Guest guest Posted July 10, 2004 Report Share Posted July 10, 2004 GMW:_Winegrowers_declare_war_on_GM_grapes/Europeans_Scoff_at_Bioengineered_Beer > " GM_WATCH " <info > Sat, 10 Jul 2004 17:22:20 +0100 > > GM WATCH daily > http://www.gmwatch.org > ------- > " the biotechnology industry has turned in its quest > for converts to the ultimate ice breaker: > genetically modified beer " (item 2) > > Perhaps hoping some are too drunk to care. > > 1.Winegrowers declare war on genetically modified > grapes > 2.Europeans Scoff at Bioengineered Beer > ------- > 1.Winegrowers declare war on genetically modified > grapes > By GREGORY FLANDERS > Associated Press, July 9, 2004 > http://www.santafenewmexican.com/artsfeatures/1672.html > > PARIS - Many French vintners are up in arms about > what they fear is another threat to their > centuries-old winegrowing traditions _ genetically > modified grapes. > > Earth and Wine of the World, an association that > includes nearly 400 French winegrowers, is worried > about a government research project to tinker with > grape genes. > > It's a serious concern in a land where the average > person over 14 drinks a quarter-bottle of wine a > day, and where genetically modified crops are often > derided as " Frankenfoods. " > > " It is of utmost importance that the future of our > profession is not determined solely under the > influence of scientists, industrialists and > technocrats, " the group said in a news release > Thursday after meeting in Paris to come up with a > plan of attack. > > The National Institute of Agricultural Research is > seeking ways to make vulnerable grapes more > resistant to disease, and it plans to replant a > batch of genetically modified vines after a > five-year pause. > > " We're not persuaded that the tests will start with > the maximum number of precautions that we consider > absolutely necessary, " said Alain Graillot, the > president of the vintners association, which also > includes winegrowers from California to Germany. > > " We want to be certain that there will be no > accidental spreading, and that any possible toxicity > of the plants is completely ruled out, " he told The > Associated Press. > > A small crop of genetically modified grapes was > planted in 1996 in eastern France by the champagne > manufacturer Moet et Chandon in partnership with the > agricultural institute. > > But consumer pressure forced the company to dig the > plants out of the ground in 1999 and limit research > to the lab, said Sylvie Colleu, an institute > spokeswoman. > > After all, France is the land that made a hero out > of Jose Bove, the mustachioed farmer-turned-activist > known for ripping up genetically modified crops and > ransacking a half-built McDonald's in 1999. > > " In France, the consumers of wine are rather > traditional, and many are against genetically > modified organisms, " Colleu said. " And many > professionals feel that this could hurt the image of > their brands. " > > The dug-up plants were frozen in a laboratory, and > the institute is waiting for the green light from > Agriculture Minister Herve Gaymard to replant them. > > Jean Masson, the president of the research center in > Colmar where the tests would be conducted, said the > vines could be planted as early as August. > > This time around, the institute has agreed to > certain restrictions to ease consumer fears, he > said. No wine will be produced from the plants, for > example. > > Winemakers have complained that there is a lack of > dialogue between the researchers and the public. > Masson, however, said that he had replied to a > letter from Earth and Wine of the World that he had > received in March 2003, but that he had no response > until a fax last week. > > France's vintners have for years suffered a steady > erosion of their livelihoods by margin-squeezing > supermarket chains, falling demand at home and the > growing popularity of Australian and American wines > abroad. A government crackdown on drunken driving > has also battered domestic sales. > > Worried French winemakers are currently waging > another battle: trying to loosen restrictions on > alcohol advertising. > > Their message _ that people should drink more _ has > met with resistance from doctors' groups, who say > the French already drink enough. > ------ > 2.Europeans Scoff at Bioengineered Beer > By MATT MOORE, AP Business Writer > Associated Press, July 9, 2004 > http://www.nynewsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-biotech-beer,0,74267\ 57.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines > > COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- Spurned across the continent > by food-fastidious Europeans, the biotechnology > industry has turned in its quest for converts to the > ultimate ice breaker: genetically modified beer. > > A consortium of the world's largest biotech > companies led by Monsanto Co. helped fund a Swedish > brewer's new light lager that's produced with the > usual hops and barley -- and a touch of genetically > engineered corn. > > Brew master Kenth Persson hopes to profit from the > notoriety his biotech brew is generating, while > biotech companies hope it can gently sway consumers > as European regulators slowly reopen the continent > to genetically altered foods. > > But those are tall orders to fill. > > A series of food-related health scares in recent > years, from mad cow disease to poisoned poultry, > have stoked fears among many Europeans about > so-called GM foods. > > Europeans insist that such food be clearly labeled, > a vivid contrast with U.S. consumers, who don't > appear bothered that so much of their processed food > includes genetically engineered soy and corn and > isn't labeled as such. > > Indeed, most of the European Union's 457 million > residents are adamant about their food being kept > free from any sort of modifications, genetic or > otherwise. > > And that might help explain why Kenth beer is hardly > a barroom hit. > > The brewer won't say how many bottles have been sold > since the beer was unveiled earlier this year in > Denmark and Sweden. But he says 4,000 bottles are on > their way to stores and pubs in Germany and he's in > talks with stores in the United Kingdom. > > Although research on GM foods hasn't yielded any > nightmare scenarios about damage to life and limb, > Nicholas Fjord of Malmoe in southern Sweden, is not > entirely convinced, either. > > Despite reassurances that genetically modified > products are safe, an image keeps popping up in > Fjord's mind about a relative whose mother took > Thalidomide in the 1960s because she was assured it > was safe. > > " So safe, indeed, that he has no elbow or knee > joints and, despite living a good life, has been > hindered since his birth, " Fjord recalled. Granted, > that's an extreme fear, he said, but one that seems > to be strong in Europe. > > A study conducted earlier this year by Finland's > National Consumer Research Center showed that of all > the concerns about manufactured food that Finns > have, genetically modified foods topped the list. > Some 60 percent of the population expressed " strong > concern, " according to the survey. > > In April the EU lifted a six-year moratorium on new > biotech food, but just barely. The previous month, > it approved the sale of a modified strain of sweet > corn, grown mainly in the United States. But any > food containing that corn must be labeled as > genetically modified. > > U.S. farmers argue that the labeling amounts to a de > facto ban and the Bush administration says it will > continue pushing its biotech trade complaint at the > World Trade Organization. > > And that's where Kenth comes in. > > The beer was created because Monsanto felt the > biotech debate " never rose further than the inner > circle of scientists, politicians and (nongovernment > organizations), " said Mattias Zetterstrand, a > Monsanto spokesman based in Stockholm, the Swedish > capital. " Our wish was to contribute to this > situation by making an abstract discussion more > concrete. " > > The corn in Kenth was approved for use in 1998, > before the European moratorium started, and is grown > in Germany. The Monsanto-created corn seed is > spliced with a bacterium's gene to resist the corn > borer pest without the need for insecticides. > > Zetterstrand wouldn't say how much the biotech > consortium contributed to the project, but said the > companies haven't purchased equity in the small > Swedish brewer and won't share in sales of the beer. > The other companies involved in the project are > Bayer CropScience, DuPont, Plant Science Sweden, > Svaloef Weibull and Syngenta. > > The brewer, Persson, said he realizes that selling a > genetically modified beverage in the European Union > can be a risky proposition -- especially when its > label touts GM ingredients unabashedly. > > Greenpeace activists chased Kenth-ladened beer > trucks in Sweden and Denmark, discouraging store and > tavern owners from buying the brew, when it was > first introduced, and Greenpeace continues to > pressure big grocery chains to avoid stocking it. > > Dan Belusa, a Greenpeace spokesman, said the protest > encouraged ICA, a large Swedish grocery store chain, > to remove Kenth from its shelves. > > " Basically no GM foods are sold in Europe because > consumers and retailers make a conscience choice to > say 'no' to them, " he said. > > The brewer and Monsanto say Greenpeace's efforts > haven't deterred their plans. > > Kenth is now being sold through the Swedish > state-owned liquor monopoly, Systembolaget, in > southern Sweden and there have been no protests. But > its availability is limited. > > At a recent barbecue in Ingaroe, a small town about > a 30-minute drive from Stockholm, a six-pack of the > bottles was offered up for a taste test. The beer > was poured in glasses and offered up. > > All in all, everyone who quaffed said it tasted just > fine, just like other beer. > > They weren't put off by its label, which proudly > denotes its GM use. > > " To me, it's strictly the taste test, " said media > consultant Debi Vaught-Thelin. " If the beer is made > with GM ingredients and tastes OK to me, then yes, I > will drink it happily. " > > > AP biotechnology writer Paul Elias in San Francisco > contributed to this report. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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