from Claire Robinson, WEEKLY WATCH editor
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Dear all:

Bayer's illegal GM rice - grown only in trials that ended in 2001 - continues to cause massive problems for the U.S. rice industry, withcontamination found across Europe. Meanwhile, a nutter in the Parliament of Western Australia is gagging to have GM trials. Fortunately, the government and others of sound mind have voted him and his Party down. (AUSTRALASIA)

And don't forget to read about Monsanto's "blood money" and the killing they've been making by exploiting poor farmers in India. (ASIA)

Claire [email protected]
www.gmwatch.org / www.lobbywatch.org

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CONTENTS
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GM RICE CONTAMINATION SCANDAL
LEADING SCIENTISTS CONCERNED
ASIA
THE AMERICAS
AFRICA
AUSTRALASIA
LOBBYWATCH
MIDDLE EAST
BIOFUELS
RISK ASSESSMENT

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GM RICE CONTAMINATION SCANDAL
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+ USDA TO RUBBER-STAMP CONTAMINATION OF FOOD WITH ILLEGAL GM RICE
The US Dept of Agriculture (USDA) has initiated fast-track market approval of Bayer's illegal GM rice variety - LL601 - that has contaminated long-grain rice, throwing rice markets into turmoil and potentially causing harm to consumers and the environment. Bayer field-tested LL601 from 1998-2001, but for unknown reasons never applied to USDA for market approval.

"Illegal, potentially hazardous rice [is] in grain bins, on supermarket shelves, in cereal, beer, baby foods, and all rice products. It should be a no-brainer - recall this stuff to make sure no one eats it," said Joseph Mendelson, Legal Director of the Center for Food Safety. "Instead, USDA plans to rush through 'market approval' of a GM rice that Bayer itself decided was unfit for commerce. Why? To free Bayer from liability." http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=7006
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=7018

+ TELL USDA *NOT* TO APPROVE ILLEGAL GM RICE
Take action: http://ga3.org/campaign/LLRice

The Center for Food Safety (CFS) has filed a legal petition with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that seeks to prevent the post hoc approval of an illegal genetically engineered rice recently found in the world's food supply.

"USDA's stamp of approval to genetically engineered rice after it has illegally contaminated the food supply would set a dangerous precedent, rewarding the biotech industry's negligence and thereby making similar contamination episodes more likely in the future," said Miyoko Sakashita, staff attorney at CFS. Links to legal petition and summary here: http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=7031

+ US SUPPLY CHAIN "SEVERELY DISRUPTED"
A statement by the major UK rice importer Tilda Rice says, "The US supply chain to Europe is now severely disrupted." http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=7008

+ GM RICE CONTAMINATION WIDESPREAD
The European Commission has confirmed that 33 out of 162 results of rice samples carried out by members of the European Federation of Rice Millers tested positive for the LL601 strain.

"Any consignments which tested positive have already been recalled or withheld from the market and the Federation's members have committed to continuing such withdrawals for any positive findings," the European Commission said. http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=7014

+ FOOD INDUSTRY ALARMED
The existence of unapproved GM rice in Europe has shaken the food industry, the Financial Times has reported.
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=7018

+ SWISS RETAILERS BLOCK SALE OF US RICE
In Switzerland, which is not a member of the European Union, the country's largest retailer, Migros, has confirmed finding traces of the rice. Both Migros and their rival Coop have suspended sales of long-grain rice from the US. http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=7025
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=7020

+ TAINTED RICE IN GERMANY
Greenpeace tests revealed that the illegal rice has contaminated rice on the shelves of the supermarket Aldi in Germany. Aldi has pulled the rice in question from the shelves.
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=7012
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=7018

+ ...AND IN FRANCE AND SWEDEN
France and Sweden have also discovered the illegal rice in imported US supplies. French tests revealed the banned GMO was in more than a third of samples tested (7 out of 19).
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=7019

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