WEEKLY WATCH number 219
from Claire Robinson, WEEKLY WATCH editor
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Dear all:

Monsanto is blackmailing South Africa, threatening to withdraw seed supplies unless its farmers cough up more money (AFRICA).

A new British study confirms that so-called buffer zones between GM and conventional or organic crops are far too small to prevent contamination (NEW RESEARCH).

And watch out for some particularly extravagant hype. We have a Monsanto spin doctor telling the world GM provides "near instant solutions for problems like hunger, malnutrition and poverty" (AFRICA); Monsanto's CEO claiming Europe is warming up to GMOs (EUROPE); and a climate change skeptical GM lobby group touting GM crops as a solution to global warming (AUSTRALASIA).

Claire [email protected]
www.gmwatch.org / www.lobbywatch.org

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CONTENTS
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G8
NEW RESEARCH
EUROPE
MIDDLE EAST
GM MOZZIES
AFRICA
AUSTRALASIA
THE AMERICAS
ASIA
BIOFUELS
GLYPHOSATE RESISTANCE

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G8
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+ ANTI-G8 PROTEST
At the G8 summit in Rostock, Germany, a day of protest actions on agriculture took place under the banner "Resistance is Fruitful". The 5,000 participants included farmers, peasants, small producers, landless people and agricultural workers from countries around the world, including Canada, Nicaragua, Brazil and Nepal, represented by, among other groups, Via Campesina. Protesters used big puppets to emphasize their opposition to GM crops and the patenting of life forms. The protesters said police were "very aggressive and provocative, using batons, water cannons and tear gas", often indiscriminately.
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=7967

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NEW RESEARCH
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+ GM AND NON-GM CROPS TOO CLOSE, STUDY SAYS
Field trials could be seriously underestimating the potential for cross-pollination between GM and conventional crops and buffer zone distances may be too small, accoring to new research from the University of Exeter in the UK. The findings showed huge variation in the amount of cross-pollination between GM and non-GM crops of maize, oilseed rape, rice and sugar beet.

One of the researchers, Martin Hoyle, said, "We were struck by the strong influence of wind direction on the amount of cross-pollination. Recommended minimum distances between GM and conventional crops may need to be increased based on our findings."

Friends of the Earth (FoE) called for a moratorium on commercial GM farming until the risks were fully understood. Clare Oxborrow of FoE said: "This new research makes clear that there are still so many gaps in our knowledge about the implications of GM farming... This technology-has been utterly rejected by the public yet ministers continue to try to steamroller ahead. This research makes clear it is time to take a step back and think again."
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=7959
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=7957

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EUROPE
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+ GM PROGRESS BEING MADE IN EUROPE - MONSANTO CHIEF
Europe is edging slowly towards GM acceptance, according to Monsanto CEO Hugh Grant. GM Watch is not convinced - see the next item.
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=7952

+ MORE EU STATES WARY ON GM MAIZE
Germany and France are discouraging their farmers from growing GM maize MON 810. Germany's government is introducing a de facto ban. The French government number two Alain Juppe said in a newspaper interview that France was likely to follow suit.

Austria banned the Monsanto maize back in June 1999. Hungary, one of the EU's biggest grain producers, became the first eastern European country to ban GMO crops or foods when it outlawed the planting of MON 810 seeds in January 2005. The same year, Greece and Poland put restrictions in place against MON 810. Bulgaria's parliament has also indicated support for national restrictions on growing MON 810 maize.
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=7971

+ DON'T MENTION THE G WORD
More on the US diplomat who told the EU to steer clear of using the term "GMOs" in order to minimise public opposition to US policies.
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arci