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Diversity in the News

28.08.2008

Agriculture Minister of Kerala (India) opposes new Indian GMO Bill

Agriculture Minister Mullakkara Ratnakaran has expressed grave concern over the proposed National Biotechnology Regulatory Bill. The Minister said the Bill contained dangerous provisions that would prevent democratic control over genetic experiments and harm the farmers and consumers. Though agriculture was a State subject, the Centre had not asked the views of the State on the proposed legislation. This was highly objectionable. The Bill had provisions to take away the powers of the State government and local self- governments regarding testing and production of genetically modified crops and impose Central decisions on the States.

28.08.2008

Bt cotton scare grips farmers, 120 goats perish in Orissa (India)

The scare of Bt cotton has come real and in a cruel way. Around 120 goats died after consuming Bt cotton leaves cultivated in Patnagarh sub-division on Sunday. Bt cotton is banned though its seeds are illegally available in the State. Police have detained one Shankar Deep who had taken on lease the land for cultivation of Bt cotton and have registered an FIR. [...] Villagers say that the goats died after chewing Bt cotton leaves. The goats were found fainting in the area where they ate Bt cotton leaves. On postmortem, it was found that all the goats had Bt cotton leaves in their stomach.

28.08.2008

Indian Supreme Court SC to hear plea for moratorium on GM crop

An application seeking a complete moratorium on release of any genetically-modified (GM) crops in the environment till an independent testing facility is set up in India, will be listed for hearing in the Supreme Court on Tuesday. A ”review of six years of Bt cotton experience” is sought on the opinion of Dr P M Bhargava, the noted microbiological expert. He says ”it is necessary that review must take place during a full moratorium on all GM crops, including Bt cotton” — a view that will be placed before a Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan.

28.08.2008

Two new Indian institutes to promote research in agri-biotechnology

The National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI) and Bioprocessing Unit (BPU), to be built at a cost of Rs 380 crore, will be a part of the first Agri-food Park cluster being developed in the Knowledge City at Mohali. ”The central institute will have a major role in implementing relevant biotechnology programmes in the state and generating the required human resource,” Information and Broadcasting Minister P R Dasmunsi said after a meeting of the Union Cabinet, which approved the project.

28.08.2008

Low Indian acreage not to dent cotton production due to Bt plantation

Cotton production may not witness a significant fall despite reduction in acreage by about five lakh hectares in 2008-09, thanks to better yield expected from increasing cultivation of genetically modified Bt-cotton. Area under cotton cultivation declined to 85.9 lakh hectares as on August 17 from 90.7 lakh hectares on the same period last year, according to government data. ”While area under cultivation has shrunk, it will not have much impact on the output, as more than 80 per cent of farmers have planted Bt-cotton this year,” President of the Confederation of Indian Textile Industries P D Patodia said.

28.08.2008

Biosafety data of transgenic brinjal made public in India

The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) has published information on biosafety studies of Bt brinjal, developed by MAHYCO, on its official website. The data in eight volumes, runs into more than 1,100 pages. Sources in the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) confirmed that it was the complete data sent by the company which was analysed by the department and forwarded to the GEAC. Greenpeace, which has been demanding that the data be made public and is involved in a long Right to Information (RTI) battle, says the data looks comprehensive, but there is neither an official notification nor an assurance of its completeness from the authorities.

27.08.2008

Japan finds unauthorised GM rice in China products

Japan has found three incidents of processed rice product imports from China so far this year that contained a variety of genetically modified rice not authorised here, a health ministry official said on Friday. The strain of rice concerned, Bt-63, is a variety that has been modified to resist particular insect pests, but it has not been approved in many parts of the world, and China itself prohibits the export of GM rice. In July 2007, Japan stepped up its testing of rice products imported from China to cover all such imports and check for the unauthorised Bt-63.

27.08.2008

U.S. judge denies class-action for biotech rice suit against Bayer

A federal judge ruled Thursday that hundreds of farmers will not be able to consolidate their lawsuits against Bayer CropScience AG over the accidental release of experimental genetically engineered rice into the food supply. U.S. District Judge Catherine Perry denied a motion to certify the farmers’ claims into one class-action suit, saying were too different from one another to be lumped into a single case. If the case had been certified, attorneys say thousands of farmers in rice-producing states like Missouri and Arkansas could have joined the action.

27.08.2008

Welsh (UK) farmers call for GM debate

WELSH farmers are calling for an informed debate over the use of genetically modified crops so they can compete fairly in the global marketplace. Dyfed CLA chairman Walter Simon says farmers should be allowed to have the choice to make use of scientific developments. Speaking on the eve of today’s opening of the three-day Pembrokeshire Show, Mr Simon said Britain should allow the potential of GM technology to be developed and made available to large and small producers.

27.08.2008

Debate on GM crops not being guided by reason

Prince Charles raised some useful points for debate. Indeed, it was Woolas’ criticism that sounded more like the views of a Monsanto company salesman. Rather than counter the Prince’s position through argument, Woolas quickly dismissed Prince Charles’ attitude as ”entirely Luddite” and then in typical condescending attitude, invoked the potential benefits of GM crops to the Third World. The criticism was an easy sell to those who fail to scratch beneath the surface as was the case with another pro-GM politician Phil Willis who accused the Prince of scientific ignorance and argued that the failure to develop GM crops would ”condemn millions of people to starvation in areas like sub-Saharan Africa”. Yet Prince Charles did not question the science, rather he raised concerns over its application.

27.08.2008

ABIC 2008 in Ireland not promoting GM products, Teagasc insists

TEAGASC HAS rejected claims from the anti-GMO lobby that a world conference it is hosting in Cork this week has the purpose of promoting genetically modified crop and animal production. A spokesman for Teagasc said the Agricultural Biotechnology International Conference being held in UCC this week had only a relatively small element dealing with GMO production. [...] ”This conference which is being attended by over 450 of the world’s top scientists is about deepening our understanding of DNA - it is not about promoting GMO production,” the spokesman said.

27.08.2008

Irish Government slammed for supporting GM food conference

The controversial industry talkfest, which runs from 24-27 August, is organised by a Canadian foundation with funding from the Canadian Government, industry lobby groups, corporate agri-biotech giants Monsanto, BASF, Bayer CropScience, and BP Bio fuels, and the Gowlings law firm (which aided Monsanto’s GMO patent infringement lawsuit against the Canadian farmer Percy Schmeiser, who lost ownership of his seeds and crops after being contaminated by Monsanto’s GM seeds). Irish tax-payers are funding the conference through Teagasc (the Agriculture and Food Authority), Science Foundation Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, the Marine Institute (Foras na Mara), the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, and Sustainable Energy Ireland. Michael O’Callaghan of GM-free Ireland said ”The Government is abusing our money to sabotage its own agreed policy to keep the whole island of Ireland off-limits to GM crops.”

26.08.2008

Glyphosate-resistant weeds fuel Bayer expansion in the U.S.

The explosive expansion of the agricultural sector due to production of bio-fuels is trickling down to Muskegon Township. Bayer CropScience broke ground Friday morning on a $15 million expansion of its facility at 1740 Whitehall to increase the production of its herbicide Ignite. The expansion, expected to be completed by early 2009, will bring an additional 10 jobs to the 44 already at the chemical plant.

26.08.2008

International capital dominates Brazilian agriculture

This dual movement of capital -- which was very much noticeable, from as far back as the theory of imperialism, in large industrial enterprises -- also came to dominate the agricultural sector in the last ten years. And what is most dangerous, now under the hegemony of financial capital, the velocity and volume of capital invested in agriculture were much faster and greater than had been the case in other productive sectors through the course of the twentieth century. That is because much capital in the form of money, i.e. financial capital, accumulated in rich countries in recent years. This capital was shifting to the purchase of shares in the most profitable corporations of the primary sector as well. Thus, in just a few years, as an effect of the investment of this financial capital in stock purchases, concentration and centralization became extraordinary.

26.08.2008

U.S. Grains Council plans to rewrite biotech sections of South Korean textbooks

The U.S. Grains Council, the leading organization for export market development for barley, corn and sorghum, has dedicated years of service to educating international biotechnology regulators, government officials and end-users on the safety of biotechnology supported by sound science. This week, however, the Council is taking a different and innovative approach to setting the record straight and addressing existing misconceptions by educating Korean high school teachers, university professors and authors of Korean textbooks. ”We found that in many cases school (high school and university) textbooks were very misleading in terms of presenting the proven, science-based facts regarding the use and safety of modern biotechnology,” said Byong Ryol Min, USGC director in Korea.

26.08.2008

Monsanto to promote GM soybeans in Japan

Monsanto Co., the world’s leading producer of genetically modified seeds, hopes that value-added soybeans - now in its research pipeline - will help underscore the benefits of GM foods among Japanese consumers and soften their resistance to such food. ”Knowing how important soybeans are in the Japanese diet, I see real opportunity in GM soybeans for Japanese consumers,” said Kim Magin Sutter, Monsanto’s Director of Global Oilseed Industry Affairs. […..] Meanwhile, Sutter dismissed the argument that a few global agricultural majors are trying to control the world’s seed market by dominating patents on GM technology.

26.08.2008

Is Monsanto everywhere? Seed giant flexes muscle

In late March, Monsanto Co. sent a ”Dear Valued Customer” letter to most U.S. corn and soybean farmers. The reason, wrote Jim Zimmer, Monsanto’s vice president of U.S. branded business, was ”to discuss ... some current marketplace dynamics that will directly affect you in terms of increased prices for Monsanto’s line of Roundup herbicides for 2008.” Demand of glyphosate, Roundup’s generic counterpart, ”is at an all time high,” explained Zimmer. As such, ”We have seen the demand for Roundup brand herbicide increase more than our current ability to supply.” That’s a problem, he continued, because ”We have a reliable supplier commitment to farmers who choose to purchase Roundup Ready technology and who choose to purchase Roundup brand herbicide that we will have supply available.”

26.08.2008

Eli Lilly and Company to acquire Monsanto’s POSILAC brand dairy product and related business

Monsanto Company announced today that it has entered into an agreement to sell its POSILAC® bovine somatotropin brand and related business to Eli Lilly and Company. Lilly’s animal health division, Elanco, headquartered in Greenfield, Indiana, is the seventh largest animal health company on a global sales basis. [...] ”We’re pleased Elanco is acquiring this business and will continue to provide dairy farmers with this important production tool,” said Carl Casale, Monsanto’s Executive Vice-President of Strategy and Operations.

25.08.2008

Kootenay Food Strategy Society launches local GE-free campaign in Canada

Organized by a sub-group of the Kootenay Food Strategy Society, the G.E. Free Kootenays campaign used the event to encourage area residents to become involved and supportive of the creation of a region that remains free of genetically-engineered plants and trees. [...] ”Our next step is to present our strategy to the public and encourage community-specific groups to get involved in bringing this issue to their municipal and regional councils and boards,” says spokesperson Kim Charlesworth.

25.08.2008

Kikkoman secures non-GM US soy for Japan use

Kikkoman Corp said on Wednesday it had secured U.S. non-genetically modified soybeans for soy sauce production in Japan for 2009, and would have little choice but to continue to rely on U.S. soybeans. Many of Japan’s soy product makers use non-gm soybeans in keeping with domestic consumer preferences but face daunting procurement difficulties. Genetically modified soybeans now account for over 90 percent of planting in the United States, the world’s biggest soybean exporter, as farmers seek to cut herbicide use and production costs. A doubling in import costs of non-GM soybeans from a year earlier has encouraged a major Japanese tofu maker, Shinozakiya Inc, to increase the usage of locally grown non-gm soybeans, albeit gradually.

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