Planet Diversity World Congress on the Future of Food and Agriculture

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11.03.2010

Prices for Monsanto?s GE seeds triple while yields stagnate

Seed prices for central Illinois farmers have nearly tripled since 2000 [...] Seed companies such as Monsanto Co. say the increase in price is due to advances in seed biotechnology that help farmers achieve higher yields [...] Yet soybean yields have hardly risen. In fact, over the past decades yields have grown less than 1 percent

11.03.2010

Glyphosate resistant weeds threaten to cripple Iowa?s (USA) agriculture economy

Iowa crop farmers are battling an old problem with potentially new and devastating repercussions for the entire state?s agricultural economy: Herbicide-resistant weeds. The phenomenon is not all that new, said Mike Owen, a weed specialist at Iowa State University who has been discussing herbicide-resistant weeds since the 1980s. But widespread adoption of certain biotech advances have made matters much more complicated.

11.03.2010

Chinese scholars up in arms over transgenic certificates

More than 120 Chinese scholars have filed a petition to the nation?s top legislature, demanding, on the grounds of bio-safety, the revocation of the Agriculture Ministry?s certificates on two transgenic rice breeds and more cautious licensing in the future, eastern Hangzhou?s Youth Times reported Thursday.

11.03.2010

GM grain still ?long distance away? in China

Genetically modified foods still have a long way to go before they reach the Chinese market even though the Ministry of Agriculture has certificated two strains of GM rice, a senior rural affairs official said on Wednesday. Before reaching the shelves, the products need to be certified by government agencies from the health and quality inspection sectors [...] Any of these agencies might stop the GM rice from entering the market

11.03.2010

A bright new future for GE agriculture in the EU?

The European Commission has just approved a genetically modified crop for cultivation in the EU, its first such decision in 12 years. Magda Stoczkiewicz [FoE Europe] says the decision flouts the public will, while Willy De Greef [EuropaBio] argues it is an important step forward.

11.03.2010

Agriculture Minister: No GM crops will be grown in Bulgaria

Bulgaria Agriculture Minister, Miroslav Naydenov, has stated that Genetically Modified foods will not be allowed ?to reach Bulgarians? tables?. Naydenov stated Tuesday that all the European requirements will be introduced into the Bulgarian legislation, but added that the amendments to the GMO Act will also ban GM crops from being grown in the country.

10.03.2010

EFSA launches public consultation on guidance for environmental risk assessment of GM plants

EFSA has launched a public consultation on the revised guidance of its GMO Panel for the environmental risk assessment of GM plants. EFSA provided updated guidance for assessing the impact of GM plants on the environment and held discussions with stakeholders and Member States as part of this work. Together with new, strengthened requirements in terms of data generation, collection and analysis, this guidance also contains a revised section on the evaluation of possible effects on non-target organisms.

10.03.2010

Is Europe finally ready for genetically modified foods?

It?s hard to work up an appetite when other diners brand what you?re about to eat ?Frankenstein food.? For many Europeans, that evocative label has told them all they need to know about genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Opponents of GM foods have managed to paint them as the freakish products of a dangerous technology created by hubristic scientists. But the European Union may have reached a tipping point in its awkward relationship with GMOs.

10.03.2010

Parliament agrees to extend GMO-free status of Swiss agriculture

A moratorium on genetically engineered plants and animals in Swiss agriculture has been extended by three years. The Senate on Wednesday agreed ? in line with the House of Representatives - the final details of an amended law which will be valid up to November 2013.

10.03.2010

Seven U.S. state attorneys general investigate Monsanto's monopoly practices

At least seven U.S. state attorneys general are investigating whether Monsanto Co., the world?s largest seed producer, has abused its market power to lock out competitors and raise prices.
Iowa and Illinois, whose antitrust probes Monsanto disclosed previously, have joined with Ohio, Texas, Virginia and two other states in a working group coordinating the inquiries, according to investigators, farmers and seed dealers. They declined to identify the sixth and seventh states.

10.03.2010

Legal setback for Monsanto in European-Argentine soy dispute

U.S. biotech giant Monsanto?s EU patent on its Roundup Ready soybean seeds should not extend to cover imports of processed soybean meal into the 27-nation bloc, an adviser to Europe?s top court said. The opinion from Advocate General Paolo Mengozzi must still be confirmed by the European Court of Justice in a final ruling. But it is a setback for Monsanto in its legal battle to secure royalty payments on the use of its seeds.

10.03.2010

Vatican: No official OK for GE crops

L?Osservatore Romano clarified in an article for today?s edition that some reports have suggested a hypothetical Vatican approval of the GM potato. ?There has been talk of an explicit ?yes? to the use of genetically modified organisms in agriculture, confusing once again personal commentaries of ecclesiastics with ?official? statements attributed to the Holy See or the Church,? L?Osservatore Romano explained.

09.03.2010

Peru postpones debate on GMO law

Peru postponed the debate on the Regulations for Transgenics, due to the general opposition of most Peruvians to genetically modified products, reports Semana Económica. Peru?s Environment Minister, Antonio Brack, told [...] that Cusco and Ayacucho have declared themselves ?transgenics-free,? and Huanuco will do so too, in the near future.

09.03.2010

New head of Brazilian biosafety commission is a fervent GE crop promoter

Paiva?s commitment to promoting GM crops is such that he once told the media one of the advantages of Monsanto?s soya is that people could even drink the pesticide sprayed on the crop without dying. He also opposes food labelling and claims that the precautionary principle is actually no more than a ?principle of obstruction.?

09.03.2010

African Cotton Association to discuss Bt cotton introduction at Cameroon meeting

The African Cotton Association will meet 11-13 March in Yaoundé, Cameroon, with participants from 22 countries expected to attend. [... Cameroon?s Minister of Trade, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana] spoke of the need to consider the introduction of genetically-modified cotton to improve the commodity?s yield.

09.03.2010

Philippines fast-tracks Bt brinjal approval based on Indian documents

While Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh doesn?t trust the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee?s green flag to Bt brinjal, Philippines has relied on the very same results to fast-track its own process to grant approval to the crop. [...] ?Our decision to use the Indian dossier is a testament to the quality of your biosafety framework and to the work of your Genetic Engineering Approval Committee,? [Science and Technology Secretary Estrella Alabastro] said.

09.03.2010

No Bt brinjal till independent studies clears safety says Indian Government

The government today said a moratorium on Bt brinjal has been imposed till independent scientific studies establish its safety to the satisfaction of both the public and professionals. ?The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) in consultation with eminent scientists would draw up fresh protocols for specific tests to establish safety of the genetically-tweaked vegetable,? environment minister Jairam Ramesh said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

09.03.2010

By accepting Bt cotton?s susceptibility to pests, Monsanto befools India

This was surely an interesting week. There was hardly a day when we didn?t see remarkable efforts -- across the spectrum -- to take the people for a simple ride. [...] Any size of media campaigns wouldn?t have yielded them the desired results. Instead of spending millions on advertisements, Monsanto has done it through smart media management. You will now see farmers making a beeline for Bollgard-II. Monsanto will now see its cash registers ringing.

08.03.2010

Authorities in Bangladesh urged to be careful about GM foods

Authorities should be careful about genetically modified foods, as such foods could be cause of various health problems, including accelerated aging, immune dysfunction, insulin disorders, organ damage and reproductive disruption, said environmentalists. Fearing environmental disasters, they also said that the genetically modified foods and crops in the country would change the genetic characters of the indigenous species of crops and plants, reports UNB.

08.03.2010

Farmers vs. Hollywood: Corn farmers launch online campaign against Food Inc. Oscar nomination

The corn industry is lashing out at an Oscar-nominated documentary that has grossed out grocery shoppers, saying [Food, Inc.] is unfair to many of the nation?s farmers and shouldn?t win. [...] ?If we don?t shoot down their arguments with credible and truthful information, our reputation as America?s farmers will suffer significantly,? reads an [National Corn Growers Association] alert sent to member farmers this week.

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