toto, i don't think we're in kansas anymore...

[Guest guest]

Kansas could see first commercial crop of human-gene-containing rice

 

A California company is one step closer to growing rice that contains human

genes on a commercial scale. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has given a

preliminary OK to a plan to sow 450 Kansas acres with the stuff this spring,

with 2,750 more acres to come. Ventria Bioscience's three Frankenrice varieties

produce human immune-system proteins -- and in case this story hasn't turned

your stomach yet, we give you CEO Scott E. Deeter: " We can really help children

with diarrhea get better faster. " This big-ag altruism has been rejected by

farmers with fears of cross-fertilization in California and Arkansas; in

Missouri, rice-buying giant Anheuser Busch blocked Ventria by threatening a

boycott of the state's entire crop. Because no rice is currently grown in

Kansas, objections there have been muted, but critics are still speaking up.

" This is not a product that everyone would want to consume, " said Jane Rissler

of the Union of Concerned Scientists. Who gets our vote for understatement of

the year.

 

 

 

 

 

straight to the source: The Washington Post, Rick Weiss, 02 Mar 2007

 

 

straight to the source: The Kansas City Star, Scott Canon, 01 Mar 2007

[Guest guest]

What will they think of next - maybe that's not a good question!

 

Jo

 

, fraggle <EBbrewpunx wrote:

>

> Kansas could see first commercial crop of human-gene-containing rice

>

> A California company is one step closer to growing rice that

contains human genes on a commercial scale. The U.S. Department of

Agriculture has given a preliminary OK to a plan to sow 450 Kansas

acres with the stuff this spring, with 2,750 more acres to come.

Ventria Bioscience's three Frankenrice varieties produce human immune-

system proteins -- and in case this story hasn't turned your stomach

yet, we give you CEO Scott E. Deeter: " We can really help children

with diarrhea get better faster. " This big-ag altruism has been

rejected by farmers with fears of cross-fertilization in California

and Arkansas; in Missouri, rice-buying giant Anheuser Busch blocked

Ventria by threatening a boycott of the state's entire crop. Because

no rice is currently grown in Kansas, objections there have been

muted, but critics are still speaking up. " This is not a product that

everyone would want to consume, " said Jane Rissler of the Union of

Concerned Scientists. Who gets our vote for understatement of the

year.

>

>

>

>

>

> straight to the source: The Washington Post, Rick Weiss, 02 Mar

2007

>

>

> straight to the source: The Kansas City Star, Scott Canon, 01 Mar

2007

>