1.GM CROPS FAIL TO DELIVER - FoE press release
2.Another bumper biotech harvest worldwide, yet criticism persists - Associated Press on ISAAA latest

GM WATCH note: For more on ISAAA:
http://www.lobbywatch.org/profile1.asp?PrId=66&page=I

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1.GM CROPS FAIL TO DELIVER
Friends of the Earth comments on industry-released figures Friends of the Earth Europe, 18th January 2007

KUALA LUMPUR (MALAYSIA), LAGOS (NIGERIA), BRUSSELS (BELGIUM), January 18, 2007 - Commenting on today's publication by the biotech industry of their estimates of the area planted with genetically modified (GM) crops, Nnimmo Bassey of Friends of the Earth Africa in Nigeria said:

"No genetically modified crop on the market today has done anything to alleviate hunger or poverty in Africa or elsewhere. The biotech industry fails to provide a shred of evidence to support their figures and conveniently fails to mention the problems associated with growing genetically modified crops. Evidence shows that they need more pesticides, provide lower yields and cause widespread contamination. GM crops are clearly failing to deliver at a time when sustainable solutions are urgently needed to feed the world."

Last week, Friends of the Earth International published a new report that shows genetically modified (GM) crops have failed to address the main challenges facing farmers in most countries of the world, and more than 70 percent of large scale GM planting is still limited to two countries (U.S. and Argentina).

The 98-page fully-referenced report - Who Benefits from GM Crops? - and the Executive Summary can be downloaded at http://www.foei.org / .

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
In Africa: Nnimmo Bassey, Friends of the Earth Africa
Tel: +234 8037274395 (mobile) or +234 52602680 (office) In Asia: Nizam Mahshar, Friends of the Earth Malaysia
Tel: +60194777755
In Europe: Adrian Bebb, Friends of the Earth Europe
Mobile: +49 16094901163; Tel: +49 802 599 1951 In South America: Karen Nansen, Friends of the Earth Uruguay,
Tel: +598 99 524 003
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2.Another bumper biotech harvest worldwide, yet criticism persists
Associated Press, January 18th 2007
http://www.brandonsun.com/story.php?story_id=39783

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A biotechnology advocacy group reported Thursday that a record number of crops were planted worldwide last year, but critics complained the gains were more of the same: aimed at making corn, soy and cotton crops resistant to weed killers and bugs.

None of the genetically engineered crops for sale last year were nutritionally enhanced and much of the output feeds livestock, which critics said undercuts industry claims that biotechnology can help alleviate human hunger.

Still, the report prepared by the industry-backed International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications touted the record as evidence that crops engineered to cut pesticide use can ease poverty and financially benefit small farmers around the world.

Some 10.3 million farmers in 22 countries grew engineered crops on 102 million hectares last year, a 13 per cent increase over 2005, according to the report. About 9.3 million of those people were considered subsistence farmers.

The United States, Argentina and Brazil were the top three countries that grew genetically engineered crops last year, mostly soy. India tripled its acreage of genetically engineered cotton last year to 3.8 million hectares.

"I have been able to increase my yield significantly," said Ravinder Brar, an Indian cotton farmer told reporters on a conference call. Brar said cotton engineered to resist boll weevil saved her about $320 a half hectare in pesticide costs on her seven-hectare farm last year.

In the United States, 80 per cent of soy - a key ingredient in many packaged foods - and a similar percentage of cotton are genetically engineered. Some 32.5 million hectares of biotech corn are planted - about 40 per cent of the country's crop - though much of that is used for animal feed.

In all, about 55.25 million hectares of the country's 180 million hectares of farmland was under biotech cultivation last year, an increase of 10 per cent over 2005 plantings.

Clive James, head of the advocacy group that prepared the report, said he expected more genetically engineered corn seed to be planted this year because of the recent boom in ethanol production. Ethanol, which is primarily made from corn in the United States, is expected to get another boost next week during U.S. President George W. Bush's State of the Union address.

The report was paid for by two philanthropic groups, the Rockefeller Foundation and Ibercaja, a Spanish bank. The advocacy group received funding from biotech companies.

The share price of St. Louis-based Monsanto Co., which supplies most of the world's genetically engineered seeds, have risen about 36 per cent in the last year. In afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange, Monsanto shares fell 21 cents to $54.01.

In 1996, the first year genetically modified crops were commercially available, about 1.75 million hectares were under cultivation. Now genetically engineered crops are grown throughout the Americas, China and India. Last year, Slovakia became the sixth European Union country to plant genetically engineered crops.

"As more countries gain experience with biotech crops, acceptance will grow," James said. "Biotechnology offers many opportunities for the alleviation of poverty."

However, opponents note that no new or innovative genetically engineered crops have been introduced in the last decade. Much of the worldwide growth last year was attributed to soybeans designed to resist weed killer and corn spliced with bacteria genes to resist bugs, traits that directly benefit farmers, not consumers.

Skepticism of the technology continues to run deep in Europe where many consumers shun products containing genetically engineered ingredients. An increasing number of U.S. consumers pay premium prices for biotech-free, organic products because of environmental and health concerns, though no illness has been attribu