Guest guest Posted September 10, 2004 Report Share Posted September 10, 2004 > GM_WEEKLY_WATCH_89 > " GM_WATCH " <info > Thu, 9 Sep 2004 23:15:25 +0100 > --------------------------- > WEEKLY WATCH number 89 --------------------------- > from Claire Robinson, WEEKLY WATCH editor --------------------------- > Staggerring news this week from Hawaii where > independent laboratory testing is showing massive > levels of GM contamination from the world's first > commercially planted GM tree - the papaya. > > Nearly 20,000 papaya seeds from across the Big > Island, 80% of which came from organic farms and the > rest from backyard gardens or wild trees, showed **a > GM contamination level of 50%**. (see FOCUS ON THE > AMERICAS) > > GM-contaminated papaya are also reported to have > turned up recently in Thailand, with Thailand losing > huge export orders as a result. Thailand also seems > to have managed to effectively give away its papaya > strains, which have been genetically engineered and > patented by American corporations including > Monsanto. (see THAILAND LATEST) > > Meanwhile, the unelected European Commission has > forced through approvals of 17 GM seeds against the > wishes of many member states, even though many of > these states do not have rules on coexistence to > deal with the contamination issues already besetting > Hawaii and Thailand. As a spokesperson for GMO-Free > Hawaii has pointed out, " coexistence of traditional > and GMO crops is impossible. " > > The Commission's action surely makes it a candidate > for regime change, although even this discredited > body couldn't manage to agree on allowable GM > contamination levels. This is great news as many EU > countries have zero tolerance policies on GM > contamination which will continue to operate. > > Interestingly, regardless of whatever the Commission > tries to do to appease the industry and its US > backers, a report this week from the Commission > itself shows that GM research in member countries > has gone into " steep decline " and that EU rules are > doing nothing to halt that. (New EU rules fail to > halt fall in GM research) > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4319 > > The other good news is that GM pharma crops appear > to be on the run in the US although this will > doubtless mean more industry projects decamping for > the Third World. The joke is that while such crops > raise the spectre of nightmarish food contamination, > experts are saying there's very little evidence that > theyare actually likely to work (see GM MEDICINES). > > Claire claire > www.lobbywatch.org / www.gmwatch.org > > --------------------------- > CONTENTS > --------------------------- > FOCUS ON EUROPE > FOCUS ON THE AMERICAS > THAILAND LATEST > OTHER NEWS FROM ASIA > GM MEDICINES > LOBBYWATCH > FOOD SAFETY > QUOTES OF THE WEEK > DONATIONS > > ------- > FOCUS ON EUROPE > ------- > > + FRENCH POLICE TEAR-GAS ANTI-GM DEMONSTRATORS > Tear gas and batons were used against anti-GM > protestors in Auch, France on 5 September. The > protestors (600 according to the protestors, 400 > according to police), led by women and children, > were trying to get into a field of GM maize in the > village of Solomiac in the Gers region, but were > stopped by large numbers of gendarmes and soldiers > who barricaded the field. Ten people were briefly > detained including the French farmer Jose Bove. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4300 > > + SWISS EXPERTS SAY BETTER ANSWERS THAN GM > A Swiss government advisory committee has said not > enough research had been carried out into the impact > of genetic engineering. The Ethics Committee on > Non-Human Technology called for closer coordination > of state-funded research programmes to help improve > the provision of food for people in developing > countries but warned against giving any special > preference to GM, saying better solutions were > available. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4318 > > + UK: SHOPPERS WANT GM-FREE ANIMAL FEED > Shoppers are not only concerned about GM ingredients > in food; the recent Consumers Association survey > shows that the vast majority - 68 per cent - want > manufacturers to go one step further and make sure > meat and dairy products have no links with the GM > process, ie that their production has involved only > non-GM animal feed. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4307 > > + EU PUTS 17 GM VARIETIES ON SEED LIST BUT STALLS ON > CONTAMINATION TOLERANCES > The EU added the first GM strains to its common seed > catalogue on 8 September, opening the way - > theoretically at least - for farmers across the > continent to plant them. At the same time, the > European Commission put off a decision on new > labelling rules for seeds amid bitter differences > over how much stray GM material could be tolerated > in packages of conventional strains before it must > be labeled. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4314 > > + FOE URGES EU GOVTS TO BAN GM SEEDS > Friends of the Earth has called on governments to > use EU law to ban the seed varieties, which are in > any case a type designed for pest problems that > don't affect all member states. Spokesperson Geert > Ritsema said, " The European member states must step > in where the Commission has failed and ban these GM > seeds. " > > Commenting on the decision not to discuss seed > contamination, Ritsema continued: " Friends of the > Earth welcomes this decision and believes that the > Commission now has a golden opportunity to bring out > better proposals that will protect people and the > environment. Public safety must come before the > financial interests of the biotechnology industry. " > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4312 > > + 'CO-EXISTENCE' RULES NOT IN PLACE > Most countries have no proper rules on how farmers > should separate organic, conventional and GMO crops > to minimise cross-contamination. " Allowing > widespread growing of GM crops before countries have > had the chance to put in measures to protect > consumers and the environment is a reckless move > that could lead to the widespread contamination of > Europe's food, farming and environment, " said Geert > Ritsema, GMO campaigner at Friends of the Earth. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4301 > > --------------------------- > FOCUS ON THE AMERICAS > --------------------------- > > + OUTRAGED FARMERS DUMP GM-CONTAMINATED PAPAYAS AT > UNIV OF HAWAII > Independent laboratory testing results reveal > widespread contamination from the world's first > commercially planted GM tree, the papaya, on Oahu, > the Big Island, and Kauai. Contamination was also > found in the stock of non-GM seeds being sold > commercially by the University of Hawaii. > > Farmers, health professionals, concerned citizens, > and University of Hawaii scientists joined GMO-Free > Hawaii in announcing the shocking results of their > research at the University of Hawaii, which created > and released the GMO papaya. Dozens of outraged > farmers, consumers and backyard growers brought > their contaminated papayas back to the university to > underscore their demand that UH provide a plan for > cleaning up papaya contamination. The campaign also > called for liability protection for local growers > and the prevention of GMO contamination of other > Hawaiian commodity crops. > > Nearly 20,000 papaya seeds from across the Big > Island, 80% of which came from organic farms and the > rest from backyard gardens or wild trees, showed a > GM contamination level of 50%. > > A spokesperson from GMO-Free Hawaii said, " Papaya > contamination is a case study in the threat that GMO > contamination presents to local agriculture. It is > now obvious that coexistence of traditional and GMO > crops is impossible. " > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4315 > > + FRIO WON'T SEE GM PHARMA CORN > ProdiGene has abandoned its efforts to plant GM > pharmaceutical corn in Frio County, Texas. The > company was seeking permits to plant several hundred > acres of corn that have been altered to produce > animal proteins used in medicine. The US Dept of > Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection > Service website has listed the two Frio County > permit applications as withdrawn, and a third that > was approved will not be executed. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4313 > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4296 > > It is looking increasingly likely that the US pharma > industry will soon be forced to follow the example > of the European pharma network and decamp for the > developing world to test out its dangerous wares. > The Europeans have selected laxly-regulated South > Africa as an easy testing ground but they're running > into increasing resistance. Peter Lowins, a South > African farmer who represents the local grain > growers, understands the game plan: " And that's why > they try using Third World countries to do these > experiments. If it's wrong or if it's a failure in > the future, it doesn't affect them. " > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4285 > > + MORE GLYPHOSATE-RESISTANT WEEDS IN US > An article from Delta Farm Press reports on the > latest glyphosate resistant weed to emerge in the > US. Indeed, the problem is so widespread that it's > turned into a marketing opportunity for Monsanto's > rivals. Amongst the rotating adverts above this > article on the Delta Farm Press website is one for a > non-glyphosate herbicide. It reads: > " The list of glyphosate resistant weeds is getting > longer and longer " . The ad then lists: " Waterhemp, > Rigid Rye Grass, Mare's Tail, Italian Rye Grass, > Velvetleaf. " > > The article below the ad reports how there are now > signs of resistance emerging in yet another weed - > ragweed. The larger issue, according to the > agronomist quoted in the article, is " the path > agriculture is traveling " : " Two years ago, on the > front page of Delta Farm Press was a headline saying > 'Horseweed is resistant.' Now, two years later, all > indications are we've got resistant ragweed. What's > going to be next? " > > He goes on, " I'll go on the record: it's a matter of > when, not if, pigweed becomes resistant. Tall > waterhemp or lambsquarter would also be bad news... > If that scenario plays out, we'd be knocked back at > least 20 years as far as herbicides. " > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4297 > > More glyphosate-resistant weeds: > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4263 > > + CARELESSNESS AND COVER-UP: GM CORN CONTAMINATION > IN MEXICO > An excellent article on the Mexican maize > contamination scandal, bringing the issue bang up to > date, is at > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4299 > > The article reports that small-scale Mexican farmers > are expected to abandon corn growing, " due to the > near-complete loss of farm subsidies combined with > the opening of the Mexican market to heavily > subsidized US corn. Subsidies for Mexican farmers > have dropped, at the behest of US 'free market' > proselytizers, from 33% of farm income to less than > 13%, while during the same period subsidies for US > farmers have grown and now make up 40% of US farm > income. Cheap corn from the US is flooding the > Mexican market and competing with the locally grown > corn. " > > This is a serious development, not only for the > small farmers, but for the world, since Mexico is > the ancient centre of biodiversity for corn. > > More on Mexican contamination and farmer resistance > at the meeting of the North American Free Trade > Agreement's (NAFTA's) Commission for Environmental > Cooperation (CEC). > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4317 > > + LULA RUSHES TO APPROVE GMOS TO SAVE HIS IMAGE AND > PLEASE INDUSTRY > Brazil's leaders are " frantically debating a > proposal called the Law of Biosecurity " which will > introduce an approval process for GMOs and an > inspection system even though none of the manpower > or equipment are in place to make such a law > effective. > > Why the rush? According to an article in Brazzil > [sic] magazine: > > " President Lula does not want to sign another > provisionary measure [allowing the growing of GMOs > even though it is currently illegal], because every > time he does so, his image among the Left suffers; > secondly, the agro-industrial lobby is exerting > great pressure for approval of the use of GMO. " > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4303 > > + MONSANTO GM ROOTWORM RESISTANT CORN IS FAILING > Prof Joe Cummins writes that Monsanto GM > anti-rootworm corn (MON 863) seems to be failing: > " The University of Illinois recently reported on > this problem and the results of their field tests. A > corn farmers' discussion group commented on Monsanto > GM root worm corn noting that seed company > demonstration plots never failed but farm plantings > were a disaster. One farmer commented that only his > refuge planting survived rootworm because he was > allowed to spray it with insecticide! The press does > not yet seem to have picked up on the problem. " > > A farmer said: " I had two different fields that were > a total disaster. About the only thing left was the > stalks. Monsanto has tried to come up with all kinds > of excuses, but not any good ones. " > > An extension specialist and professor of > agricultural entomology in the department of crop > sciences at the University of Illinois confirmed the > problems and Monsanto's denial of them, saying, > " It's bothersome when the excuse of too many insects > is made. We have trials with a lot of pressure, so > to tell the grower the product didn't work because > of too much insect pressure isn't right. The label > doesn't say this product will work unless there is > heavy insect pressure. " > > Monsanto said, " In a recent survey, Monsanto found > that 90 percent of farmers reported they were happy > with YieldGuard Rootworm in 2004 " . The rest must be > just down to pest pressure or bad weather... or > whatever other excuse Monsantocan come up with! > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4310 > > --------------------------- > THAILAND UPDATE > --------------------------- > > + NON-GM SUPER RICE UNDER WAY > Thai scientists hope to produce a Super Rice strain > by conventional breeding, embracing almost all the > good characteristics of other rice strains, in the > next five years to increase crop yields. > > The new strain would have nothing to do with GM, > said Theerayut Toojinda, a molecular plant breeder > at the National Centre for Genetic Engineering and > Biotechnology (Biotec). ''We can do without GMO and > still develop [a desirable strain],'' Mr Theerayut > said during a four-day international conference on > future rice breeding that ended 3 Sept. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4298 > > See Soil Association statement in support of > (non-GM) marker assisted plant breeding: > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4298 > > + THAI PM DENIES US PRESSURE OVER GM > The Thai prime minister has dismissed suggestions > that his recent backing for open-field GM trials (a > U-turn from Thailand's previous ban) was linked to > US pressure. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4289 > > Curious then that his own Environment Minister > should have complained back in June that the US was > insisting Thailand grow GM crops as a condition of a > much desired bilateral free trade agreement (FTA). > http://www.gmwatch.org/asia.asp > > Another country which has signed a framework > agreement on trade and investment paving the way for > an FTA with the United States is Malaysia. By > another curious coincidence Malaysia's Prime > Minister has also been talking about a change of > direction to embrace GM of late. He's even been > telling poor Malay farmers that GM will turn them > into millionaires! > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4277 > > + GM IN THAILAND WILL NOT HELP THE POOR AND HUNGRY - > THAI NEWS EDITOR > " Thailand is recognised worldwide as a major > producer of quality organic foods. Any move that > creates doubt about this hard-earned reputation > would shake international confidence and lead to > market losses. Farmers would be the ones who > suffer... > > " GMO supporters assert that the technology will be > key to eradicating world hunger and farmers' > poverty. Analysis of the first Green Revolution, > which made the same claim, has shown that, after 40 > years, farmers remain just as poor and world hunger > just as rampant. The only ones who have reaped > actual benefits are big agrobusinesses. > > " The second Green Revolution that GMOs promise to > usher in will be no different. The only difference > is that the true beneficiaries will be a few > mega-transnational corporations which control this > high technology and want to make it the dominant > means of production for the world's farmers. " > - Wasant Techawongtham, Deputy News Editor, Bangkok > Post, 3 Sep 2004 > http://www.biothai.org/cgi-bin/content/news/show.pl?0301 > > + MARKET REACTION TO GM CONTAMINATION WORSE THAN > BIRD FLU IMPACT > Several EU importers have stopped importing canned > fruit products containing papaya from Thailand > fearing possible contamination from GM papaya, a > Thai exporter said. The " stop " order was received by > a major Thai manufacturer, from one of its main > customers in a European country, Germany according > to one source. The company has been importing canned > fruit salad and fruit cocktail products from the > Thai company for years. > > Another Thai company received a similar notice from > a customer in France, said another source. But this > case has yet to be officially confirmed. " The reason > is clear: It is the fear of GM papaya > contamination, " he said about the first case. " The > reaction has been a lot faster than we would have > imagined, faster than the bird flu impact. " > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4289 > > The bans and delays of canned papaya orders from > European importers have resulted in about one > billion baht loss for the industry so far, said an > executive of Sun Sweet Co, a leading fruit and > vegetable exporter based in Chiang Mai. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4295 > > + US PATENTS ON THAI GM PAPAYA > As public concern increases over the illegal release > of GE papaya from a Thai government research > station, new questions are emerging concerning the > truth behind the US patents on the processes and > methods used in creating Thai GE papaya, including > GE Khak Dam and Khak Nuan varieties. > > In the case of GE " SunUp " papaya in Hawaii - the > only commercially grown GE papaya in the world - at > least eleven US patents are in force. This includes > patents held by Monsanto, as well as the Cornell > Research Foundation Inc. > > In Thailand, the Dept of Agriculture (DOA) has > negotiated a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with > Cornell regarding its intellectual property rights > over Thai GE papaya, but the details of this > agreement remain hidden from the public. The DOA is > on record as stating that under the MoU between > Cornell University and Ministry of Agriculture, when > GE papaya is commercialized in Thailand, " a royalty > fee will be charged. " > > On June 15, 2004, the US Patent & Trademark Office > (USPTO) granted a new patent on GE papaya. This new > patent is more far-reaching than existing patents on > GE papaya, covering the broad range of DNA > constructs and methods used to create ringspot virus > resistance in any kind of GE papaya. This patent was > assigned to Cornell Research Foundation Inc. as the > owner of these intellectual property rights. > > Far more important are two new patent applications > now pending at the USPTO. Dr Dennis Gonsalves (who > led the original GE papaya project at Cornell and > promoted GE papaya in Thailand) filed these > applications on April 11, 2002. > > The first application is an all-embracing " umbrella " > patent on all ringspot virus genes used in any > variety of ringspot virus-resistant GE papaya in > Hawaii, Brazil, Jamaica, Mexico, Venezuela, and > Thailand. This patent involves 113 claims on every > aspect of ringspot virus genes and their use in > creating virus resistance in papaya, including > ownership of papaya cells, plants and seeds. There > are 21 claims on GE papaya seeds. > > The second application makes another 20 claims on a > wide range of methods and procedures to create > disease resistance in papaya plants through GE, > including all papaya cells, plants and seeds > produced as a result of those methods. > > Both patent applications make specific claims on the > isolation and identification of the coat protein of > specific papaya ringspot virus strains from Brazil, > Jamaica, Mexico, Venezuela, and Thailand. These > patent applications describe the genetic " map " of > the coat protein of Thai ringspot virus as an > " invention " , making it the intellectual property of > Dennis Gonsalves and collaborators. It is expected > that these two new patents will be assigned to > Cornell Research Foundation Inc. as the owner of > these property rights. > > What are the implications? One outcome is that > patent rights extend to all papaya fruits, plants > and seeds containing the genes of GE papaya. This > poses potentially serious problems for farmers whose > conventional papaya is contaminated by GE papaya. > Once these patented genes become part of a seed, the > resulting plants, fruit and seed are owned by the > patent-holders. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4316 > > --------------------------- > OTHER NEWS FROM ASIA > --------------------------- > > + MALAYSIA: PEOPLE'S CARAVAN CALLS FOR FOOD > SOVEREIGNTY > As Malaysia reels from the stunning release of > jailed ex-deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim after six > years' imprisonment, food security campaigners and > political activists in the region are hoping to > extend 'reformasi' or democratic reforms to the > agricultural sector as well. > > A fresh attempt at grassroots mobilisation across > Asia, dubbed the 'People's Caravan 2004 for Food > Sovereignty', kicked off last week in Anwar's > semi-rural hometown of Permatang Pauh on mainland > Penang. His wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, the > district's member of parliament and icon of the > pro-reform movement sparked by Anwar's ouster in > 1998, officially launched the 'Caravan'. > > The Caravan has drawn great encouragement from the > success of farmers and campaigners resisting GM in > Thailand. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4306 > > --------------------------- > GM MEDICINES > --------------------------- > > + GM EDIBLE VACCINES PROBLEMATICAL, SAY SCIENTISTS > An interesting article in Nature Medicine says that > in spite of the EU's promise of 12 million Euros to > European and South African scientists developing GM > plant-based vaccines against HIV/AIDS, rabies and > tuberculosis, this technology faces massive > scientific and regulatory hurdles. > > Problem number one is that the immune responses > generated by GM edible plant-based vaccines are not > consistently strong. > > The article does not mention the problem of variable > expression of transgenic elements that has been > observed in GM crops. But at a time when the EU is > legislating natural herbal medicines out of > existence in favour of synthetic patented versions > on the pretext that natural medicines contain > variable amounts of the 'active ingredient', this > appears to be an insurmountable obstacle - assuming > that the regulators choose to judge GM plant > vaccines by the same strict criteria. > > Vaccinologist Stanley Plotkin, who advises Aventis > Pasteur, points out another problem: that of > confusing the immune response with the digestive > process. " If vaccines are intimately presented > together with food, the gut's immune system faces a > conundrum, " he notes. The gut is designed not to > react to antigens in food, but must produce a useful > response against the vaccine. Instead of being > immunized, patients could even end up being > 'tolerized,' meaning an immune response against > future invaders would be weakened, not intensified. > > An equally likely scenario not mentioned in the > article is that GM edible vaccines will sensitise > the gut so that it reacts to foods as antigens - > adding to the current explosion in food allergies in > 'developed' countries (America boasts increasing > numbers of babies who produce severe allergic > reactions to their mother's milk). > > Investor confidence in GM edible vaccines is fatally > low. Hilary Koprowski, a vaccine researcher at > Thomas Jefferson University, says in developed > countries, finding manufacturers willing to finance > larger trials to demonstrate efficacy has been a > formidable challenge. " I've talked to all of the > [big companies], " says Koprowski, " and so far I > regard it a waste of time. " > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4304 > > --------------------------- > LOBBYWATCH > --------------------------- > > + MONSANTO PROPAGANDA SUCCESS IN INDIA? > Monsanto-India's PR person Ranjana Smetacek - a name > strikingly similar to that of Monsanto's fake e-mail > front for its Internet poison pen campaign, Andura > Smetacek - claims in an interview with Associated > Press that the company has achieved an almost > five-fold increase over 2003 in sales of its packets > of GM (Bt) cotton seeds. > > If the latest claims turn out to be true - and very > few of Monsanto's previous claims have! - then it is > a remarkable tribute to Monsanto PR propaganda > campaign in India and the power of hype. > > According to Smetacek, the increased sales > " demonstrate that the Indian farmer is willing to > adopt a technology that delivers consistent benefits > from reduced pesticide use and increased income " . > > Consistent benefits? Increased income? Ranjana's > claims may not be as overtly poisonous as her > Monsanto counterpart Andura's, but they are > certainly as deceptive. > > In the first year of GM cotton production in India, > a whole series of studies showed that Bt cotton had > proven a failure and had contributed to farmer debt. > Yet even in the face of such evidence, and with > angry farmers demanding compensation for their > losses, Monsanto claimed GM cotton growing in India > had been a big success and that any indications > otherwise were down to the very dry weather. > http://www.mindfully.org/GE/2003/India-Bt-Cotton-Failure8feb03.htm > > In the second year of production, despite the > weather being exceptionally favourable for cotton > cultivation, a detailed study by agricultural > scientists of GM cotton farming in Andhra Pradesh > showed that, even in those circumstances, the > benefit/cost ratio was clearly in favour of Non-Bt > hybrids. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=3405 > > Needless to say, Monsanto produced its own study > claiming big increases in yield, huge reductions in > pesticide use, and big profits for Bt farmers. > However, this study was conducted by a marketing > agency, which contacted farmers through > questionnaires just once! To give a sense of the gap > between the two studies, the Monsanto study claimed > farmers' profits were *100 times higher* than those > found in the detailed study. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=3405 > > Yet the Indian Government, far from offering redress > to farmers who had suffered losses or punishing the > company which has used such misleading hype to > promote this technology, actually bowed to industry > pressure and reinforced the false claims of success > with GM seeds by signalling it wanted to see fast > track approval of GM crops. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4217 > > With such poor leadership in the face of industry's > onslaught, India remains in danger, as Devinder > Sharma has warned, of becoming the industry's GM > dustbin! > [for more on Ranjana Smetacek's poisonous namesake, > see Andura's profile: > http://www.gmwatch.org/profile1.asp?PrId=153] > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4309 > > ------- > FOOD SAFETY > ------- > > + GM CORN THAT CAUSED RAT ABNORMALITIES APPROVED FOR > NZ FOOD USE > In New Zealand, the Greens have revealed that a GM > corn variety approved for human food in New Zealand > was refused approval by a French scientific > committee because of a study showing rats fed with > it developed severe abnormalities. > > Le Monde reported in April that France's Commission > du Genie Biomoleculaire (CGB) raised serious > concerns last year about Monsanto's MON863 corn > after it read the company's own three-month > rat-feeding study. Its decision to turn down > approval was subsequently overturned by the European > Food Safety Authority. > > In light of the serious implications of the study's > contents and how it has been handled in Europe, the > Green Party has now asked Food Standards Australia > New Zealand (FSANZ) to reassess its approval for > this GE corn and is calling for importation to be > suspended until safety can be guaranteed. The Greens > have also launched a website and postcard campaign > to encourage people to tell FSANZ to reconsider its > approval of MON863. > > " On checking FSANZ's report, prepared last October > when it approved MON863 for New Zealanders to eat, > we found no mention at all of the Monsanto rat > study, " said Jeanette Fitzsimons, the Green Party's > Genetic Engineering Spokesperson. > > " This makes us wonder whether they never saw the > study or whether they just chose to ignore it. > Either way there is something seriously wrong with > the quality of the assessment process. > > " The Greens are now asking FSANZ to state whether it > had the rat-feeding study when it gave its approval > to MON863. We are calling on it to make the study > available to the public, to commission an > independent review of its significance and review > its approval decision in light of the new > information, " said Ms Fitzsimons. > > Sue Kedgley, the Green Party's Safe Food > Spokesperson, says the MON863 process calls into > question the robustness of FSANZ's safety > assessments of all GE food. " We have long suspected > that the FSANZ assessment process is essentially a > rubber stamp and its approval of MON 863 seems to > confirm this. If abnormal effects such as the ones > that were reported here were encountered in > pharmaceutical trials they would have triggered an > intensive and rigorous assessment. Why did they not > trigger a similarly robust response for food > destined for the whole population to eat? > > " How can consumers have confidence in the safety of > data provided by biotech corporations when they > refuse to submit it to independent assessment and > peer review? " said Ms Kedgley. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4290 > > For the Le Monde article about the rat > abnormalities: > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=3308 > > + FOOD WATCHDOG TO RECHECK GM CORN > Food regulator Food Standards Australia New Zealand > says it is checking the original data from a trial > conducted on the MON 863 GM corn it approved last > year. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4290 > > + WHY MONSANTO'S GM SOY FEEDING TRIALS WERE > WORTHLESS > Jeffrey Smith, author of Seeds of Deception, > explains why Monsanto's feeding trials on its GM soy > were rigged to avoid finding problems. > > Excerpts from an article worth reading in full: > > Although one of their trials was a side-by-side > comparison between GM and non-GM soy, for some > reason the results were left out of the paper > altogether. Years later, a medical writer found the > missing data in the archives of the Journal of > Nutrition and made them public. No wonder the > scientists left them out. The GM soy showed > significantly lower levels of protein, a fatty acid, > and phenylalanine, an essential amino acid. Also, > toasted GM soy meal contained nearly twice the > amount of a lectin that may block the body's ability > to assimilate other nutrients. Furthermore, the > toasted GM soy contained as much as seven times the > amount of trypsin inhibitor, indicating that the > allergen may survive cooking more in the GM variety. > (This might explain the 50 percent jump in soy > allergies in the UK, just after GM soy was > introduced.) > ... > Differences in GM food will likely have a much > larger impact on children. They are three to four > times more susceptible to allergies. Also, they > convert more of the food into body-building > material. Altered nutrients or added toxins can > result in developmental problems. For this reason, > animal nutrition studies are typically conducted on > young, developing animals. After the feeding trial, > organs are weighed and often studied under > magnification. If scientists used mature animals > instead of young ones, even severe nutritional > problems might not be detected. The Monsanto study > used mature animals instead of young ones. > > They also diluted their GM soy with non-GM protein > 10- or 12-fold before feeding the animals. And they > never weighed the organs or examined them under a > microscope. The study, which is the only major > animal feeding study on GM soy ever published, is > dismissed by critics as rigged to avoid finding > problems. > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4294 > > ------- > QUOTES OF THE WEEK > ------- > > " There could be toxic problems. But I hadn't thought > about them. Shouldn't we think about the potential > problems before they become problems? " > - Nanotechnologist Dame Julia Higgins, president of > the British Association, warning that public concern > about the direction of research should be taken > seriously > http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4305 > > " When you sow maize, throw four seeds at a time: one > for the wild animals, another for people with a > taste for what's not theirs, another for festival > days and another for the family. Maize is not a > business but food for survival, our sustenance and > our happiness. When we plant it we bless it to ask > for a good harvest for all. But we have recently > found out that native maize varieties have been > contaminated with transgenic seeds. This means that > what our indigenous peoples took thousands of years > to develop can be destroyed in no time at all by > companies that trade in life. " > - Aldo Gonz‡lez Rojas, Zapoteco, Oaxaca, Mexico > > ------- > 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...
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