Guest guest Posted August 7, 2004 Report Share Posted August 7, 2004 > WEEKLY_WATCH_number_84 > " WEEKLY_WATCH " <info > Thu, 5 Aug 2004 22:59:56 +0100 > --------------------------- > WEEKLY WATCH number 84 - and monthly review > --------------------------- > --------------------------- > from Claire Robinson, WEEKLY WATCH editor > --------------------------- > > There's a subtle but interesting development in the > way biotech proponents push GM for the third world. > Like contaminated meat buried in a hamburger, GM is > being bracketed with widely accepted or > vaguely-defined " goods " like irrigation and " modern > agricultural technologies " in the hope that the > entire package will be swallowed without question. > The increasing use of this grimy used-car salesman > technique (get the customer to confirm their name is > Smith, and to agree that the weather has turned > cold, and they're more likely to acquiesce to your > next suggestion that they buy the car) points to the > lack of genuine success stories from the biotech > camp and is testament to the industry's growing > desperation (see FOCUS ON AFRICA). > > In the US, a second county has voted to ban the > production of GM crops and animals, and there are > more ballots in the pipeline (see NORTH AMERICA). > But industry's main focus is on the federal > government. In the run-up to the election, the > Democrats have recruited a former Monsanto man, > lobbyist Toby Moffet, to bring down presidential > candidate and people's champion Ralph Nader (see > LOBBYWATCH: US ELECTION SPECIAL). > > Finally, watch out for some encouraging reviews of > Dr Ignacio Chapela's tenure issue and, relatedly, of > the damage wrought by Berkeley's controversial > academic-industrial partnership with the Swiss GM > giant Syngenta - CORPORATE TAKE OVER OF SCIENCE > > Claire claire > www.lobbywatch.org / www.gmwatch.org > > --------------------------- > CONTENTS > --------------------------- > PHARMING > FARMING > FOCUS ON AFRICA > FOCUS ON ASIA > NORTH AMERICA > EURO-NEWS > CORPORATE TAKEOVER OF SCIENCE > TALES OF TWO GENE SCIENTISTS > LOBBYWATCH: US ELECTION SPECIAL > REST OF THE MONTH'S TOP STORIES > DONATIONS > > --------------------------- > PHARMING > --------------------------- > > + USDA TOLD TO DISCLOSE BIOPHARM LOCATIONS IN HAWAII > The federal government must reveal where companies > grow GM pharmaceutical crops in Hawaii, a judge > ruled on 4 August. Public interest groups are > seeking the information to force the government to > study the environmental impact of the crops. The > government and industry contend public disclosure > could lead to crop vandalism and corporate espionage > of trade secrets. > > US District Judge David Ezra ordered the US Dept of > Agriculture to identify where four companies have > received permits for open-field testing of > pharmaceutical crops in Hawaii and to reveal the > locations to the environmental group Earthjustice > and the Center for Food Safety, a nonprofit. > > " It's definitely a victory, " said Isaac Moriwake, an > attorney for Earthjustice. " It's basically an > affirmation that the defendants haven't been able to > show that this kind of information is confidential. " > > Ezra gave the USDA another 90 days to prove that > releasing the locations to the public would cause > irreparable damage to the biotech industry. That > step could force biotech companies to look elsewhere > to conduct their pharma crop tests, a biotech > industry representative said. > > Representatives for both sides of the issue said > this would be the first time in the US that > locations of biopharm tests would be revealed to an > outside party. That could set a precedent for > similar disclosures in other states and could pave > the way for disclosing the locations of all GM crop > research. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4206 > > + BAN PLANT-BASED GM PHARMACEUTICALS > Prof Joe Cummins and Dr Mae-Wan Ho call for a global > forum and a ban on testing pharm crops, especially > in Third World countries. > > Excerpt: > There is an urgent need for proper international > regulation on the testing and production of > plant-based pharmaceuticals. The first step may be a > wider discussion of the drawbacks and dangers of > plant-based pharmaceuticals as well the " advantages " > put forward by proponents in academe and > corporations. The overlooked dangers of pharm crops > include pharmaceuticals that are toxic, that could > produce immune sensitization followed by > anaphylaxis, or oral tolerance leading to loss of > immunity to pathogens; and general loss of > confidence in the food supply. > http://www.i-sis.org.uk/Banpharmcrops.php > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4195 > > --------------------------- > FARMING > --------------------------- > > + GENETICALLY MODIFIED SCAM > An excellent article from Julie Newman, National > Spokesperson of the Network of Concerned Farmers, > looks at GM crops from an Australian farmer's > viewpoint. > > Excerpt: > ...we have been reassured that consumers will be > able to have a choice as coexistence is possible and > farmers can market as non-GM if they want to. Wrong > again! It has been proven that farmers cannot avoid > unwanted GM contamination in our crops. Rather than > expect the GM grower to contain their product, the > GM industry expected farmers to all market on the > consumer rejected GM market to remove opposition and > deny consumer choice. > > For those of us farmers wanting to market on the > consumer preferred " GM-free " market we were expected > to tolerate the costs and liabilities involved. We > were expected to break the law and market > contaminated produce after signing guarantees and > indemnities declaring no contamination. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4197 > > --------------------------- > FOCUS ON AFRICA > --------------------------- > > + GMOS THE WAY OUT OF HUNGER? > As Kenya faces another famine, " experts " are > announcing in the press that irrigation and adoption > of GM crops could be the way out of hunger. > > An article in the East African Standard says: " Dr > [Florence] Wambugu, who was behind the production of > the first genetically modified sweet potato in > Africa in the early 1990s, says that GMOs are the > only way out of the food crises in less developed > countries. She says that biotechnology can easily > develop drought and pest resistant crops. " > > Biotechnology can easily develop drought resistant > crops? Not according to Professor Tim Flowers, > School of Biological Sciences, University of Sussex, > who says, " Evaluation of claims that biotechnology > can produce salt-tolerant crops reveals that, after > ten years of research using transgenic plants to > alter salt tolerance, the value of this approach has > yet to be established in the field. Biotechnologists > have reasons for exaggerating their abilities to > manipulate plants. If 'biotechnology' is to > contribute tolerant crops, these crops may still be > decades from commercial availability. The generation > of drought tolerant crops is likely to have a > similar period of development. " > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=1564 > > Note how Wambugu, who hyped the now failed GM sweet > potato project for years, has to reach beyond GM for > biotech success stories: " One example of successful > application of biotechnology has been the experiment > involving farmers growing tissue-culture bananas in > East Africa. Farmers who have participated in the > trials have trebled their incomes and doubled their > yields. " > > Recently Wambugu trumpeted another biotech success > with eucalyptus trees but the suspicion is that > these are also most likely the product of tissue > culture and not GM. > > Note also that the article links irrigation and > biotech as if the availability of water and GM were > all part of the same wave of the future! > For more on Wambugu: > http://www.gmwatch.org/profile1.asp?PrId=131 & page=W > > --------------------------- > FOCUS ON ASIA > --------------------------- > > + ISAAA SET TO LAUNCH KNOWLEDGE CENTRE IN INDIA > As part ofthe current biotech industry assault on > India, the US-based International Service for the > Aquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) is > slated to launch a new 'knowledge center' in India - > it's second in Asia - to be housed in the > International Crops Research Institute for the > Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). > > This 'knowledge centre' will be launched at the > three-day conference on 'Agricultural Biotechnology: > Ushering in the Second Green Revolution' beginning > August 10. The conference is being organised jointly > by ISAAA, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce > and Industry (FICCI) and the Chennai-based MS > Swaminathan Research Foundation, as a means of > hyping GM and pushing for a revised regulatory > system in India that will help to fast-track GMOs. > > The ISAAA, backed by the biotech industry, already > has centres in North America, Africa and south-east > Asia. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4199 > > For lots more on ISAAA: > http://www.gmwatch.org/profile1.asp?PrId=66 & page=I > > + CLARIFICATION: SHANTHU SHANTHARAM > > In an item in Weekly Watch 83, " INDUSTRY ASSAULT ON > INDIA - FAST-TRACKING CAMPAIGN CONTINUES, BIG PRO-GM > CONFERENCE COMING " , we said that Dr Shanthu > Shantharam, who is lobbying for the faster uptake of > GM crops in India, is an employee of GM giant > Syngenta. > > Dr Shantharam has asked us to point out that he is > no longer a Syngenta employee but is " an independent > consultant on biotechnology and biosafety and > environmental risk assessment of GM crops with my > own consulting firm of Biologistics International. " > > Our statement that Dr Shantharam is an employee of > Syngenta was based on information made available on > the website of his own company, Biologistics > International - still there at the time of writing: > > " Dr Shanthu Shantharam is the Regulatory Compliance > Manager at Plant Sciences Division, Syngenta Basel, > Switzerland. Until recently, he was the Head of > Stakeholder Relations and Technology Communications > in the same company. At the corporate headquarters, > Shanthu is leading a project to develop company > guidelines and standard operating procedures to > ensure highest level of biotechnology regulatory > compliance in different parts of the world where > Syngenta is conducting biotech business... " > http://www.biologistics.us/profile.htm > > The use of the present tense seems unambiguous. > However, we accept Dr Shantharam's assurance that he > has now left Syngenta and are happy to correct the > record. > > Dr Shantharam's recent exit from Syngenta does not, > however, reassure us of his independence. Regarding > the issue of someone acting on an apparently > independent basis when they have been an employee of > a heavily interested party, note our comment on > ex-Syngenta employee Willy De Greef's recent > contribution to Nature Biotechnology: > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4130 > > The Centre for Science in the Public Interest > recently recommended that " journal editors require > authors to disclose any financial arrangements they > have had with private firms within the past three > years, regardless of whether those arrangements > relate to the subject of the article, and that the > conflicts be published if they are in any way > related to the article's subject. " > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4137 > > Dr Shantharam also complains that we have > mischaracterized his views on Bt cotton and the > adequacy of regulatory systems. We maintain that we > have represented his views fairly but leave it to > readers to judge for themselves. To see Dr > Shantharam's email in full along with our reply, see > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4207 > To see Dr Shantharam's article on how GM foods are > regulated, see > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4194 > > ------- > NORTH AMERICA > ------- > > + TRINITY COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, BANS GM CROPS AND > ANIMALS > On 3 August Trinity County, California became the > second county in America (after Mendocino Cty) to > ban the production of GE crops and animals. By a > vote of 3-1, Trinity County Supervisors adopted the > ban in an effort to protect Trinity's local economy > and environment. Four other California counties will > vote in November to ban GE crops (Marin, Butte, > Humboldt, and San Luis Obispo). > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4202 > > + GM SUPERSPUDS FOR CHINA? > Canadian company Penn Biotech Inc are promising to > meet the burgeoning Chinese appetite for french > fries and potato chips with superspuds > " bio-engineered " by the Korea Research Institute of > Bioscience and Biotechnology. However, a closer look > at the details has raised the suspicions of The > Vancouver Sun. The paper reports that Penn Biotech > is listed on the OTC Bulletin Board, the dregs of > North American equity markets. It started trading > last October after acquiring rights to the > bio-engineered potatoes from the Korea Research > Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology. Purchase > price was $31,228 US, plus a one-per-cent royalty on > gross sales. > > The paper says " this extremely modest price tag > indicates that the technology isn't worth much, > unless the institute is banking on a big royalty > stream. But if it is, why did it sell the rights to > a company with no track record whatsoever? " > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4204 > > ------- > EURO-NEWS > ------- > > + BIG CONFERENCE TO BRING BIOTECH TO EUROPE > An 'ABIC 2004' conference in Cologne (12-15 Sept > 2004) aims to bring 'AgBiotech back to Europe': > " With the imminent lift of the de facto moratorium > on genetically modified food, the implementation of > new European regulations and a more competitive > European market, this conference is important as > ever to give new impulses to the European AgBiotech > research and AgBiotech business in Europe. " > > Curiously, ABIC appears to have few European > connections. Here are some of its directors (more at > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4204) - > most of whom seem to connect to Canada, and the > prairie city of Saskatoon in particular. > > *Bernard Laarveld - Chair: ABIC Foundation. Head of > Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University > of Saskatchewan, Canada. Dr. Laarveld actively > supports economic and corporate development for the > Saskatoon biotech community. Also co-founder of > Minerva Animal Health Corporation Inc. > > *Ashley O'Sullivan - President and CEO Ag-West > Biotech, Saskatoon, Canada. Previously worked for > Monsanto Canada. > > *Armand Lavoie - Saskatoon, Canada. Vice President > Western Canada of Foragen Technologies Management > Inc. > > *Lawrence B. Schook - Chicago, Illinois, USA. > President and CSO Pyxis Genomics which has > operations in Canada and US > > *Graham Scoles - Associate Dean. College of > Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan, Canada. > Teaching and research in area of plant biotech. > > *Gerry Brown - Director, Business Development > Branch, Saskatchewan Research Council. Experience of > broad range of corporate environments including > small biotech company and Esso/Exxon family. > > *Roger Kemble - President of Syngenta Biotech, Inc. > (SBI), Research Triangle Park, NC, USA. Also worked > for Allelix Inc. (in Canada) and Pioneer Hi-Bred, > prior to Syngenta. > > You can see why this crowd want agbiotech " to go > Europe! " As it says of ABIC's Chairman: > " Dr. Laarveld actively supports economic and > corporate development for the Saskatoon biotech > community. " > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4204 > > --------------------------- > CORPORATE TAKEOVER OF SCIENCE > --------------------------- > > + REVIEW OF TENURE REFUSAL UNCOVERS CONFLICTS OF > INTEREST > The academic rights of an ecologist at the > University of California, Berkeley, may have been > violated when he was denied tenure last year, > according to a report from the academic senate. > > Ignacio Chapela was an outspoken critic of > Berkeley's controversial academic-industrial > partnership with the Swiss agribiotech firm > Syngenta, which ended last year. He was also the > lead author of a disputed paper in Nature in which > he asserted that genes from genetically modified > crops had flowed into Mexican maize, and had become > scattered throughout the genome (D. Quist and I. H. > Chapela Nature 414, 541-543; 2001). After a storm of > criticism about the paper, Nature withdrew its > support for the article, but the authors stand by > their research. > > Against this background, Chapela was denied tenure > at Berkeley's College of Natural Resources in > November 2003 (see Nature 426, 591; 2003). He > appealed. > > The resulting report, issued on 28 June, claims that > Jasper Rine, a geneticist at the university who sat > on a key committee reviewing Chapela's tenure, had > conflicts of interest. It says that Rine had > financial dealings with biotech firms, oversaw the > Syngenta agreement and had cited Chapela's Nature > paper as an example of poor science in one of his > classes. Both the dean of Chapela's college and his > department chair requested that Rine be taken from > the committee four times; but Rine did not excuse > himself nor did the committee chair ask him to > leave. The report also says there was > " unjustifiable " delay in the tenure-review process. > > " I am glad the senate is able to rise to the > occasion, " says Chapela, whose contract has been > extended while he appeals. ... As the senate > continues its inquiry, Chapela is hoping for a > second tenure review. He has also filed two claims > that may precede a lawsuit. In April, he accused the > university of discrimination, saying that he was > denied tenure because he is Hispanic. Early last > month, he claimed he was victimized by the > university for speaking out against the Syngenta > deal. > - Nature 430, 598, 05 August 2004 > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4203 > > + PEER REVIEWERS GIVE THUMBS-DOWN TO > BERKELEY-NOVARTIS DEAL > A team of scholars says universities should avoid > unusual and controversial research agreements such > as the one the University of California at Berkeley > had with the company formerly known as Novartis. The > university had invited the team of outside scholars > to evaluate its relationship with the company. > > The arrangement at Berkeley, in which nearly an > entire department of biology participated in a > five-year, $25-million corporate-sponsorship > agreement, was " outside the mainstream for research > contracts with industry, " the team of evaluators > concludes. > > " While an intriguing experiment, there appears > little rationale for repeating the approach, " they > say in their report. > > The report also suggests that Berkeley's > relationship with Novartis created a potential > conflict of interest among administrators that > affected the tenure review of a faculty member, > Ignacio Chapela, who was an outspoken critic of the > agreement. He was denied tenure in late 2003. The > report does not offer an opinion on whether Mr > Chapela should have received tenure, but it does > state that " there is little doubt " that the > Berkeley-Novartis relationship was a factor in the > tenure decision. > > The agreement " played a very clear role and an > unsatisfactory role in the tenure process " of Mr > Chapela, said Lawrence Busch, a professor of > sociology at Michigan State University, who headed > the evaluation. > ... > The deal created the impression that the department > was " on the dole " and " biased toward the funding > source, " [busch] said. " Universities as institutions > can only be objective observers on the scientific > and regulatory scene to the extent that some > distance remains between them and industry funding > sources. " > - Chronicles of Higher Education, July 30, 2004 > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4200 > > + TAVERNE'S CONFLICT OF INTEREST > Lord Dick Taverne recently contributed a pro-MMR > (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine article to the > British Medical Journal in which he argues against > legal aid being granted for a claim against its > manufacturers. > http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/329/7459/239 > > In the article he is billed as the Chairman of Sense > about Science. The BMJ requires disclosure of > interests. Glaxo SmithKline is a major vaccine > manufacturer and, specifically, an MMR manufacturer. > Taverne fails to mention any link between Sense > about Science and Glaxo even though the company is > listed as one of the lobby group's donors. > http://www.lobbywatch.org/profile1.asp?PrId=127 & page=T > http://www.senseaboutscience.org.uk/Donors.htm > > + REGULATORS THREATENED FOR VOICING DOUBTS ABOUT > PRODUCT SAFETY > Richard Brook, CEO of the charity Mind and a member > of the UK government's Medicines and Healthcare > Products Regulation Agency, resigned from the Agency > when it tried to cover up serious side-effects of > the controversial anti-depressant Seroxat. Brook > says he was threatened with legal action by > Professor Kent Woods, chief executive of the MHRA, > if he revealed the data. Brook says his colleagues > at the Agency " appeared more interested in putting > their reputations, and those of drugs companies, > before the safety of patients. " > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4205 > > Brook is not the first member of a supposedly > independent committee to come under heavy pressure > to fall in line with industry's wishes. During the > UK government's public debate on GM in 2003, two > scientists, Carlo Leifert and Andrew Stirling, fell > foul of pro-GM members of the UK government's > Science Review Panel. Leifert resigned and Stirling > said his career and future funding had been > threatened unless he stopped questioning the safety > of GM foods. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=1214 > > This month, two members of the UK government's > committee on radiation risks were barred by > government lawyers from voicing fears about the > dangers from radiation from nuclear plants. Dr Chris > Busby and Richard Bramhall say the risk of cancer > from low-level radiation dangers is greater than > realised. But lawyers at Defra, the environment > ministry, have sent letters to all 12 members of the > committee warning them that they could be sued for > defamation if they include Bramhall and Busby's > 'minority report' in their report. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4205 > > ------- > TALES OF TWO GENE SCIENTISTS > ------- > > + LIFE, THE UNIVERSE, AND... NOTHING > Francis Crick, the scientist credited with > discovering the molecular construction of DNA, who > died in July, was " a great scientist who was deluded > about the power of science " , says Bryan Appleyard in > an interesting retrospective for the Sunday Times. > > Excerpt: > Crick ... produced a strange book in 1994 called The > Astonishing Hypothesis. What, he said, was > astonishing was that identity and free will are > nothing more than " a vast assembly of nerve cells " . > Why such a blank statement of an ancient scientific > orthodoxy should be astounding to anybody was never > explained. In addition, we have had the hard > scientistic propaganda of Stephen Hawking and > Richard Dawkins. The latter's " selfish gene " > hypothesis turns the human being into a mere > gene-replicating machine. Such strange fetishisation > of the gene has proved to be one of the most bizarre > and implausible post- Christian cults. > > Meanwhile, James Watson, one of the least pleasant > individuals with whom I have ever had dealings, has > travelled the conferences of the world making > increasingly shocking statements based on his > personal creed of scientism. I once asked him: if we > found the gene for homosexuality and removed it from > the human gene pool, what would be the impact on > society? He thought for a moment, then replied, > " Less ballet. " > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4205 > > + GENE THERAPY PIONEER WF ANDERSON ARRESTED FOR > MOLESTATION > Internationally prominent gene therapy researcher Dr > William French Anderson has been arrested. He's > charged with sexually molesting a girl over a > four-year period. The 67-year-old scientist was > arrested at his Los Angeles home. The county > district attorney's office says he's charged with > six felony counts of assault. It accuses Anderson, > who was the girl's karate coach, of abusing her at > his home from 1997 to 2001. > > Anderson is the University of Southern California > researcher who has been leading the charge on both > somatic and human germline gene therapy. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4205 > > --------------------------- > LOBBYWATCH: US ELECTION SPECIAL > --------------------------- > > + US: CAN MONSANTO'S RAIDER VANQUISH NADER? > Toby Moffett is a well-connected Washington lobbyist > employed at the Livingston Group, a powerful lobby > firm begun by former Republican representative > Robert Livingston. Moffett was previously a > vice-president of Monsanto. In his youth Moffett > worked for Ralph Nader and now as he did in 2000 he > is trading on his " Nader's Raider " past to raise > hefty contributions for a well-oiled attack campaign > against Nader's run for the presidency. > > According to the Seattle Times, " anti-Nader groups > have been organized for months. But the efforts have > taken 'a huge move' recently in fund raising, > research and a detailed attack plan, Moffett said. > 'This guy [Nader] is still a huge threat,' he said. > 'We're just not going to make the same mistake we > made in 2000.' ... A memo given to potential > supporters said Moffett's group, United Progressives > for Victory, will do research, community organizing, > media outreach and Internet marketing aimed at > weakening Nader's standing. Nader called it a smear > campaign and said, 'It's the Democrats' undemocratic > attempt' to quash third-party candidates. " > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4201 > > A black woman and former Green candidate, Donna > Warren, has told the Democrats to stop trying to > sabotage Nader: > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4201 > Warren launched a lawsuit against the CIA and the US > Justice Dept for deliberately allowing crack cocaine > to flow into California as part of the US's support > for Contra rebels in Nicaragua. She lost her son to > crack cocaine. > http://www.donnawarren.com/ciacont.html > > + CANDIDATE CAUSES STIR IN CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGN > OVER HIS SUPPORT FOR EUGENICS > Nashville, Tenn.: Republican congressional candidate > James L. Hart acknowledges that he is an > " intellectual outlaw. " He is an unapologetic > supporter of eugenics. He believes the country will > look " like one big Detroit " if it doesn't eliminate > welfare and immigration. He believes that if blacks > were integrated centuries ago, the automobile never > would have been invented. > > He shows up at voters' homes wearing a bulletproof > vest and carrying a gun, and tells them that " white > children deserve the same rights as everyone else. " > > Despite his radical views, Hart may end up winning > the Republican nomination because he is the only GOP > candidate on the ballot in Thursday's primary. > > " I would characterize him as a racist, an elitist, " > said write-in candidate Dennis Bertrand, a financial > analyst and former military officer. " His idea of > ... genetically altering the human race in order to > build a super race with super intelligence is > appalling. " > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4201 > > ------- > REST OF THE MONTH'S TOP STORIES > ------- > > + 900 INDIAN FARMERS COMMITTED SUICIDE IN LAST 2 > MONTHS > In India, in the past two months, 900 farmers have > committed suicide. It's a stark reminder of Devinder > Sharma's recent warning that to talk of the need to > usher in the " second Green Revolution " without first > ascertaining where the equation has gone wrong with > the first " will be mankind's greatest folly " . The > tragedy is, says Devinder, that while the scientific > community and the policy makers will escape > scot-free, it is farmers in the years to come who > will continue to be sacrificed on the altar of > agricultural development. > > Devinder is calling for an end to the obscene > diversion of public funds into hugely expensive GM > crops while millions are going hungry. He points out > that in India nutritious food containing on average > around 9 per cent in protein is being left to rot in > the countryside, while biotechnologists are > celebrating the production of GM potatoes containing > a mere 2.5 per cent of protein. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4070 > > + INDUSTRY ASSAULT ON INDIA - FAST-TRACKING CAMPAIGN > CONTINUES, BIG PRO-GM CONFERENCE COMING > PV Satheesh of the Deccan Development Society has > warned how, unperturbed by the problems already > inflicted on the country by GM cotton, " the powerful > industrial lobby in India has been instrumental in a > process that might completely dismantle the Genetic > Engineering Approval Committee of the Ministry of > Environment and Forests and hand over the control to > an industry-dominated committee in the name of a > fast track approval " . > > As part of the biotech industry's campaign to weaken > India's regulatory system, the Federation of Indian > Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) will hold > a big GM promotional - an " International Conference > on Agricultural Biotechnology " entitled " Ushering in > the Second Green Revolution " at Federation House, > New Delhi, Aug 10-12, 2004. > > FICCI is operating in partnership with: > > (1) The International Service for the Acquisition of > Agri-Biotech Application (ISAAA) - a U.S.-based, GM > promotion and 'transfer' agency whose board has > contained leading biotech industry executives and > which enjoys multi-million dollar funding from > Bayer, Cargill, Dow, Monsanto, Novartis, Pioneer, > Syngenta, in addition to funding from the > Rockefeller Foundation and Western governmental > funding agencies. > http://www.gmwatch.org/profile1.asp?PrId=66 & page=I > and > > (2) The MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) > headed by the green revolution scientist, MS > Swaminathan, who has been in charge of a government > task force set up to revise India's regulatory > system. Swaminathan has a disturbing talent for > dressing up the industry's agenda in the rhetoric of > village India, women's empowerment, etc. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4179 > > The main conference organisers, FICCI, has already > stated that it wants to see the Genetic Engineering > Approval Committee's powers curtailed by " changes in > rules relating to production and handling of > micro-organisms, cells and genetically modified > organisms (GMOs). " > > The biotech lobby's main concern is over what they > see as stagnation in the GM crop sector in India. > Shantu Shantharam spells it out with his complaint, > " all we have is one stupid Bt cotton to talk about. " > India's prominence within the developing world makes > what the biotech lobby sees as the slow introduction > of GM crops into India particularly frustrating. > > Significantly, Shantaram, who is a frequent > spokesman on these issues, presents himself simply > as " Dr Shantu Shantaram, Biologistics International > USA " . In fact, Dr Shantaram is a former employee of > GM giant Syngenta. > > While at Syngenta, Shantaram developed the > corporation's PR strategies for biotech projects, > including Golden Rice. Prior to that he worked for > the US Department of Agriculture. Biologistics > International is Shantaram's " consulting firm " on > biosafety. No doubt he will be putting that > expertise to good use to help India usher in its > " Second Green Revolution " . > > Much of the drive to reform India's regulatory > system has its roots in a forum on regulatory > development set up by Syngenta, in which MS > Swaminathan took a prominent part. Syngenta's forum > established many of the principles behind the > proposals for regulatory reform now being brought > forward. > > The aim seems clear: to weaken India's regulatory > system and then use it as a blueprint to sell to > other Asian countries - just as South Africa's > fast-track system is now being promoted as a model > for the entire continent. > > See: > Ushering in the Second Green Revolution - > International conference in New Delhi > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4179 > Clipping the wings of India's regulators > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4183 > Industry asault on India > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4193 > > + AFRICABIO EXPOSED AS INDUSTRY LOBBY GROUP > Until now AfricaBio, which presents itself as a > civil society organisation - " The NGO taking > biotechnology to the people of Africa " - has > remained vague about who it represents and who funds > it. It describes itself as " a non-political, > non-profit biotechnology association " and claims a > " wide spectrum " of support. > > Some, however, have questioned its claims to be a > disinterested part of civil society. At the World > Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in > late August 2002, AfricaBio unsuccessfully sought to > gain formal access to civil society sessions at the > Summit. > > AfricaBio complained that " despite repeated > requests " to be included in the programme, its > " participation was refused " on the grounds that it > was an industry body seeking to dilute the impact of > genuine NGOs. Despite the refusal, AfricaBio's > supporters did attend the Civil Society Forum and > worked with others to undermine it, by first > expressing dissent from the floor and then staging a > walkout. AfricaBio was also represented at a > carefully staged pro-GM protest rally at the Summit. > > But disputing AfricaBio's claim to a broad-based > civil-society style membership has been difficult in > the absence of precise details about that membership > - details AfricaBio has consistently refused to > furnish. > > However, Mariam Mayet, a lawyer with the African > Centre for Biosafety, was present at AfricaBio's > launch on 27 October 1999. At that launch a list of > " founding members " of AfricaBio was on a sheet in > the folder given out to participants. > > They include AgrEvo South Africa; Carnia Seed [this > has been bought by Monsanto]; Delta and Pine Lands > SA. Inc; Monsanto SA Ltd (Monsanto has voting rights > in AfricaBio); Novartis South Africa Ltd; Pioneer > Hi-Bred RSA Ltd; Sensako [a seed company that has > been bought by Monsanto]; Innovation Biotechnology > [company owned by Muffy Koch who is on a > sub-committee of the Advisory Committee which > provides expert technical advice on South Africa's > regulatory decisions on GM]; University of Cape > Town, Dept of Microbiology [the Dept is headed by > Jennifer Thompson, who is also an advisor to the > biotech-industry funded Council for Biotechnology > Information in the US, a Board Member of the > biotech-industry backed ISAAA and Chair of the > African Agricultural Technology Foundation, which > receives backing from the industry and USAID to > introduce GM crops into Africa]. > > Note that under AfricaBio's membership and voting > rights, business members have 5 votes, while > research organisations and non-business members > have, respectively, 2 votes and 1 vote. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4031 > > + ROW OVER MUTANT AIDS DRUG > South Africa is to become the guinea pig for the > production and testing of an HIV/Aids vaccine that > will be grown in GM plants. But local environmental > activists have warned they will fight the project, > for which the European Union has granted 12 million > euro (about R80-million) over five years. > > The first field trial of the GM vaccine is likely to > be carried out in South Africa because there are > fears that crops might be vandalised in the UK. The > trial will be carried out by the Centre for > Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), based in > Pretoria. Possible host plants for the drug include > maize and tobacco. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4185 > > The irony of this proposal to genetically engineer > an anti-HIV drug into plants will not be lost on > those who have read Leonard Horowitz's seminal book, > Emerging Viruses: AIDS and Ebola - Nature, Accident > or Intentional? (Tetrahedron, 1996). Horowitz > follows a scientific paper trail which concludes > that the HIV virus was either accidentally or > deliberately created through genetic engineering in > US laboratories. > > + GM 'PHARMING' PROJECT FOR EUROPE > In an attempt to head off public hostility to GM in > Europe, the industry has shifted its focus from food > to pharming. The European Union has handed over 12 > million in taxpayer Euros to research the production > of drugs in plants - and the UK's John Innes Centre > is among the first in line to trouser its share of > the cash. Of course, the European public won't > tolerate pharmacrops growing amongst its food crops, > so the dirty side of the business will be done in > Africa! > > The aim of the " pharming " project is advertised as > being to use plants to produce vaccines and > treatments against major diseases including AIDS, > rabies, diabetes and TB. Which sounds very noble, > but GM WATCH has already discovered that one of the > two projects planned for the UK involves developing > cheap pig vaccines, presumably to assist industrial > agriculture. > > The consortium, called Pharma-Planta, will develop > the concept from plant modification through to > clinical trials. The scientists involved will be all > too familiar to GM WATCH readers: Phil Dale, who > worked so hard to bring us GM food plants, Paul > Christou, who was at the forefront of the attacks on > Ignacio Chapela over his maize contamination > research, and Julian Ma, who has been at Peter > Lachmann's shoulder in his attacks on the BMA and > others. > > The John Innes Centre will also be involved in > " exploring biosafety issues " associated with pharma > plants. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4118 > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4141 > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4131 > > GeneWatch UK report on pharma crops: > http://www.genewatch.org/CropsAndFood/Reports/Producing_Drugs_in_GM_Crops.pdf > > + THE TRUTH ABOUT THE " NGOs " BEHIND THE LETTER TO > THE FAO > A letter from representatives of " NGOs " to the UN > Food and Ag Organisation in support of that body's > recent report hyping GM crops for the third world, > brings a whole new meaning to the word " NGO " . > > Most of the signatory organisations are free-market > libertarian groups who campaign against restrictions > on almost anything, i.e. they're anti-Kyoto, pro-GM, > pro-smokers' rights, etc. Several receive funding > from biotech corporations like Monsanto, plus other > corporate sponsors. For instance, one signatory, the > Free Market Foundation in South Africa, acknowledges > funding from GlaxoSmithKline, Monsanto South Africa, > Eli Lilly, British American Tobacco, and Exxon > Mobil. > > And then there's signatory Horacio Marquez, a > Partner in The Latin America Finance Group, Inc. of > Princeton, New Jersey. If you think they don't sound > much like your normal NGO, you're right. They're > investment bankers! LAFG at one time headed a group > planning to take over Chiquita, the controversial > multinational (formerly United Fruit). One can > imagine what a commitment such an " NGO " must have to > safeguarding the future of small farmers! > > You can read the letter at > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4165 > We've provided links below many of the signatories > to GM WATCH or other profiles where you can find out > more about the background of the signatories and > what kind of " NGOs " they represent. > > + HEALTH CANADA FIRES 3 SCIENTISTS > Three senior Health Canada scientists known for > questioning the department's commitment to > veterinary drug safety have been fired. Health > Canada claims the reason for the termination of Shiv > Chopra, Margaret Haydon and Gerard Lambert has > nothing to do with their outspokenness. > > But Steve Hindle, president of the Professional > Institute of the Public Service of Canada, > disagrees: " This is retribution for having spoken > out about what's going on at Health Canada and the > concerns they have around the safety of drugs for > veterinary use, " he said. > > Chopra and Haydon protested against the approval in > Canada of Monsanto's GE bovine growth hormone, > variously known as rBGH, BGH or by its brand name > Posilac. In the wake of Chopra's and Haydon's > revelations, the drug was not approved in Canada and > is now quietly being withdrawn from sale in the US > by Monsanto. It's also banned in the EU. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4143 > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4153 > > + FUNDING AND BIASES NEED TO BE EXPOSED BY MEDIA AND > SCIENCE JOURNALS > Two articles from the Center for Science in the > Public Interest address the vital need to disclose > possible conflicts of interest of those who > generate/author reports in the media and science > journals. > Full articles: > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4137 > Summaries: > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4168 > > + EU HALTS GM AGAIN > The EU's 25 national governments failed to back a > European Commission proposal to open Europe's door > to imports of Monsanto's NK603 maize. > > Adrian Bebb of FoE Europe said, " The European > Commission has now failed seven times in a row to > get enough support to approve new genetically > modified foods. Their position is increasingly > untenable and clearly incompatible with the wishes > of the citizens and Governments of Europe. It is > time that they put the welfare of the European > public before the business interests of the > biotechnology industry. " > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4150 > > + BASF'S GM DIVISION MAY QUIT EUROPE > An article in the Financial Times says BASF, the > world's largest chemical company, may move its GM > crop research to the US unless Europe becomes more > receptive to new technologies. Jurgen Hambrecht, > chief executive, said the German chemicals giant > could not afford to keep investing in research if > there was no market for its products. The > Anglo-Swiss agrochemicals company said it would > close its laboratories because of the poor business > outlook for the technology. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4116 > > + BIOTECH INVESTMENT BUSY GOING NOWHERE > In an article for ISIS, GM Watch editor Claire > Robinson takes a look at the biotech industry's > track record and prospects. This article can be > found on the I-SIS website at > http://www.i-sis.org.uk/BIBGN.php and also at > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4134 > > ------- > DONATIONS > ------- > Our thanks to all of you who have donated to GM > WATCH. You can donate online in any one of five > currencies via PayPal, at > http://www.gmwatch.org/donate.asp OR by cheque or > postal order payable to 'NGIN', to be sent to: NGIN, > 26 Pottergate, Norwich, NR2 1DX, UK. We appreciate > your support. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.