2010-11-16 | permalink

EU plans to loosen zero tolerance policy on GM crops

Leaked documents suggest the European Union is planning to loosen its zero tolerance ban on genetically modified plants. [...] "This is based upon the false argument that international trade is severely disrupted when shipments of feed containing unauthorised GM feed are rejected," the FoEE said. The campaigners claimed that no shipment from any feed importing country (US, Argentina or Brazil) was rejected at a European port in 2010.

• Deutsche Welle, Germany: EU plans to loosen zero tolerance policy on GM crops
• Thomson Reuters, USA: EU urged to allow trace GM in food imports: source

2010-10-27 | permalink

Carrefour launches 'non-GM' label

French retailer CARREFOUR has launched a new label "Nourri sans OGM" ("fed without GMOs"), which will be displayed on 300 different animal-based products, including pork, veal, poultry, eggs and farmed fish.

The company said studies found 63% of customers would stop consuming food products if they knew the products came from animals fed with GMOs.

• just-food.com, UK: Carrefour launches 'non-GM' labels
• Carrefour launches 'fed without GMOs' label – The Connexion

2010-10-08 | permalink

Commission proposes 0,1% unapproved GMOs in feed imports

Eu Commissioner John Dalli proposes to accept in feed imports to the EU up to 0,1% of GMOs, which have not been approved in the Union. For food imports a zero tolerance was to remain in place. The proposal has been criticised by exporting countries as well as environmental watchdogs within the EU.

• Reuters (Reuters): Critics pan draft EU rules on GM contamination

2010-09-27 | permalink

Farm minister discuss GM crops rules in Brussels

EU farm ministers are gathering in Brussels today (27 September) to debate a proposed rule change that would allow officials to accelerate authorisations for 15 new transgenic crops while letting those who want to keep them off their territories do so. The idea has attracted controversy for being the first time that the commission is overtly handing back a power to member states. "To put it bluntly, no member state has yet come up with a convincing reason based on science for blocking GM cultivation on its territory," Dalli's spokesman Frederic Vincent insists. For Mute Schimpf, an expert with Brussels-based campaigners Friends of the Earth Europe, consumers are being sold a dummy. She maintains that "the idea is to press ahead with the next batch of authorisations." "The difficulty is that this is virgin territory, the commission doesn't want do the full legal analysis" other countries would like performed before voting, admits an EU official.

• AFP: Europe in a pickle over GM crops rules
• EUobserver, Belgium: Farm ministers to discuss proposals to end GMO impasse
• Ministry of Interior, Press and Information Office, Cyprus: The Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture represents Cyprus at the EU’s Agriculture and Fisheries Council
• The Times of Malta, Malta: Malta agrees to changes on GMO crops decision-making

2010-09-09 | permalink

Amflora puts BASF under pressure

Description Text

Human failure caused the contamination of the Amflora field in Sweden with the experimental GM potato Amadea, reports the European Commission. Yesterday BASF had to justify to Brussels authorities. However open questions had not been fully clarified. Next week experts for the EU and member states will visit BASF research facilities in order to resolve open questions.

• Doc. Source: Sh.Ti. f. News

2010-09-08 | permalink

GM-potato remains in the soil

verbotene kartoffel (Bild: zsl)

One week after the harvest of the GM potato Amfora began in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania (Nothern Germany) it was aborted by Till Backhaus, the provincial minister of Agriculture. On the basis of the contamination of the Amflora field with the experimental, genetically modified potato Amadea in Sweden, the confidence in the BASF quality management has been shaken, so Backhaus. BASF had to admit that Amflora seed potatoes planted in Germany derived from Sweden. This Wednesday the European commission is calling BASF to Brussels to clarify this issue.

2010-09-06 | permalink

BASF grows illegal Amadea in Amflora field

verbotene kartoffel (Bild: zsl)

The GM potato Amadea has been illegally grown within a field of the approved GM potato Amflora in Sweden, reports Greenpeace today. The unapproved experimental variety, Amadea, has not be fully tested for environmental and health impacts. The European Commission has asked BASF to explain why an unauthorised genetically modified variety of potato has been planted in Sweden.

• European Voice, Belgium: Illegal GM potato variety found in Sweden
• Greenpeace International, The Netherlands: Illegal GM potato discovered growing in Sweden

2010-08-23 | permalink

BRAI Bill jeopardises traditional agriculture in India

re-introducing Bt brinjal?? (Photo: brixi-ix/pixelio.de)

The proposed Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI) provokes strong reactions in India. The Bill proposes a centralized technocratic authority to approve GM (genetically modified) crops with no involvement of elected governments, said Mr Rajesh Krishnan, Greenpeace Campaigns Manager. The Madhya Pradesh government has reacted strongly and suspects the effort to re-introduce Bt brinjal. “It will have disastrous consequences for Indian Agriculture, which still relies heavily on traditional technologies. It will take the control of food from the farmer and give it to multinational corporations, who will enslave our agriculture,” said State Agriculture Minister Ramakrishna Kusumaria.

• The Hindu Business Line: Greenpeace assails BRAI Bill
• The Hindu, India: M.P. opposes setting up of biotech regulatory authority

2010-08-17 | permalink

US Judge bans GM sugar beet, denies injunction

beet

US Federal Court in California banned any new plantings of Monsanto’s GM “Roundup Ready” sugar beet for the foreseeable future. but denied an injunction that could have required the destruction of seed crops planted in the past few days. A federal judge has revoked the government's approval of genetically altered sugar beets until regulators complete a more thorough review of how the scientifically engineered crops affect other food.

• Food Safety News, USA: GM sugar beets put back under USDA regulation
• The Associated Press, USA: Judge's ruling uproots use of biotechnology beets
• The Center for Food Safety, USA: Federal Court rescinds USDA approval of genetically engineered sugar beets

2010-08-11 | permalink

Department of Agriculture in the Philippines laughs about health concerns on Bt eggplant

the representative of the Department of Agriculture in the Philippines (Photo:Joel S. Rudinas)

Scientific studies about the Indian Bt eggplant demonstrated that it is unfit for human consumption and detrimental to a healthy environment as cited by the Indian government in rejecting the release of Bt eggplant. This evidence should have already compelled Joel S. Rudinas the representative of the Department of Agriculture in the Philippines to stop the field tests.
Support the Petition to stop Bt eggplant in the Philippines!!!

• Southeast Asia Regional Initiatives for Community Empowerment, Philippines (SEARICE): Urging DA Secretary Proseco Alcala to stop field testing and eventual commercialization of Bt eggplant
• Manila Bulletin, Philippines: Lobby groups hit for GMO eggplant issue
• Dateline Philippines: Farmers protest BT eggplant testing