Actualité
09.05.2007
Governor of Massachusetts (USA) wants to invest $1 billion in biotech
The buzz around biotech reached a peak yesterday when Gov. Deval Patrick unveiled a plan for Massachusetts to invest $1 billion in life sciences initiatives, including controversial stem-cell research, to help the state attract business and add jobs. Patrick’s plan, designed to ”fill gaps in federal funding,” would finance research grants, support laboratory improvements at public colleges and establish a centralized stem-cell center that could be tapped by scientists worldwide.
08.05.2007
Novo Nordisk profits from high GE insulin prices in the U.S.
Insulin analogues sell at a premium over conventional insulin of 5 percent to 10 percent in Japan, 30 percent in Europe, and two to three times as much in the U.S., Jesper Brandgaard, the company’s chief financial officer, said in a telephone interview. The switch to analogues, particularly in the U.S., helped reduce the impact of declining prices for drugs in Europe and Japan, he said.
08.05.2007
The next Human Genome Project: Our microbes
A proposed project to sequence the microorganisms that inhabit our bodies could have a huge impact on human health. Much as we might like to ignore them, microbes have colonized almost every inch of our bodies, living in our mouths, skin, lungs, and gut. Indeed, the human body has 10 times as many microbial cells as human cells. They’re a vital part of our health, breaking down otherwise indigestible foods, making essential vitamins, and even shaping our immune system. Recent research suggests that microbes play a role in diseases, such as ulcers, heart disease, and obesity.
08.05.2007
Biotech leader sees challenges ahead
The nation’s biotechnology industry holds its annual conference this week, with more than 20,000 attendees at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. One of the industry’s key leaders is former congressman James C. Greenwood, a Republican from Pennsylvania, who as president of the trade group BIO is its chief lobbyist in Washington. He spoke with Boston Globe reporter Stephen Heuser on a recent visit to Boston.
08.05.2007
Double vision on biotech: Some see miracle cures, others a fearful future
Americans are highly confident about the biotech industry’s ability to find cures for diseases and develop new alternative fuels. But biotch executives have work cut out for themselves in convincing Americans - especially women - about the benefits of genetically modified foods, according to new survey results released yesterday in conjunction with the first day of the 2007 BIO International Convention in Boston. [...] Only 47 percent of voters surveyed view genetically modified foods as positive - while 43 percent said the practice is ”troubling.”
08.05.2007
GE liability bill of Maine (USA) reaches too far
Organic farmers have a need, and a right, to protect the integrity of their crops, which must adhere to standards to be certified as ”organic.” It is also important that Maine assist organic farmers in a reasonable fashion. Organic farming is not a major part of the state’s economy, but it does represent an economic niche in a state that depends on piecing many niches together to create a solid economic foundation. A bill aimed at the manufacturers of genetically modified seed, however, is a measure that steps beyond reasonable bounds. Part of the bill, sponsored by Rep. James Schatz, D-Blue Hill, would hold seed makers financially liable if cross-pollination occurs between genetically modified crops and organic crops growing in nearby, or not so nearby, fields.
07.05.2007
Indian Supreme Court convenes hearing on GM crops ban
The biotech industry has appealed to the Supreme Court to vacate its ban order on fresh approval of genetically modified (GM) crops. A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan is slated to hear the industry’s petition on May 8. The apex court, in the course of its hearing of a public interest litigation filed by Aruna Rodrigues, PV Satheesh and others on September 22, 2006, had directed the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) not to clear any GM crop for fresh field trials. Earlier on May 1, 2006, it had also said the GEAC and not the Review Committee for Genetic Manipulation (RCGM) under the department of biotechnology should be responsible for field trials and approval of GM crops.
07.05.2007
Massachusetts (USA) towns consider GE crop bans
The resolutions in Becket, Great Barrington and Savoy all call for legislation in state and federal government that would institute a moratorium on the use of the seed and clear labels that identify both genetically engineered seeds and the food produced by it, and for protection of farmers from lawsuits by companies that own patents to the genetic engineering. Three other Berkshire County towns — Windsor, Sandisfield and Williamstown — have passed similar resolutions in the past four years. A total of 21 Massachusetts towns have passed the resolution, and another nine are considering it this year.
07.05.2007
EU must speed response to new GMOs - Farm chief
Europe must speed up its approval process for new biotech crops and foods to avoid future problems with key suppliers like Argentina, Brazil and the United States, Europe’s farm chief said on Friday. Shipments of maize feed products had fallen in the past few months due to efforts to keep out genetically modified (GMO) materials that were approved elsewhere but not in the 27 countries of the European Union. EU regulators had to consider what would happen if imports had to be blocked altogether from given origins to avoid unwanted contamination, EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel said.
07.05.2007
Wheat Summit II moves industry toward consensus
Wheat Summit II, a follow-up to the first Wheat Summit in September 2006, was held in Kansas City this week. About 70 representatives from all aspects of the wheat industry – growers to branded food companies – attended. [...] Collaboration achieved through the Wheat Summit process is aimed at having industry consensus in four major areas: domestic competitiveness; domestic farm policy; exports, transportation and infrastructure; and research and technology.
07.05.2007
Plan for GM crop field trials revived in Thailand
The Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry has revived a plan to conduct field trials of genetically modified crops. Minister Thira Sutabutra yesterday said he had told the Agriculture Department to draft guidelines on how the open-field trials should be conducted to ensure the environment and human health were not affected.
07.05.2007
Greece continues to ban GM corn for planting
Just last week, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Mr. A. Kontos signed a new revision of a January 2006 ministerial decree that prohibits commercialization and usage of GMO hybrid corn seed varieties of the MON 810 series in Greece. This revision raised the number of banned varieties from 31 to 47. The continuing GOG justification for the ban is that these hybrids pose a risk to the environment and to domestic conventional varieties. The research to support these contentions is unknown. Greece has yet to implement any coexistence legislation.
04.05.2007
Genetically engineered food: Consumers still kept in the dark
A wide coalition of international and Canadian groups including a former federal environment minister have joined forces to call on the Canadian government to give consumers mandatory labelling and stop blocking an international agreement on the labelling of Genetically Engineering (GE) foods. These calls come at a crucial time when a UN meeting (CODEX Alimentarius) gathers this week in Ottawa to discuss establishing an international standard for GE labelling. Codex Alimentarius is the international body that oversees food labelling.
04.05.2007
Saskatchewan Court of Appeal rejects appeal on Canadian GM canola case
Two organic farmers from Saskatchewan have lost their latest bid for a class-action lawsuit against farm chemical companies involved in producing genetically modified canola. On Wednesday, the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal by Dale Beaudoin and Larry Hoffman of L.B. Hoffman Farms Inc. against Monsanto Canada and Bayer CropScience. They are seeking damages from the two companies for allegedly contaminating their organically grown canola and their fields with genetically modified canola.
- Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Canada (03.05.2007): Court rejects appeal on GM canola case
- Organic Agriculture Protection Fund, Canada (02.05.2007): Organic farmers considering next steps after Appeal Court decision regarding class certification
- Monsanto, Canada (03.05.2007): Court dismisses Class Action certification application brought forward by Saskatchewan Organic Directorate
04.05.2007
U.S. judge extends ban on planting genetically engineered alfalfa
A federal judge extended his nationwide ban on the planting of genetically engineered alfalfa Thursday and faulted federal officials for approving an herbicide-resistant strain of the crop without studying the dangers of contaminating other farmers’ alfalfa or breeding tougher weeds. [...] ”The contamination cannot be undone,” he said. ”It will destroy the crops of those farmers who do not sell genetically engineered alfalfa. ... It is not in the public interest to take action that has the potential of eliminating the availability of a non-genetically engineered crop without adequate investigation into the long-term impact of such action.” [...] ”This crop represents a very real threat to their crops and their livelihood,” Kimbrell said. ”This ruling is a turning point in the regulation of biotech crops in this country.”
- San Francisco Chronicle, USA (03.05.2007): Judge extends ban on planting genetically engineered alfalfa
- Capital Press, USA (03.05.2007): Judge orders impact study on Roundup Ready alfalfa
- Forbes, USA (03.05.2007): Judge bars genetically modified alfalfa
- Center for Food Safety, USA (03.05.2007): Federal Judge oders first-ever halt to planting of a commercialized genetically-altered crop
- Monsanto, USA (03.05.2007): Monsanto Company disappointed with Court decision against the USDA which suspends the planting of Roundup Ready alfalfa
- Western Farm Press, USA (25.04.2007): Tulare County farmer joins fight to restore Roundup Ready alfalfa seed sales
04.05.2007
EFSA seeks cloned animal studies
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has called on industry and other groups to submit scientific information as part of its review on cloned meat. The request for scientific data is the next phase in forming an opinion that will be presented to the European Commission, which will then decide whether to allow cloned products to enter the food supply chain.
- Food Navigator, France (02.05.2007): EFSA seeks cloned animal studies
- European Food Safety Authority, Italy (27.04.2007): Implications of animal cloning on food safety, animal health and welfare and the environment
- The Center for Food Safety, USA (03.05.2007): Consumers flood FDA with over 130,000 comments opposing food from cloned animals
04.05.2007
Report claims crop approval processes are biased against GM
THE approval processes for genetically modified and conventional crops are fundamentally flawed and biased against GM. That is the renewed message from a sub-group of the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) in a report this week. The sub-group was set up to assess the wider implications of the Farm-Scale Evaluations of genetically modified herbicide tolerant (GMHT) crops.
04.05.2007
REVOKED!! Monsanto monopoly nixed in Munich
The European Patent Office today put the brakes on Monsanto’s over-the-top corporate greed by revoking its species-wide patent on all genetically modified soybeans (EP0301749) – a patent unprecedented in its broad scope. ETC Group, an international civil society organization based in Canada, won its 13-year legal challenge against Monsanto’s species-wide soybean patent when an EPO appeal board ruled that the patent was not new or sufficient (i.e., the invention claimed was not sufficiently described for a skilled person to repeat it). The patent challenge was supported by Greenpeace and ”No Patents on Life!” Dr. Ricarda Steinbrecher of UK-based EcoNexus also joined the opposition team in Munich as a scientific expert.
03.05.2007
Genes being developed for diseases resistant chicken in India
Scientists are working on identification of genes resistant to diseases like pathogenic bird flu to implant these into poultry but it may take six to seven years before it is fully developed. ”It is going to take at least 6 to 7 years for developing totally disease resistant chicken. As of now we have initiated efforts for its which would take about three years and then these genes would be transferred into developing disease resistant chicken which may again take couple of years,” a senior scientist of UP-based Central Avian Research Institute told PTI. [...] Kumar, who was here to participate in a symposium on Poultry Production, said adding we could focus on transferring these genes into high producing chickens.
03.05.2007
Brazil and China should boost partnership in agriculture, sign Bt-cotton agreement
Sao Paulo, Brazil, 27 April – Brazil and China have signed three research and technology agreements for agriculture since 2003 and should increase that cooperation, the supervisor for cooperation at Brazilian farming institute, Embrapa, Bonif agreementácio Magalhães told Macauhub. [...] Magalhães told Macauhub that the next steps in the partnership with China would be an agreement in the area of genetically-modified cotton, which would be signed with Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
