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from Claire Robinson, WEEKLY WATCH editor
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Dear all
Welcome to WW48 bringing you all the latest news in brief on the GM issue.
This week saw a dangerous development in a move by the US Justice Dept to ban Greenpeace from consulting with the UN on grounds of "unsafe seamanship" (OTHER HIGHLIGHTS). What it's really about, of course, is an attempt to shut down Greenpeace's protests against the shipment of GMOs, substandard tankers transporting polluting substances, and nuclear shipments - truly examples of unsafe seamanship. If the bid to exclude Greenpeace is successful, the group may lose its tax-exempt status, which could be fatal. The remedy lies in keeping this case high-profile and embarrassing the Americans into backing off.
On the lighter side, we have a pro-biotech scientist waxing incredulous on the "dismal" GM protein-enhanced potato (SETBACKS), which, he points out, is not only 10 years away from commercialisation but contains about a third of the protein of the (non-GM) spuds used in Britain to make crisps.
Finally, for anyone who missed the old NGIN website - http://www.ngin.org.uk - while it was down, it's back! Wonder if Prof Trewavas and those others who claim it's mentally intimidating (1) enjoyed the break? You can read about why Prof Trewavas needs a health warning here:
http://ngin.tripod.com/trewavas.htm
Claire [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
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CONTENTS
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SETBACKS TO THE GM LOBBY
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
HEADLINES OF THE WEEK
SUBSCRIPTIONS
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SETBACKS TO THE GM LOBBY
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+ "DISMAL" GM POTATO A DECADE AWAY, SAYS SCIENTIST
The BBC's science correspondent Pallab Ghosh waxed lyrical not so long ago about India's GM "protato" which he said would soon be in all Indian school children's lunch boxes in order to enhance the protein content of their diet.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2980338.stm
His much publicised report for the BBC claimed this GM protein-enriched potato was "expected to be approved in India within six months". However, Ghosh's story, hanging as it does purely on the claims of the Indian bureaucrat Manju Sharma, has caused irritation even to pro-GM scientists in India. Here a fervent GM supporter, Prof. C Kameswara Rao, points out that far from being approved within months the protato is 'unlikely to see the light of the day in this decade'!
Excerpt from Rao's comments: "While the idea of a protein enriched potato is welcome, trying to sell it in the name of improving school children's nutritional intake through the mid-day meal project is not entirely honest or convincing. The amaranth grain has about 16 per cent of protein (much more than in any cereal or millet, though far lower than in pulses), but only a very small portion of this is realized in the GE potato. No explanation is available on this insignificant expression of the transgene(s).
"I noticed that the potato used to make wafer chips in England has 6.0 to 6.5 per cent of protein, while that of the GE potato is only about 2.5 per cent. I do not understand how this dismal product could generate so much euphoria in the product developer and its sole promoter.
"Where is the need to hurry this inadequate product? On every count, the repeated announcement of the release of the GE potato is premature. In fact, this effort is worsening the already vitiated climate for genetically engineered crops in the country."
<http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=1709>
+ SOIL ASSOCIATION GIVES EVIDENCE ON CROP TRIALS
The Soil Association has given its evidence on the GM crops trials (FSEs) to the Environmental Audit Committee of the UK Parliament. The summary of their report includes the following points:
* The FSEs do not reflect the impacts of GM crops in commercial conditions and over time; they underestimate the negative impacts on biodiversity.
* The one-year time period means that the effects of herbicide resistant volunteers and weeds were excluded, under-representing herbicide use on GM crops.
* The lack of yield measurements and the fact that the herbicide regimes on the GM crops were those advised by the companies instead of those used commercially, allowed the trials to be managed in favour of the GM crops.
* Clear negative effects were identified for GM oilseed rape and beet in only one year despite the bias in favour of the GM crops. This should be used as new scientific evidence for a UK ban on these crops.
* The positive maize results must not be used as a pretext for commercialising GM maize: the maize trials were flawed, with inappropriate herbicide regimes used on both the GM and non-GM crops. Full report at
<http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=1710>
+ CALIFORNIA: MENDOCINO VOTERS MAY DECIDE ON LOCAL BAN OF GM CROPS
Voters in Mendocino County will have a chance to be the first in the nation to ban the raising of GM crops. Mendocino elections officials said that backers of a biotech crop ban have submitted enough signatures to earn a spot on the March ballot.
The Mendocino Organic Network proposed the ban as a way to protect the purity of the county's large and growing organic wine-grape industry from genetic contamination.
It's not clear whether the biotech industry will try to defeat the measure, as it did last fall when Oregon citizens unsuccessfully tried to force labelling of biotech foods.
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=1712
+ GERMAN CHURCHS ARGUE AGAINST GM
A working group of German church officials have come up with a position paper arguing against the use of GM in food and agriculture. The paper concludes with the following recommendations for action by churches:
. To provide information about GM plants and food, and opportunities for public discussion about the questions they raise.
. To exclude the growth of GM plants on church farmland by modifying the rental contracts.
. To buy food produced without genetic engineering.
The paper is signed by:
Commissioners for Environmental Questions in the Protestant Regional Churches in Germany, Commissioners for Environmental Questions in the Roman Catholic Dioceses of Germany, Protestant Services for Rural Mission, and Catholic Rural Peoples' Movement.
<http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=1714>
+ NEW YORK, USA: COMPANY EUTHANIZES GM GOATS
The chief executive of a biotech company said the company has euthanized 214 GM goats. CEO Dr. Jeffrey Turner says the goats were involved in one of the company's "less successful" programs to develop high-strength fibres. Plattsburgh-based Nexia Biotechnologies uses the milk produced by the spider-gene modified goats to spin lightweight, high-strength fibers. The fibers were developed for use in body armor and as sutures.
http://www.wokr13.tv/news/
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