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from Claire Robinson, WEEKLY WATCH guest editor
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Dear all
Welcome to WW38 bringing you all the latest news in brief on the GM issue.
Perhaps the most exciting events this week have taken place in New Zealand, where opposition to GM is reaching white heat pending the government's intention to lift the country's moratorium on cultivation of GM crops. The NZ environment minister's latest words of wisdom (see QUOTES OF THE WEEK) might make us wonder how often top-level decisions on our food supply are being taken by people a few cards short of a full deck!
Also from the antipodes comes a great radio programme, 'Behind the Biotechs'. Listen to it on the net:
http://www.abc.net.au/rural/telegraph/audio/telegraph_28082003_2856.ram
The programme looks at "the power the biotechs wield in the GM debate from the Oval office to the farmer in the paddock." And it features the investigative journalist Andy Rowell, and Julie Newman of the Concerned Farmers Network. Well worth a listen.
WW38 may be of particular interest to any friends or contacts finding it hard to keep up with all the breaking news, so please circulate widely!
Claire <[email protected]>
www.ngin.org.uk
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WEEKLY WATCH number 38 - CONTENTS
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SETBACKS TO THE GM LOBBY
FAIRYTALES FROM THE BIOTECH INDUSTRY
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK
REPORT OF THE WEEK
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
FACT OF THE WEEK
HEADLINES OF THE WEEK
CAMPAIGN OF THE WEEK
SUBSCRIPTIONS
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SETBACKS TO THE GM LOBBY
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GM FOOD FEARS HURTING CANADA, SAYS LEAKED PAPER
While governments in the UK and New Zealand toy with the idea of GM crop commercialisation, a recent Canadian government paper, marked "secret", warns that GM crop commercialisation in Canada has put its multibillion dollar agri-food industry at risk: "Consumers are becoming more worried that they can't distinguish between GE and non-GE products. These concerns could precipitate a loss of confidence in the integrity of the Canadian food system, which could be very disruptive to the domestic system as well as Canada's ability to export to demanding markets. There is a pressing need to immediately address these concerns to maintain Canada's markets and to uphold the Canada brand.
"there is no broad market acceptance (domestic and international) of genetically engineered (GE) products. The first generation of products were commercially introduced with minimal consumer interest... but now these products are being more closely scrutinized at home and abroad. Producers are becoming worried about losing markets and losing choice over what they can produce. The production of GE canola is currently adversely affecting the value of non-GE canola in some markets."
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=1368
**MUCH MORE ON CANADA BELOW**
BLAIR FORCED TO SCALE BACK HIS PLAN TO INTRODUCE GM FARMING
Tony Blair is drastically scaling down his plans to introduce GM farming in Britain, according to an article in The Independent on Sunday, in the wake of the official inquiry into the events leading to the death of Dr David Kelly, the microbiologist and weapons inspector who operated in Iraq. Senior officials at the centre of the issue concede that the Prime Minister has accepted that it would be politically "too risky" to force through widespread commercial planting of GM crops in the teeth of public opposition, following the catastrophic collapse in public trust following the Iraq War and Dr David Kelly's apparent suicide.
The Government's formal decision on the technology, expected next month, will now not be taken before the end of the year "at the earliest", official sources say. And ministers and officials are now going out of their way to insist that the Prime Minister is not "gung-ho" about it, even though his personal enthusiasm - coupled with attacks on GM sceptics as "anti-science" - has long defined the Government's position.
In response to intense pressure as the Hutton Inquiry continues to lay bare the inner workings of the Blair government, the Prime Minister is changing his tactics. His new plan, sources say, is to secure a limited and heavily regulated introduction of some GM crops - rather than the previously expected blanket approval - in the hope of expanding them later. But there is concern in Whitehall that even this may be unachievable.
Ministers and officials have been shocked by the extent of public opposition revealed by the Government's "public debate" on GM over the last few months. Originally denounced by critics as a sham, it has in fact stimulated over 600 public meetings around Britain, and led to 36,000 people registering their views on the debate website.
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/environment/story.jsp?story=436640
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=1355
PROBE INTO 'BULLYING' OF GM PANEL SCIENTISTS
Some of Britain's most senior scientists are being investigated in an inquiry to discover whether opponents of GM food have been bullied to soften their stance. Growing concern that Government-appointed experts have come under pressure from pro-GM peers to toe a biotech line has led Tony Blair to appoint Nigel Griffiths, minister for small business, to investigate.
Griffiths insisted that the inquiry would avoid being influenced by Government spin. The inquiry follows at least two cases in which leading academics selected by the Government told how they were threatened in an attempt to rig a recent official inquiry into GM crops and food.
Dr Andrew Stirling, of Sussex University and a member of the Government's GM science review panel, was warned by a leading member of the scientific establishment his career would be ruined unless he stopped questioning the technology's safety. The pro-GM scientist tried to get Stirling removed from a research project by approaching its funders.
Days earlier, another leading independent academic had told The Observer how he resigned from the science review after fearing his funding might be withdrawn. Professor Carlo Leifert, of the University of Newcastle, also felt it was improper that an employee of GM giant Monsanto had been allowed to draft a key chapter on the safety of GM foods for the science review.
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/publicservices/story/0,11032,1028519,00.html
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=1352
NEW ZEALAND: PUBLIC OPPOSITION GROWING TO LIFTING OF GE BAN
New Zealand opinion has swung heavily against releasing GM organisms into the environment, according to a survey. A nationwide survey of 801 people found that 68.6 per cent want to extend the present three-year ban on releasing GMOs from containment, just two months before the ban is due to end on October 29. Those who said commercial release of GMOs should be "banned for good" jumped from 23.2 per cent in June last year to 37.8 per cent in t
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