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Mothers for Natural LawInternational News on Genetic Engineering in AgricultureBiweekly News 00/02/16
Articles have been aggressively shortened. It is a bit long again - I thought you would like to see the details of the Biosafety Protocol, item 15. Apropos of last issue's article on radiated seeds, please note that radiation makes point changes in genetic structure. This is a mutation process thought to occur in nature. It is very different in its effects and hazards from the insertion of new genetic material. - Editor ------------------ Western Producer
Triple-Resistant Canola Weeds Found In Alberta Mary MacArthur, Camrose bureau Scientists have long said the use of herbicide-tolerant canola would eventually, according to this story, result in super-resistant plants. Now they've been proven right. The story says that volunteer canola resistant to three herbicide-tolerant canola systems has been found in a field in northern Alberta. Alberta Agriculture canola specialist Phil Thomas was quoted as saying, "We knew it was going to happen. It was only a matter of when." A series of chemical and DNA tests confirm the weeds in Tony Huether's field near Sexsmith are resistant to Roundup, Liberty and Pursuit chemicals. ------------------ US Corn Turned Away From Brazil Port As GM Suspect RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Perdigao, one of Brazil's largest poultry and pork producers, said Friday it had turned back from port a cargo ship carrying U.S. corn as it was suspected of being genetically modified, which is illegal in Brazil. In a statement, Perdigao said it had bought 27,500 tonnes of corn in the U.S. market and was waiting for the supplier to provide a certificate that the cargo was guaranteed free of genetic modification. In the meantime, the corn was loaded onto a vessel named the Bulk Star for shipment to the port of Sao Francisco do Sul in Brazil's southern state of Santa Catarina, Perdigao said. "As up to the present moment such certification was not presented and considering that the vessel Bulk Star was forecast to dock in the port of Sao Francisco do Sul today, Perdigao decided...to cancel the purchase and alter the course of the ship, still on the high seas, so that it returns immediately to its port of origin," the statement said. ...Perdigao said a shortfall in Brazil's domestic corn supply this season had forced it to seek alternative suppliers to provide feed for its 40 million birds and one million pigs. Copyright 1999 Reuters Limited. ------------------ http://www.greenpeace.org.uk
Greenpeace Claims 'Victory For Consumers' As British Chickens Go GM Free! The consumer revolt against genetically modified foods claimed another success today as Sun Valley, Britain's largest chicken producer, admitted that it has banned the use of GM Soya in its chickenfeed in response to public demand. "This is a really significant victory for consumers, as up until now Sun Valley has been one of the main users of Monsanto's GM soya here in Europe" said Jim Thomas, Greenpeace Food Campaigner. "Sun Valley are a huge player in British livestock production, supplying chicken to such well known companies as McDonalds, Marks and Spencers, Sainsburys and Iceland. Their decision now opens the way for others to also remove GM crops from animal feed - particularly others in the poultry industry who gobble up much more GM soya than anyone else." ------------------ From NLP Wessex, 4 Feb 2000 Setback for GM potatoes in USA GENETICALLY modified potatoes are on hold in the US, as major processors and consumers turn their backs on the new technology. Speaking at the Agra Europe Potato 2000 conference in Rome, Oscar Gutbrod from Oregon State University said growers had been forced to drop GM potatoes in response to buyer demands. "About 80% of our production in the US is for processing," he said. "McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy have all said no to GM fries and the whole industry has had to back off." ------------------ Bloomberg News
Frito-Lay Doesn't Want Bioengineered Corn Snack food maker Frito-Lay Inc. has asked its hundreds of contract farmers to grow corn that has not been genetically modified in case U.S. consumers shun bioengineered products. Frito-Lay, a unit of PepsiCo Inc. and maker of Doritos and Tostitos corn chips, bought 1.2 billion pounds of U.S. corn last year. ------------------ Company Press Release
DOLE Delivers Favorite of Farmer's Market to Local Grocery Stores New Organic Blends Salads Will Be Available East of Mississippi SALINAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 10, 2000--A breath of fresh air will be felt in the produce section of your local supermarket chains Feb. 27 when Dole Fresh Vegetables Inc. (DFV) launches a new line of Organic Blends salads. http://www.dole.com ------------------ Wednesday February 9 1:22 PM ET Heinz Creates New Healthy Food Category PITTSBURGH (Reuters) - Ketchup king H.J. Heinz Co. (NYSE:HNZ ) said Wednesday it created a new organic and nutritional foods category in hopes of capitalizing on the growing market for healthy foods. Heinz named Sharon Wicker head of the new division, which will include the recently acquired Linda McCartney brand of frozen organic foods in the U.K., nutritional drinks in India and infant foods in Italy. Heinz also recently acquired a stake in Hain Food Group Inc.(NasdaqNM:HAIN), which makes natural snacks. ------------------ Copyright 2000 South China Morning Post Ltd. South China Morning Post
Nestle to Phase Out GM Ingredients in All Products By Alex Lo Nestle Hong Kong has announced it will phase out genetically modified ingredients in all its food products. The move comes after Vitasoy and ParknShop said they would not use such ingredients in products bearing their company logos. In a letter to Greenpeace China dated February 8, the company said it would phase out modified ingredients but did not specify how long it would take. "We support a responsible use of gene technology but will refrain from using GM-derived ingredients where consumers are reluctant to accept," the letter said. "For Nestle in Hong Kong, a majority of our products do not contain GM ingredients. We are in the process of substituting GM-derived ingredients in any remaining products." ...In two rounds of laboratory tests funded by Greenpeace, Nestle's Pak Fook Fresh Soya Milk, Pak Fook Beancurd Dessert and Crunch Milk Chocolate with Crisped Rice were found to contain modified beans called Roundup Ready Soya. ------------------ Copyright 2000 Scottish Media Newspapers Limited The Herald (Glasgow)
GM is No Panacea, Warns US Farmer THE growth of genetically-modified (GM) crops could lead to further financial hardship for Scottish farmers, according to an overseas visitor. Corky Jones of the National Family Farming Coalition (NFFC), who farms 1000 acres of GM soya bean in the US state of Nebraska, switched to GM in 1998 after he was told it would increase yields and reduce environmental damage. Yesterday Jones and his colleagues, who are in the UK for nine days, met with Liberal Democrat MSPs and Green Party MSP Robin Harper to explain their experiences. "We are not here to tell Scottish farmers what to do. We are throwing up a caution flag - we have been taken advantage of and you should not follow until there is a lot more research done," said Jones. "The cry from the US is that GM crops are benefiting farmers - but that's not the case. "We were told there would be better yields and less use of chemicals, which would benefit the environment. "But there's no increase in yields and no increase in financial returns. ''Now our overseas GM market has collapsed as consumers have taken fright. "If I had my time over again I would certainly not have switched to GM." ------------------ Copyright 2000 Gannett Company, Inc. USA TODAY
Firms Face Battle Over Altered Food
By James Cox Eighteen big-name restaurant, food, grocery and seed companies face proxy fights led by opponents of genetic engineering in the largest wave of social-issue shareholder activism since corporations were challenged for doing business in apartheid-era South Africa. Religious groups, environmentalists and socially conscious investment funds have flooded the companies with proposals that would require shareholder votes on the controversial issue of genetically modified (GM) foods. The proposals demand that companies such as DuPont and McDonald's halt the development, use and sale of GM crops and foods until long-term tests prove them safe for humans and the environment. ------------------ California U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer has agreed to introduce legislation to label genetically engineered foods. Senator Boxer sent a letter to other Senators this week letting them know of her plan to introduce the Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act in the U.S. Senate after the Presidents day recess. ------------------ Copyright 2000 The Daily Yomiuri (Tokyo)
Government Compiles Manual on Non-GM Foods By Yomiuri The Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry has compiled a manual concerning the distribution of soybeans and corn that have not been genetically modified in addition to a new labeling system for food using genetically modified produce due to take effect in fiscal 2001, ministry sources said Saturday. The manual outlines measures for handling ingredients that are not genetically modified to minimize the amount of genetically modified ingredients accidentally becoming mixed in with food labeled as not genetically modified... After implementing these measures, the ministry plans to set a target of 5 percent or less of genetically modified produce finding its way into soybeans labeled as not genetically modified. ------------------ February 2, 2000 10:31am Source: Reuters EU Sets Guidelines For Cautionary Food Trade Bans By David Evans BRUSSELS, Feb 2 (Reuters) - The European Commission on Wednesday unveiled guidelines on how it believes public health can be protected with cautionary trade bans when faced with insufficient or conflicting science. The so-called precautionary principle has been used as a defence by the European Union in its row with the United States over hormone-treated beef and formed part of the new U.N. biodiversity protocol on genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The Commission said in a statement the guidelines would ``provide a useful tool for taking political decisions...when science is unable to assess completely the risk.'' However, the wording of the final document adopted by the Commission was diluted slightly on the contentious issue of how much weight should be given to minority scientific opinions... ``The Commission considers the Community, like other World Trade Organisation members, has the right to establish the level of protection -- particularly of the environment, health, safety and consumers -- that it deems appropriate,'' the paper said. ``Applying the precautionary principle is a key tenet of its policy, and the choices it makes to this end will continue to affect the views it defends internationally,'' it added. Copyright 1999 Reuters Limited. ------------------ Highlights of U.N. Food Biosafety Pact WASHINGTON, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Key provisions of the U.N.-sponsored Biosafety Protocol approved by representatives of more than 130 countries in Montreal on Saturday: --Preamble recognizes risks and benefits associated with biotechnology and the need to protect biological diversity. --Preamble emphasizes protocol "shall not be interpreted" as changing the rights and obligations of countries under other international pacts, such as the World Trade Organization. --Preamble also recognizes trade and environmental agreements should be mutually supportive and the protocol is not subordinate to other international pacts. --The protocol establishes a Biosafety Clearing House for countries to share information about genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Countries must inform the Clearing House within 15 days of the approval of any crop varieties which could be used in food, animal feed and processing. --Exporters are required to obtain an importing country's approval, through a procedure known as advance informed agreement (AIA), for initial shipments of genetically modified organisms intended for release into the environment. Examples include seeds and trees. --GMOs intended for food, feed and processing - in other words, commodities -- are exempted from the AIA requirement. However, they must be labeled "may contain" GMOs and countries can decide whether to import those commodities based on a scientific risk assessment. --Negotiations on more detailed labeling requirements will proceed, with the requirement they be completed no later than two years after the protocol takes effect. --Countries do have not to have complete "scientific certainty" to block imports of a GMO they fear could be harmful to biological diversity and, by extension, human health. --Countries also may consider "socioeconomic factors," such as the impact on local farmers, consistent with their other international obligations when making import decisions. --Exceptions to the AIA requirement are granted for GMOs intended for "contained use," such as in research, and for GMOs in transit through a country. --GMOs used as pharmaceuticals for humans are exempted from the protocol if they are addressed by other relevant international agreements or organizations. --Members of the pact will cooperate to help developing countries build human resources and institutions to make informed decisions about GMOs. --New negotiations will be launched to address the issue of liability for any damage resulting from the cross-border movements of GMOs. The goal is to finish in four years. --Countries have an obligation to inform affected parties and take other appropriate action if they discover an unintentional movement of GMOs across borders. --If illegal shipments occur, the affected party can request the shipper to retrieve or destroy the GMO at its own expense. --The protocol will go into effect after ratification by the 50th country or regional economic integration organization that is a party to the 1992 U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity. It will be subject to review at least every five years. Copyright 1999 Reuters Limited. ------------------ In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is compiled for educational use only. |
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