Actualité
03.10.2008
Non-GE approaches to breed micronutrient rich crops
Bean research began in the first phase of HarvestPlus (2003-2007), with the International Center for Tropical Agriculture and its national research partners assaying more than 4,000 bean genotypes. They found varieties with more than twice the iron content of popular cultivars. [...] They have successfully developed biofortified varieties that meet 90% of the iron target and have superior agronomic traits. These varieties will be field tested next year.
02.10.2008
German diary Campina claims GM free breakthrough
Campina says it has committed to a new feed scheme for one of its leading German dairy brands as part of a wider commitment to removing genetically modified (GM) organisms from across its portfolio of products. The cooperative says that its latest commitment will ensure that only grains sourced from within Germany and the EU, which are guaranteed to be free from GM products, will be used to feed cattle supplying its Landliebe brand of milk.
02.10.2008
Brazilian commission releases transgenic crops without concern for biosafety
And why did the Ministry of Agrarian Development vote against the release of two maize varieties last week? Put briefly: because the document presented by Syngenta reported that its transgenic maize (called GA21) is stable, and that the proofs were contained in Appendix 8 of the presented documentation. But curiously, Appendix 8 had been removed from the process and not even CTNBio’s members had access to it. In addition, documentation indicating that laboratory rats fed with this maize variety had presented symptoms of intoxification were removed from the analyses.
02.10.2008
Certain crops require genetic modification to improve production in Viet Nam
Maize, soybean, cassava, and potato are crops that Vietnam needs to genetically modify to improve productivity as soon as possible, said Dr. Nguyen Quoc Binh, Deputy Director of the HCM City Biotechnology Centre, at a seminar jointly held by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the US Embassy in Vietnam on September 29. [...] Vietnam should not apply genetic modification to other crops like pepper, rice, and coffee yet because they are major export items of Vietnam.
02.10.2008
Indian GM panel wants Supreme-Court-appointed member out
The Genetic Engineering Approvals Committee, which regulates the testing and introduction of genetically-modified crops in the country, is doing its best to eject a troublesome court-appointed body from its midst. [...] Bhargava had pointed out lapses in its supervision of the regulatory process, questioned some of its claims on the safety of GM crops and spoken out in the media. In response, the GEAC, in its meetings on July 9 and August 13, said (in minutes that are on its website) ”that Dr Bhargava was responsible for the malicious and distorted views on the regulatory process being reported in the newspapers periodically”. Bhargava was not present on either occasion, nor was the matter listed on the agenda.
02.10.2008
Bayer subsidiary eyes India launch pad for hybrid seeds
German biotechnology and agrochemical company Bayer CropScience AG, a subsidiary of drug maker Bayer AG, intends to work directly with Indian farmers to research, innovate and introduce new varieties of hybrid seeds in the local market. The firm’s Indian arm, Bayer CropScience Ltd, will facilitate retailers to buy produce from more than 1,000 farmers enrolled with its project called food-chain partnership. [...] In return, the company will use these farms for on-field research and development, said Birgitt Walz-Tylla, global head of Bayer CropScience’s food chain management.
02.10.2008
Assault on farming in India: Punjab Government ties with Syngenta
Now it is understandable that government machinery in Punjab is more worried to offer market to MNCs rather then serving the genuine interests of farmers. Recently a Punjab government agency Markfed has signed a MoU with Syngenta to provide agrochemicals and its right practices on farmers’ doorstep. This indicates that either the government officials do not have understanding of real crisis of farmers or they do not want to understand it. There is a strong third possibility also that Marked and its parent department wants to serve MNCs only sans the poor farmers.
01.10.2008
U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Quanta patent case has implications for biotechnology industry
The Quanta decision may impact biotechnology licenses in several respects. [...] If a licensor wants to restrict downstream uses of licensed technology, Quanta supports the use of direct limitations in license grant clauses over clauses that deny third-parties licenses. For example, the license could grant the right to make and use the invention for noncommercial research purposes with no right to sell products embodying the invention instead of merely stating that the license does not give third parties a right to use the invention.
01.10.2008
Non-GE approaches in breeding and growing chilis, peanuts and tea
”Understanding the diversity of the pathogens and their virulence is a prerequisite to developing stable multi-disease resistant lines,” says Dr. Sylvia Green, the virologist at AVRDC - The World Vegetable Center. In a German-funded project, pathogen isolates were collected in all participating countries, and tested against a
broad array of lines with different resistance genes. [...] These resistant lines have been crossed by participating national agricultural research and extension systems with their preferred local chili cultivars.
01.10.2008
Minnesota (USA) farmers embrace genetically modified beets
Kirk Watt is starting to prepare this field for harvest. He didn’t plant the genetically modified Roundup Ready beets this year, but wishes he had. ”We had non-Roundup here and the guy over there has Roundup and I tell you, his look better,” says Watt ruefully. ”It’s not so much now, but boy, in June it was just night and day difference.” This field has large areas where a thick crop of pigweed dwarfs the sugar beets. The weeds are more than a nuisance, they lower crop yield and cost the farmer thousands of dollars.
01.10.2008
It's a lawless land when it comes to containing GM in the U.S.
You’ve seen them lingering in the aisles of your local health food grocery store, deep in thought. Painstakingly conscientious shoppers who can easily spend 20 minutes choosing the cereal that’s best for the planet and for their bodies. No added sugars: check. Fiber content: check. Organic: check. But when it comes to choosing products free of genetically modified (GM) materials, what many shoppers don’t know is that the USDA isn’t protecting consumers or organic farmers.
01.10.2008
Supplying raw materials for GM-free animal products under German Law
Ever since the implementation of the EU ”GMO labeling” Regulation (EC) No. 1829/2003 EU law has left operators unsure of how to make positive claims such as ”GM-free” or ”non-GM” on consumer products. Only a small number of EU Member States have legislation in place that strictly regulate such claims. [...] The following article focuses on the German situation, but in a broader way it helps understand also the respective issues in Austria and in other EU countries.
30.09.2008
Cloned monkeys born in China
CHINESE scientists have bred the country’s first testtube monkeys, in the first step toward breeding genetically engineered monkeys for scientific research. Dr Sun Qiang of the Shanghai-based East China Normal University led the primate research group to create the seven macaques, a type of monkey fond of eating crabs. [...] ”Our next step is to bring about more test-tube monkeys and eventually make genemodified monkeys to benefit medical research,” Dr Sun said.
30.09.2008
New Zealand’s Government covers up GE animal suffering
The Government is covering up animal welfare and other concerns about AgResearch’s genetic engineering facility at Ruakura by refusing to answer any parliamentary questions about the research, says Greens Co-Leader Jeanette Fitzsimons. Research, Science and Technology Minister Pete Hodgson has declined to answer a raft of written parliamentary questions; for example, ”How many genetically modified deformed foetuses have been created by AgResearch in the past eight years?”, ”How does AgResearch quantify ’long-term’ in its press release of September 4, 2008 ’long term suffering to the mother’ and ’long-term suffering to the recipient is highly unlikely’?” and ”How many genetically modified calves suffering from respiratory conditions have been created by AgResearch in the past eight years?”
30.09.2008
Scientists create GE pigs with cystic fibrosis in search for life-saving new treatments
Pigs have been bred with cystic fibrosis, providing scientists with a powerful animal model that will aid the development of new treatments for the incurable condition. The creation of the pigs, using genetic engineering and cloning technologies, removes one of the biggest barriers to research into cystic fibrosis. While mice and other animals have previously been modified with the genetic mutation that causes the inherited disorder, they do not develop the same symptoms as humans and are thus useless for most experiments.
- The Times, UK (26.09.2008): Scientists create pigs with cystic fibrosis in search for life-saving new treatments
- Reuters, UK (25.09.2008): Scientists use pigs to try to beat cystic fibrosis
- University of Missouri, USA (25.09.2008): Pigs bred with cystic fibrosis provide model to mimick human disease
- Argus Leader, USA (27.09.2008): Iowa biotech puts pig farm near Sioux Falls
30.09.2008
Californian (USA) bill on GE crop liability signed
A bill introduced by Assemblyman Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, that makes manufacturers of genetically engineered crops liable for contamination of surrounding fields, was signed into law by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger over the weekend. Huffman said the law will discourage the practice of biotech companies sampling crops without permission from farmers. He said it will also protect farmers who become the target of frivolous lawsuits from companies that intimidate and harass those who have not been able to prevent the drift of genetically engineered pollen or seed onto their property.
- Marin Independent Journal, USA (29.09.2008): Huffman’s genetic engineering bill signed into law
- Genetic Engineering Policy Alliance, USA (29.09.2008): California’s first law protecting fermers from threats of genetic engineering signed by Governor
- The Center for Food Safety, USA (28.09.2008): California’s Farmer Protection Bill, AB 541, becomes law
30.09.2008
EU fails to approve GM soybean, ministers to decide
European Union biotech experts clashed on Monday on whether to authorize imports of a genetically modified soybean made by Monsanto, leaving the final decision to EU farm ministers, the EU executive said. The soybean, a second-generation GM product known by its code number MON 89788, is designed to resist glyphosate Roundup Ready herbicides and also produce increased yields for farmers. Monsanto’s application for EU approval is for use in food and feed, not for cultivation in Europe’s fields.
30.09.2008
EU farmers grow 108.000 ha of GE crops - 2.000 less than in 2007
Today, when the EU 27 Agriculture Ministers begin their 2 day Council meeting to discuss the farming sector but not specifically the key issue of competitiveness, EuropaBio, the biotech industry association, released figures on biotech crop cultivation in Europe. [...] The total area cultivated with biotech crops in the EU in 2008 is 107 719 hectares in 7 countries, a 21% increase over 2007. The cultivated acreage of biotech crops has increased over ten fold in Poland and Romania in 2008, doubled in Slovakia and increased substantially (68%) in the Czech Republic versus 2007. In Spain, where most of the EU’s biotech crops are grown, the cultivated acreage continues to increase (+5%) after 11 years of experience with the applied technology.
- EuropaBio, Belgium (29.09.2008): Latest figures show that more EU farmers choose to grow biotech crops to boost their competitiveness, but are the EU’s Ag Ministers listening?
- Prague Daily Monitor, Czech Republic (19.09.2008): Czech GM maize area tops 8,000 ha in 2008
- Farmers Guardian, UK (29.09.2008): More GM crops being grown across Europe
- European Voice, Belgium (30.09.2008): Drop in genetically modified crops grown in EU
- GMO-Compass, Germany (30.09.2008): Cultivation of GMOs rises in many European countries
29.09.2008
GM maize setback for South African maize exporters
The World Food Programme, one of the biggest buyers of South African maize, may have to shop elsewhere due to a growing shortage of non-genetically modified (GM) local mielies. The move would be a huge blow to grain exporters, some of whom say they have already suffered economic losses due to the country’s heavy reliance on GM maize. ”It is becoming more difficult every year to find sufficient quantities of non-GM maize in South Africa,” WFP southern Africa spokesman Richard Lee said. ”The situation is that the majority of countries that we send maize to from South Africa as food assistance do not want GM maize,” Lee said.
29.09.2008
GE crops needed to solve food shortage, says Canadian CEO
More genetically modified crops must be developed if agricultural producers are to meet the challenge of global food shortages and climate change, a Biotech Week event was told Thursday. ”Technology prevented mass starvation in the 20th Century,” said David Dennis, CEO of Performance Plants Inc., which operates plant biotechnology facilities in Kingston, Ont., Saskatoon and New York. ”Technology will solve the problems of the 21st Century, I believe,” added Dennis, a former Queen’s University plant scientist, who founded PPI in 1995.
- Leader-Post, Canada (25.09.2008): Biotechnology needed to solve food shortage, says CEO
- The StarPhoenix, Canada (20.09.2008): Agricultural biotechnology: Helping today and poised to grow for tomorrow
- Los Angeles Times, USA (22.09.2008): Biotech corn and soybeans replacing wheat across Great Plains as profits soar
- Jamaica Gleaner, Jamaica (18.09.2008): GMOs - building better food
