USDA May Approve Rice with Human Genes in Missouri

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http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/humanrice031505.cfm

 

USDA May Approve Rice with Human Genes in Missouri

 

Organic Seed Alliance P.O. Box 772 Port Townsend, WA 98368

360-385-7192 fax 360-385-7455

 

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Supporting the ethical stewardship & development of seed

 

Action Alert: BioPharming ­ Rice

 

Help the USDA/APHIS make a sound choice.

 

Please take a moment to send them comments regarding two very

important biopharming permits.

 

The USDA/APHIS is requesting comments on field tests of humanized rice

in Missouri. Ventria Bioscience, a biopharmaceutical company based in

Sacramento, Calif., has two permit requests pending with the U.S.

Department of Agriculture's Biotechnology Regulatory Services to grow

about 200 acres of pharmaceutical rice in southern Missouri this year.

This rice contains humanized genes.

 

The first USDA docket on this request (full text on USDA web site)

states: ³These transgenic plants have been modified to express the

human (Homo sapiens) glycoprotein lactoferrin.² The second docket

refers to the ³field-testing of rice, Oryza sativa, genetically

engineered to express human lysozyme.² Please go to the USDA/APHIS web

site and make comments.

 

The deadline of March 25th is rapidly approaching.

 

Your comments would be best received if they are polite, concise and

include any pertinent professional affiliations that you have.

 

We encourage your response to contain the following points: ? While

rice is an inbred (self-pollinates) and crosses at relatively low

rates, there is still the potential of contamination via pollen. Even

more likely is the dispersal of seed through incorrect

handling/distribution. This has occurred with transgenic tomato seed

at the University of California Davis and at other organizations. ?

The inadvertent distribution of this rice into the food supply is a

risk that is not justifiable at the present time. ? Additionally, the

potential damage to rice exports to Europe and other countries would

have severe economic consequences for US rice farmers. ? Please

exercise the Precautionary Principle and reject this application for

field tests.

 

Go to the USDA site:

http://docket.epa.gov/edkfed/do/EDKRegSubmitItemSearch and enter the

keyword ³rice² and the following dockets will appear:

 

? 05-006-1 APHIS-2005-0013 Ventria Bioscience; Availability of

Environmental Assessment for Field Test of Genetically Engineered Rice

Expressing Lactoferrin 02-23-2005 General Docket Notice 03-25-2005 ?

05-007-1 APHIS-2005-0014 Ventria Bioscience; Availability of

Environmental Assessment for Field Test of Genetically Engineered Rice

Expressing Lysozyme 02-23-2005 General Docket Notice 03-25-2005 Click

on the Docket ID and you will have the opportunity to both read the

full report and give comments. There is a button that takes you

through the submission process.

 

Please pass this on.

 

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