WEEKLY WATCH number 217 (18/5/2007) | |
------------------------------------------------------------ Dear all: The US government is allowing pharma rice to be planted in Kansas, and the Victorian state government in Australia is considering lifting its GM moratorium. Coming at a time when the US has suffered major damage to its rice industry from GM trial contamination, these moves are insane. As the Group Chairman of USA Rice Producers put it, "The US rice industry is still reeling from the release of Bayer CropScience's genetically engineered LibertyLink rice into US Delta-region rice fields. We are living with the effect of unintended events and consequences. This decision will not generate any comfort among US commercial rice growers." (THE AMERICAS) Julie Newman of Australia's Network of Concerned Farmers was equally blunt, "If politicians want Australian farmers to follow in the footsteps of US and Canadian farmers who have faced additional costs, intimidating contracts and plummeting market acceptance of GM food crops, they should also be prepared to match the massive subsidies given to growers of GM food crops." (AUSTRALASIA) Claire [email protected] ------------------------------------------------------------ THE AMERICAS ------------------------------------------------------------ + RICE TO PRODUCE HUMAN PROTEINS APPROVED IN U.S. USA Rice Producers' Group Chairman Paul Combs said, "The US rice industry is still reeling from the release of Bayer CropScience's genetically engineered LibertyLink rice into US Delta-region rice fields. We are living with the effect of unintended events and consequences. This decision will not generate any comfort among US commercial rice growers." APHIS received more than 20,000 comments on Ventria's application, with only 29 supporting the planting of the GM rice in Kansas. Center for Food Safety press release + U.S. STATES INTRODUCE NUMEROUS BILLS TO REGULATE GM FOODS + WAMBUGU HEADS FOR UC BERKELEY The Indybay article that announces her visit comments, "Extensive analysis of published reports shows Dr Florence Wambugu's reinvention of the future via genetic engineering exists only at the level of myth. Unfortunately, the Wambugu myth is helping to inhibit change for some of the world's poorest farmers." Wambugu's whoppers: ------------------------------------------------------------ + GM RICE SCANDAL HELPS THAI RICE EXPORTS SURGE NEARLY 20% Rice production in the US and Australia is decreasing this year due to discoveries of GM strains of the grain there, resulting in import bans in some markets such as Europe. http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=7872 + INDIA'S HEALTH MINISTER UNHAPPY ABOUT GM REGULATION + FUTURE OF BIOTECH IN INDIA - IMPORTAN |