News
2024-02-05 | permalink
GMOs/NGTs : a deceptive patent ban
At its plenary session on 6 February 2024, the European Parliament's Environment Committee will present its proposed amendments to the initial draft on the deregulation of GMO plants obtained using “ new genomic techniques ”. These include the non-patentability of “ NGT plants ”. But what could be behind such a proposal when it has been discussed upstream with the seed multinationals, which hold the majority of patent rights on NGTs?
Inf'OGM: GMOs/NGTs : a deceptive patent ban - Inf'OGM2024-02-03 | permalink
Gene editing of crops to end global hunger is propaganda
In an email interview with Jitendra Choubey, Prof Antoniou advises India to believe in basic science and not repeat the mistakes made by the European Union.
NGT is another form of GM technology - an artificial laboratory method for altering the genetic makeup of a crop or animal.
Days after 35 Nobel Laureates and over 1,000 scientists signed a letter to promote New GM Techniques (NGT), Prof Michael Antoniou, molecular geneticist and expert in genetic engineering technologies at the King’s College London, explains why it is wrong to promote NGT.
In an email interview with Jitendra Choubey, Prof Antoniou advises India to believe in basic science and not repeat the mistakes made by the European Union by ignoring the health and environmental implications of the NGT.
2024-02-02 | permalink
ACT's outdated GE policy ignores sound science and the risks
The National and ACT party plan to weaken much needed regulation on GE is unscientific and outdated, putting farmers and our biosecurity at risk.
A recent panui by ACT MP Parmjeet Parmar focuses on a gene edited ryegrass experiment overseas, but doesn't mention that the outdoor trials in the USA for this controversial grass were a failure.
2024-02-01 | permalink
The 2023/24 non-GMO soybean crop in Brazil
Overview
The Brazilian 2023/24 crop is estimated at 155.3 million tons, down 4.2% compared to the previous November estimate (162 million tons). Erratic weather conditions are the main reason for the revised figures. The lack of consistent rainfall, extremely high temperatures, and the possibility of growing alternative crops to face the falling soybean prices in Chicago, have all contributed to such a significant revision in the figures. The weather caused delays in the seeding, the decline in seed germination percentages, abortion of flowers, and scorching of leaves and stems, all of which pushed yields down – yields are expected to be 2.2% lower than last year, from 3.507 to 3.431 (January figures).
The overall production, though, due to the recovery of crops in the South, especially in Rio Grande do Sul, is estimated to grow 0.4% from last year, from 154,609.5 to 155,269.3.
2024-01-31 | permalink
Green Week 2024: Important commitments to freedom of choice regarding GMOs
The German Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens) and Peter Hauk (CDU), his regional counterpart from Baden-Württemberg, made an explicit commitment to maintaining freedom of choice for genetically modified food at the "Grüne Woche" [Green Week] 2024 in Berlin. VLOG used the trade fair for talks with politicians.
Özdemir: Extremely strong market needs to be protected
"Anyone who wants to farm GMO-free must be able to do so reliably in the future," said Özdemir in his opening speech at the reception of the organic food sector at the Green Week. "This is about an extremely strong market that has the right to be protected," added the Minister, "addressing those who otherwise always sing the praises of the market economy and market forces".
