Seeds of doubt / Britain gives the green light to GM terminator technology

[Guest guest]

GMW: Seeds of doubt on terminator

" GM WATCH " <info

Wed, 8 Mar 2006 09:57:52 GMT

 

 

 

GM WATCH daily

http://www.gmwatch.org

---

 

1.Seeds of doubt

2.Britain gives the green light to GM terminator technology

 

---

1.Seeds of doubt

from Eco soundings

John Vidal

The Guardian, March 8 2006

 

Mayday, Mayday! Calling biodiversity minister Jim Knight! As the

political representative for all life, it is up to you to consider the

merits

of GMO giant Monsanto's " terminator " or " suicide " seeds, which are

sterile and cannot be replanted. These could be unleashed around the

world

if the UN Convention on Biological Diversity's (CBD) current moratorium

is not reinforced at the end of the month at a meeting you will attend

in Brazil.

 

Eco Soundings is worried because although you recently told the UK

group on terminator technology that you would " strongly support " the

existing decision at the CBD meeting, one week later the Department for

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) published its " position "

on the

web and called for " assessments " of the technology on a case-by-case

basis.

 

Tell us it was a mistake, Mr Knight, and that nature is safe with you.

---

2.Britain gives the green light to GM terminator technology

By Charlene Sweeney

The Sunday Herald, 5 March 2006

 

THE government has abandoned its opposition to so-called terminator

technology - a form of genetic modification that makes harvested seeds

sterile, and has opened the door to testing such products.

 

Terminator technology was developed by the biotech industry and is

highly controversial because it prevents farmers from saving their own

seeds to grow new crops, forcing them to buy seed each season.

 

A global moratorium on the testing and commercialisation of terminator

technology was established under the United Nations Convention on

Biodiversity (CBD) in 2000.

 

However, the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

(Defra) recently stated that it will examine applications for terminator

trials on a " case by case " basis.

 

Campaigners have accused ministers of putting the interest of biotech

industries ahead of the millions of farmers who depend upon saving

seeds.

 

Terminator technology - also known as genetic use restriction

technologies, or Gurts - was developed in the US in the 1990s. In

2000, a global

moratorium was established, with an agreement that restrictions should

remain until research into the possible socio-economic impact of the

technology was carried out.

 

There have been major fears that it could impoverish small-scale

farmers in third world countries who traditionally save their seeds. Seed

saving is also practised in countries such as Scotland to preserve

seed-line and reduce farm costs.

 

However, some countries are pushing to be allowed to carry out

" case-by-case " assessment. Among the countries known to back such a

move are

Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Last month the UK signalled that it is

also in favour of carrying out trials when Defra posted a revised

policy on its website, stating that it would consider applications for

terminator field trials.

 

" Decisions on applications to market genetically modified organisms

(GMOs) are made on a case-by-case basis taking full account of a

scientific assessment of the particular GMO and the risks associated

with its

use against the criteria in the EU legislation. An application for a GMO

incorporating Gurt would be dealt with in the same way as any other

GMO, " it says.

 

The turnaround comes only weeks ahead of a meeting in Brazil of the CBD

on March 20-31, to consider a new report on the technology and discuss

the current moratorium.

 

A letter sent from the office of First Minister Jack McConnell to a

member of the UK Working Group on Terminator Technology which was passed

to the Sunday Herald shows that the Scottish Executive also supports the

new policy.

 

Like the Westminster document, it undermines the moratorium, stating:

" Recognising that there are both potential benefits and risks associated

with GM crops, all countries should be able to make their own informed

choices. "

 

Last night, campaigners reacted with disbelief. Pete Reilly of GM

Freeze said: " There is no logic behind the shift. The government doesn't

appear to have any new information available to justify it - they are

working in the dark. "

 

He added: " Whitehall has clearly decided that the interests of the

biotech companies comes ahead of the millions of people who rely on

farm-saved seeds for their livelihoods and food supply. "

 

Mark Ruskell MSP, the Green spokesman on biotechnology, also expressed

concern at the turnaround. " I'm shocked but not surprised that the

Executive is toeing the Westminster line in allowing big biotech firms to

potentially develop an obscene level of control on the world's food

supply, " he said.

 

" Terminator seeds steal the ability of farmers to support themselves

and their communities, it's hard to think of a technology which could so

completely undermine the Executive's attempts to help countries like

Malawi claw their way out of poverty and hunger. "

 

The National Farmers' Union in Scotland said trials were the only way

to ascertain any benefits of GM crops. A spokesman said: " Whether the UK

gives the go-ahead must be based on trials. "

 

letters

Got something to say about this story? Write to the Editor