely believed to be an attempt to circumvent the European Court of Justice and hide the presence of GM pollen from consumers. The discussion, which will take place at the Council of Europe’s Working Party on Foodstuffs, is the latest development in the long story of GM pollen in honey. In September 2011 the ECJ ruled that pollen is an ingredient of honey and that honey containing GM pollen must follow GM regulations, meaning it cannot be sold without full food authorisation and GM labels.