2011-09-20 | permalink
Monsanto, DuPont Pioneer, and Dow Chemical apply for larger GE maize trials in Mexico
Permits to plant large extensions of genetically modified corn for the first time in Mexico are likely to be approved before the end of the year, said a company lobby group on Monday. Monsanto, DuPont’s Pioneer seed unit and Dow Chemical’s agricultural arm have all applied to expand on tiny experimental plots of GM corn in northern Mexico, said AgroBIO, an organization that represents the biotech companies. The group expects the government will approve more sizable pilot plots for the corn-growing state of Sinaloa by the end of October and in Tamaulipas by November with other states following soon after.
2011-09-19 | permalink
Turkey – the delicate GM balance
Turkey’s economy grew in Q2 for the ninth successive quarter, and by 8.8% on the previous year. The rate of GDP growth surprised even the central bank, and while inflation is not yet a concern, food prices are high and rising. This has brought the complicated issue of genetically modified food to the fore, with a request to the government from feed, poultry and egg producers to allow imports of three types of genetically GM corn to be used as animal and chicken feed. “We can solve our raw material problem only through imports,” says Ulku Karakus, chief of the Turkish Feed Industrialists Union, explaining the problem. “Costly feed translates into expensive meat. Unless we pull down the cost of feed, we cannot drive down meat prices.”
2011-09-15 | permalink
Golden Rice’s feeding trial slated in the Philippines
The Philippine Rice Research Institute and the International Rice Research Institute are tapping the Helen Keller International to carry out feeding trials for the pro-Vitamin A-rich Golden Rice which should boost the crop’s market potential. An institution aiming to prevent blindness and malnutrition, HKI has started mapping out a program with Philrice and IRRI on the feeding trial. This may happen at least two years from now after Golden Rice developers will have obtained approval for the nutrient-rich rice.
2011-09-06 | permalink
Shock as GM declared ’halal’ by workshop promoting GE foods
In December 2010, an international workshop for Islamic scholars was held in Penang, Malaysia on the theme ”Agribiotechnology: Shariah Compliance.” [...] A web report claimed that the workshop was ”attended by high-ranking ulama from Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and Iran, Malaysia and Indonesia and scientists from Malaysia, USA, Iran and Egypt.” In fact, anyone with differing views from the organisers was not invited. The discussion was also limited to the halal/haram debate and, not surprisingly, resulted in a fatwa that stated that GM is permissable in Islam.
EcoIslam, UK: Shock as GM declared ’halal’2011-09-01 | permalink
Kenyan authorities allow importation of GM maize since three years
The South African Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry says Kenya authorised the import before the department could issue a commodity export permit. The department then issued export permits for 240,000 tonnes of genetically modified maize for use as a commodity (not for planting), director Peter Thabete told the South Africa parliamentary Committee on GMOs. [...] The African Centre for Biosafety says South Africa exported 300,000 tonnes of GM food to the region, of which 280,000 came to Kenya. It says Kenyans have been eating GM food for the past three years.
2011-08-30 | permalink
Glyphosate commonly found in rain and streams in the U.S. Mississippi River Basin
Glyphosate, also known by its tradename Roundup, is commonly found in rain and rivers in agricultural areas in the Mississippi River watershed, according to two new USGS studies released this month. [...] “Though glyphosate is the mostly widely used herbicide in the world, we know very little about its long term effects to the environment,” says Paul Capel, USGS chemist and an author on this study. “This study is one of the first to document the consistent occurrence of this chemical in streams, rain and air throughout the growing season.
2011-08-29 | permalink
New WikiLeaks cables show US diplomats promote genetically engineered crops worldwide
Dozens of United States diplomatic cables released in the latest WikiLeaks dump on Wednesday reveal new details of the US effort to push foreign governments to approve genetically engineered crops and promote the worldwide interests of agribusiness giants like Monsanto and DuPont. The cables further confirm previous Truthout reports on the diplomatic pressure the US has put on Spain and France, two countries with powerful anti-GE crop movements, to speed up their biotech approval process and quell anti-GE sentiment within the European Union.
Truthout, USA: New WikiLeaks cables show US diplomats promote genetically engineered crops worldwide- The Dissenter, USA: US sought “talking points” to combat impact of French documentary on Monsanto
- Truthout, USA: US to Vatican: Genetically modified food is a “moral imperative”
- Delta Farm Press, USA: GM feed in Ireland, environmental devastation in China
2011-08-25 | permalink
Polish president vetoes law on seeds due to
President Bronislaw Komorowski vetoed a new controversial seeds bill, which fails to properly regulate GMO production but does not ban it [...] Though he himself is not against GMOs, he says the bill is a ”bad and irresponsible” piece of legislation with controversial provisions relating to GMOs included at the last moment. ”It is bad legislative practice to throw socially controversial problems into a bill at the very last moment,” Komorowski said last week.
- The Warsaw Voice, Poland: Polish president vetoes law on seeds
- Warsaw Business Journal, Poland: Polish president sends GMO bill back to parliament
- Thomson Reuters, USA: Polish president vetoes bill allowing GMO seeds
- The News, Poland: President vetoes genetically modified seeds law
- News from Poland, Poland: Greenpeace about a presidential veto: a good decision
2011-08-23 | permalink
Protest in Poland against seeds act legalizing GM crop planting
A demonstration calling for President Komorowski not to sign off on a new law allowing GM seeds to be used in Poland took place in Warsaw over the weekend. On 31 July 2011 the Senate, the upper house of parliament, voted to pass into law the ‘Seeds Act’, which legalises the planting of GM seeds in Poland. The vote went through parliament after MPs and senators from the ruling coalition of Civic Platform and Polish Peasant Party supported the bill.
2011-08-22 | permalink
GE potatoes to be tested in Belarus
Construction of new Belarus testing ground for first genetically modified crops to be completed in 2012. The site will be established in Minsk on the territory of the biological test station of the National Academy of Sciences. [...] The spokesmen of the Academy of Sciences emphasize that nobody is talking about instant potato sales so far. The transgenic plant line must undergo a number of tests first, which is rather time consuming.
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News on this page
- Monsanto, DuPont Pioneer, and Dow Chemical apply for larger GE maize trials in Mexico
- Turkey – the delicate GM balance
- Golden Rice’s feeding trial slated in the Philippines
- Shock as GM declared ’halal’ by workshop promoting GE foods
- Kenyan authorities allow importation of GM maize since three years
- Glyphosate commonly found in rain and streams in the U.S. Mississippi River Basin
- New WikiLeaks cables show US diplomats promote genetically engineered crops worldwide
- Polish president vetoes law on seeds due to
- Protest in Poland against seeds act legalizing GM crop planting
- GE potatoes to be tested in Belarus
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