Claire Robinson, editor
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PREVIOUS GM WATCH MONTHLY REVIEWS AVAILABLE - IN GERMAN
http://www.lobbywatch.org/p1temp.asp?pid=82&page=1

AND IN DUTCH
http://www.lobbywatch.org/p1temp.asp?pid=81&page=1

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MONTHLY REVIEW CONTENTS
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GM RICE CONTAMINATION
MORE CONTAMINATION
GM FAILURES
NON-GM SUCCESSES
GM BANS / RESTRICTIONS
COMPANY NEWS
CORPORATE CRIMES
CORPORATE TAKEOVER
FOOD SAFETY
GM APPLICATIONS / EXPANSIONS
TERMINATOR
LOBBYWATCH
WTO
BIOFUELS
FAST FOOD

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GM RICE CONTAMINATION
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+ USDA DEREGULATES GM CONTAMINANT RICE
The US Dept of Agriculture said on 24 November that it has "deregulated" a strain of GM rice that has contaminated world rice supplies.

"With this decision, USDA is telling agricultural biotechnology companies that it doesn't matter if ... you contaminate the food supply with untested genetically engineered crops, we'll bail you out," said Joseph Mendelson, legal director of the Center for Food Safety.

"In effect, USDA is sanctioning an 'approval-by-contamination' policy that can only increase the likelihood of untested genetically engineered crops entering the food supply in the future, and further erode trust in the wholesomeness of US food overseas.
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=7322
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=7238

+ USDA APPROVES GM RICE BUT TRADE STILL FETTERED
US regulators' latest move may do little to soothe doubts about the oversight of GM foods destined for export markets, analysts and industry groups said this week.
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=7338

+ CONTAMINATED RICE DUMPED IN AFRICA
Testing has confirmed that contamination by illegal GM rice LL601 has occurred in Ghana and Sierra Leone, the main African recipients of rice as commercial imports and food aid from the US.
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=7318
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=7327

+ THE INDUSTRY'S WORST EVER CRISIS
An article - "Rice farmers biggest losers over altered rice" - from the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, gives a revealing picture of what GM contamination has meant for US farmers, millers and exporters. It's a picture that should set alarm bells ringing worldwide whenever GM crop trials are proposed.

REMEMBER: no GM rice has ever been grown commercially in the US. There were only ever trials, and those trials were completed five years ago - back in 2001.

So what has the GM contamination meant for the US rice industry?
*The industry's worst ever crisis
*41% of US rice exports negatively affected
*A host of federal lawsuits
*Trade with the 25-nation EU at a standstill
*Other countries have banned US long-grain rice imports
*Many other countries requiring testing
*Some markets for medium- and short-grain rice also affected
*The problem involves more than one kind of GM rice
*A third of long-grain rice samples - including everything from unmilled to parboiled rice - tested positive for GM traits
*GM traits are so prevalent in US rice that "you cannot guarantee statistically that you'll ever get rid of them"
*US rice can never again be validly described as "GM-free".
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=7271

US rice farmers take the biggest hit:
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=7233

+ BAYER BLAMES FARMERS AND GOD FOR RICE CONTAMINATION!
Bayer - in response to a class-action lawsuit filed by hundreds of farmers - has contended that rice farmers and an "act of God" are to blame for the inadvertent release of its unapproved GM rice.

Lawyers for the farmers have pointed out that the farmers had no reason to suspect that the seeds they were planting were contaminated by Bayer's unapproved variety.
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=7306

+ UK: JUDGE GIVES GO-AHEAD TO FSA HIGH COURT CHALLENGE OVER GM RICE
A High Court judge has given Friends of the Earth permission to take its legal challenge against the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to a full hearing in the High Court. The environmental campaign group says that the FSA failed to take appropriate action to prevent unauthorised GM rice entering the UK food chain.
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=7312

+ THAILAND REAFFIRMS THAT ALL ITS RICE IS GM-FREE
Thai authorities have assured importing countries that Thai rice is free of GMOs.
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=7210

+ WORLD'S TOP RICE EXPORTERS SAY 'NO' TO GM RICE
The world's leading rice exporting countries, Thailand and Vietnam, have agreed to cooperate on preventing the use of GM rice.

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