NOFA/Massachusetts Social Action Center

Genetic Engineering News

December, 2007
compiled by Jack Kittredge
NOFA/Mass Social Action Coordinator

Pennsylvania Dairy Label Rules Shelved
A controversial decision by the state Department of Agriculture prohibiting labeling BST-free milk is under review after facing strong public backlash. Just before Thanksgiving Gov. Ed Rendell's office initiated a review of the decision. Originally scheduled for Jan. 1, enforcement of the new rules has been delayed at least a month.

"This violates the fundamental rights of consumers to know what's in their milk," said Kevin Golden, staff attorney for the Center for Food Safety, about the proposed rules. "We wouldn't be surprised if Pennsylvania turns around and takes away this action. ... If [Mr. Rendell] doesn't, they are going to see lawsuits."

"There was some level of surprise," Chris Ryder, spokesman for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, said of the opposition to the state's new labeling restrictions. "We weren't anticipating quite this response."
source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, November 28, 2007

Round 2 for Biotech Beets
Seven years ago, beet breeders were on the verge of introducing "Roundup-resistant seeds. But they had to pull back after sugar-using "food companies like Hershey and Mars, fearing "consumer resistance, balked at the idea of biotech beets. Now, though, "sensing that those concerns have subsided, many processors have cleared "their growers to plant the Roundup-resistant beets next spring. It would be the first new type of genetically engineered food crop "widely grown since the 1990s, when biotech soybeans, corn and a few "other crops entered the market. "Basically, we have not run into resistance," said David Berg, president "of American Crystal Sugar, the nation's largest sugar beet processor. ""We really think that consumer attitudes have come to accept food from "biotechnology." A Kellogg spokeswoman, Kris "Charles, said her company "would not have any issues" buying such sugar "for products sold in the United States, where she said "most consumers "are not concerned about biotech."

About 10,000 American farmers grow sugar beets on about 1.3 million "acres, mainly in Northern states from Oregon to Michigan. That makes the "beets a minor crop compared with corn, at about 90 million acres, and "soybeans, at almost 70 million. And yet beets account for about half the nation's sugar supply, with the "rest coming from sugar cane. The sugar from beets and cane, generally "considered interchangeable, is used in candies, cereals, cakes and "numerous other products, although some food manufacturers have switched "to high-fructose corn syrup, which is cheaper. When genetically engineered versions of soybeans and corn - as well as "cotton and canola - were introduced in the mid-1990s, farmers quickly "adopted them. But opposition to genetically engineered crops then took "hold, particularly in Europe. Food companies, fearing protests or loss "of customers, pressured farmers not to grow the crops. Sugar was not the only crop affected. Insect-resistant potatoes "developed by Monsanto were withdrawn from the market in 2001 after "fast-food companies resisted them. Monsanto gave up on developing "Roundup-resistant wheat in 2004, in part because American wheat farmers "feared losing exports. The rice industry, also heavily dependent on "exports, has never grown herbicide-tolerant varieties. Even if the situation has now changed for sugar, however, other crops "might still meet resistance. For one thing, sugar is a refined product "that contains no DNA or proteins, just the chemical sucrose. "While the "sugar beet is genetically different, the sugar is the same," said Luther "Markwart, executive vice president of the American Sugarbeet Growers "Association and co-chairman of the Sugar Industry Biotech Council. By contrast, the foreign DNA and proteins in genetically modified wheat, "rice or potatoes can be eaten by consumers, which at least theoretically "raises food safety questions. Moreover, only about 3 percent of American sugar is exported, Mr. "Markwart said, compared with about half of wheat and rice.
source: NY Times, November 27, 2007

Scotts To Pay $500,000 Fine Over Biotech Bentgrass
Scotts Miracle-Gro Co will pay a $500,000 fine over allegations it failed to comply with U.S. rules while testing a genetically engineered grass variety that could one day be used on lawns and athletic fields. The settlement involves field tests in Oregon and 20 other states of creeping bentgrass modified to resistweed killers such as Monsanto's Roundup. A golf course, for example, could be sprayed to kill weeds without hurting the grass. Genetically engineered grasses have not been approved by USDA.

The civil penalty is the largest allowed by the Plant Protection Act of 2000. The allegations included failure by Scotts to follow proper equipment-cleaning procedures and to have all required buffer zones around the genetically engineered crop to prevent mixing with traditional crops.

As part of the agreement, Scotts will conduct three public workshops for other potential developers of genetically engineered plants and other interested parties within one year that focus on the best ways to grow biotech crops and how to quickly resolve biotechnology compliance incidents.
source: Reuters, November 26, 2007

Proposed Ban on Genetically Modified Corn in Europe
European Union environmental officials have determined that two kinds of genetically modified corn could harm butterflies, affect food chains and disturb life in rivers and streams, and they have proposed a ban on the sale of the seeds, which are made by DuPont Pioneer, Dow Agrosciences and Syngenta. The preliminary decisions are circulating within the European Commission, which has the final say. Some officials there are skeptical of a ban that would upset the powerful biotechnology industry and could exacerbate tensions with important trading partners like the United States. The seeds are not available on the European market for cultivation.

In the decisions, the environment commissioner, Stavros Dimas, contends that the genetically modified corn, or maize could affect certain butterfly species, specifically the monarch, and other beneficial insects. Research this year indicates that larvae of the monarch butterfly exposed to the genetically modified corn "behave differently than other larvae." In the decision concerning the corn seeds produced by Dow and Pioneer, Mr. Dimas calls "potential damage on the environment irreversible." In the decision on Syngenta's corn, he says that "the level of risk generated by the cultivation of this product for the environment is unacceptable."

A decision by the European Union to bar cultivation of the genetically modified crops would be the first of its kind in the trade bloc, and would intensify the continuing battle over genetically modified corn. Since 1998, the commission has not approved any applications for the cultivation of genetically modified crops, but it has not actively rejected any applications, either, as would be the case with the genetically modified corn products.
source: NY Times, November 23, 2007

Three Million People "Vote" to Make Italy GM-Free
More than three million Italians have signed a petition calling for Italy to ban all genetically modified (GM) foods, according to an alliance of food producers, consumers, and environmental groups.

"Votes" were collected at marketplaces and food fairs across the country. A spokesman for the anti-GM alliance, called "Italy Europe - Free from Genetic Modification," said, "We gathered 3,086,524 votes, of which 3,068,958 (99.43%) were in favor of banning GMOs [genetically modified organisms] and 17,566 (0.57%) said no." The alliance wants the Italian government to respond by banning all GM imports, which are typically used for animal feed, and all cultivation of GM crops. The article can be viewed online at the link below.
source: http://www.checkbiotech.org/green_News_Genetics.aspx"infoId=16147

GM Rice Cost Industry $1.2 Billion
A new study shows that a release of genetically modified rice last year resulted in widespread damage across the U.S. rice industry, with impacts on trade and damages for farmers that are estimated to have run as high as $1.2 billion. Neal Blue of the Department of Agricultural Economics at Ohio State University conducted the study, which was published Nov. 7 by Greenpeace.

Blue tracked the fallout of the discovery of Bayer CropScience's LL601 "LibertyLink" variety, traces of which were discovered in Southern U.S. long grain rice supplies in the summer of 2006. The rice variety is genetically engineered to be tolerant of the Liberty herbicide. The genetically modified rice wasn't just found in the U.S.; Blue's report notes that it was found in the rice-grain-merchandising systems in Europe, Asia and Japan in August 2006. A statement from the Rice Producers of California - which opposes growing genetically modified rice in California - said the release of the engineered rice strain "triggered the largest financial and marketing disaster in the history of the U.S. rice industry," with at least 30 countries affected by the contamination.

Estimated economic loss resulting from export impacts in the 2006-07 crop years is estimated to be $254 million, according to Blue's calculations. Other impacts - such as testing costs, lost revenue and reduced prices - is calculated at about $200 million.
source: http://www.capitalpress.com/main.asp"SectionID=67&subsectionID=616&articleID=36929&Q=43164.08

GE Plants Spread Genes into Wild Relatives
A recent study has confirmed that genetically modified Ready Roundup (RR) Brassica can escape and outcross with wild relatives. The study was conducted in Canada with GE RR Canola (Brassica napus) and the weedy relative Wild Mustard (Brassica rapa). Scientists reported that the RR Canola transgene outcrossed readily and persisted in the weedy mustard relative and was passed on to further generations. This supports earlier findings in England that outcrossing is very common in brassica species.

The study was carried out over 6 years and found that the transgene was stably integrated into the weedy descendants over that time. However, the transgenic Brassica plants had reduced male fertility and reduced pollen viability. One FI GM hybrid plant still produced 480 seeds of which 22 carried the transgene. The plants persisted regardless of Roundup spraying and fitness costs associated with selection pressure.

"This transgenic escape into wild weedy relatives supports concerns that GE brassica are a threat," said Claire Bleakley of GE Free (NZ). "Once released out of laboratory containment, GM pollen will spread to other brassica species both weedy and food plants, contaminating the environment and food chain".
source: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0711/S00437.htm

The Last Days of Mexican Corn
This January 1 may prove to be a doomsday date for Mexican maize when, at the stroke of midnight, all tariffs on corn (and beans) will be abolished after more than a decade of incremental NAFTA-driven decreases. Although US corn growers are already dumping 10 million tons of the heavily subsidized grain in Mexico each year, zero tariffs are expected to trigger a flood of corn imports, much of it GM, that will drive millions of Mexican farmers off their land - in NAFTA's first 13 years, 6,000,000 have already abandoned their plots - and this could well spell the end of the line for 59 distinct "razas" or races of native corn.
source: http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp"arcid=8517

GM Forests Could Seriously Impact Natural Land "A good article on the dangers of GM trees has been published in the Oregon Daily Emerald. According to the article there are vast numbers of GM Douglas Fir trees growing in about 790 test plots in Washington state and Oregon. excerpt: In their publication, "Genetically Modified Trees: The Ultimate Threat To Forests", Friends of the Earth argue that the reason we should not genetically modify our trees, and thus our forests, is because we are not the only creatures who value trees. Insects, birds, and animals do not acknowledge property and national forest boundaries. They will eat or use whatever tree they happen to encounter and, for example, a tree with insecticide properties could pollinate across boundary lines, impact insect populations and disrupt an entire food chain.
"source: http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=8510

Milk, Cheese, and Pork Are Being Invaded by GM
Most of our milk, cheese, yoghurt and pork comes from animals raised on GM food, the Soil Association says. According to the Soil Association, four studies by different scientific teams have detected GM DNA in milk and pig and sheep tissues from GM-fed animals.
source: "http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=8490

Unapproved Chinese GM Rice Found in Sweden
The National Food Administration in Sweden has announced that it found unapproved GM rice Bt63 in rice noodles from China while they conducted spot checks concerning food from Asian countries.
source: http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp"arcid=8513

Germany Calls For Moratorium on GM Crops
"Germany has called for authorizations of new GM plants in the European Union to be temporarily halted to make sure that safety checks are thorough enough. German farm minister Horst Seehofer said the complicated current authorization procedure failed to take into account public opinion. "We should stop and see if the procedure is adequate," Seehofer told journalists at a meeting of EU agriculture ministers. Seehofer said the approval procedure, which tasks the EU's European Food Safety Authority or EFSA to assess possible risks GMOs could cause to human and animal health as well as effects on the environment, was influenced by the biotech industry.
source: http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp"arcid=8531
?http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=8535

A Bad Seed in the Bag: Indo-U.S. Deal on Agriculture
"The British Centre for Sustainable Agriculture (CSA) has sent an open letter to the prime minister demanding the Indo-US Knowledge Initiative on Agriculture (KIA) be put on hold and reviewed immediately. The CSA says the deal, which exchanges US nukes for Indian genetic resources or germplasm, opens the door to biopiracy and agriculture patents, making farmers dependent on private firms for technology. The composition of the KIA board has also come up for criticism. It counts members like Ted Huffman (director of Wal-Mart's supply chain in India), Rashmi Nair (director, strategic integration, Monsanto) and S. Sivakumar (chief executive of ITC Ltd's agri-business division). The only NGO representation is that of Marshall Bouton, executive director, Chicago Council on Foreign Relations.
source: http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp"arcid=8549
?http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=8533

The Battle for Ayurveda: India Is Racing to Record the Details of Its Traditional Medicine
For several years the Indian authorities have been collating information about hundreds of thousands of plants, cures, foods and even yoga poses to create a vast digital database of traditional knowledge dating back to up to 5,000 years ago, available in five international languages. Now, the first part of that database - relating to ayurveda or traditional Indian medicine - has been completed and it is set to launch the fight back against what some have termed "bio-colonialism".

"The ayurveda part has been completed," said Dr Vinod Gupta, the chairman of India's National Institute for Science Communication and Information Resources (Niscair), which is overseeing the project. "Now we are negotiating an agreement with international patent offices [for access to this database]."

The database, totalling more than 30 million pages and known as the Traditional Knowledge Data Library, has come about for one very simple reason: to prevent Western pharmaceutical giants and others using this traditional Indian information to create a product for which they then obtain a patent. Under international guidelines, patents should not be given if it is shown there is "prior knowledge" or existing information about the product or item. In the United States - where many of the patent applications have been made - this prior existing knowledge is only recognized if the information has been written down. It does not consider information passed down for centuries by means of oral tradition to be valid.
source: http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/article3187089.ece

Thailand's Human Rights Commission Opposes GM Trials
"Thailand's National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged the government not to approve open-field trials of GM crops until the biosafety law is in effect. The agency also asked the government to come up with a clear explanation about the extent of GM contamination in the environment from previous GM trials. The agency made its call amid speculation that the cabinet of the military government would soon give the nod to GM field trials.
source: http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=8474

Philippines: Farmers and Scientists Decry Entry of GM Rice
At a press conference at Quezon City, the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) and the Asian Peasant Coalition (APC) decried the increased entry of GM rice such as LL601 and LL Rice 62 into the country in U.S. rice products and the depletion of traditional rice varieties. The groups presented thousands of signatures of people aiming to protect rice culture. According to Danilo 'Ka Daning' Ramos, secretary general of KMP and APC, "This is the sorry state of our rice industry now and it is all because of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), an institution which is mainly to blame for the deterioration of our country's rice culture."
source: http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp"arcid=8495

U.S. Farmers Press for Patent Reform
Keith Bolin, president of the American Corn Growers Association (ACGA), has commended the actions of Senators Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Arlen Specter, R-Pa., as well as the Senate Judiciary Committee for recently completing action on the Patent Reform Act of 2007 (S. 1145). "Currently farmers are vulnerable to attack from biotech interests that sue family farmers for allegedly infringing on their patent rights due to actions that are often beyond their control," explained Bolin. "ACGA urges quick passage of legislation that would help level the playing field for family farmers defending themselves against dubious claims of patent infringement." Farmers in many cases are sued after their fields are contaminated by pollen that drifts over from a neighboring field, Bolin pointed out.
source: http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp"arcid=8487

Dolly scientist abandons cloning
The scientist who led the team that controversially created Dolly the sheep is abandoning the cloning of human embryos in stem cell research. Professor Ian Wilmut, of Edinburgh University, believes a rival method developed in Japan holds the key to curing serious medical conditions. The professor's team developed a cloning technique that has subsequently been used to harvest stem cells - which have the potential to be grown into any cell in the human body. But Ian Wilmut has now embraced a technique developed by Professor Shinya Yamanaka of Kyoto University, Japan, that involves genetically modifying adult cells to make them almost as flexible as stem cells. The research has been conducted on mice. source: BBC, November 17, 2007

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