News
2014-11-11 | permalink
No must mean no, as MEPs vote to strengthen GMO opt-outs for member states and regions
GMO cultivation report by Frédérique Ries adopted with 53 votes to 11 and 2 abstentions
The European Parliament's environment committee today voted on a proposal for a new scheme for the authorisation of genetically-modified organisms in the EU. The vote by MEPs strengthens the grounds on which member states or regions could opt-out from GMO authorisations under the proposed new system. After the vote, Green food safety spokesperson Bart Staes said:
“MEPs have today voted to strengthen the hand of member states or regions wanting to opt-out of EU authorisations of GMOs, under a proposed new scheme, even if major concerns remain about the overall proposal. No must mean no: countries wanting to opt out of GM authorisations must have a totally legally watertight framework for doing so. However, the Greens are still very concerned that this new opt-out scheme is a slippery slope for easing EU GMO authorisations and does not fundamentally change the flawed EU approval process in itself.
Today's vote would offer much greater certainty by allowing opt-outs on the basis of environmental grounds complementary to the ones assessed by the European Food Safety Authority, something that was rejected by EU governments in Council. MEPs have also voted for the inclusion of mandatory measures to prevent the contamination of non-GM crops, with the myriad of issues this raises. The committee also rejected a proposal from EU governments, which would have obliged member states to directly request that corporations take them out of the scope of their GMO applications, before being allowed to opt out."
Greens: "No must mean no", as MEPs vote to strengthen GMO opt-outs for member states and regions (11.11.14)- GMO cultivation restrictions: committee vote 11.11.14
- Parliament votes to give European countries legally solid right to ban GM cultivation | Greenpeace EU Unit
- Real rights to ban GMOs a step closer | Friends of the Earth Europe
- IFOAM welcomes Parliament's vote on National GMO bans | Agricultural and Rural Convention
- MEPs reject compromise on GM crops | European Voice
- MEPs vote to firm up national bans on GM crops in Europe | Environment | theguardian.com
2014-11-10 | permalink
A Maui County ballot initiative to temporarily ban GMO crops passed
Vote Yes GMO moratorium in Maui
A Maui County Genetically Modified Organism Moratorium Initiative ballot question was on the November 4, 2014 election ballot for voters in Maui County, Hawaii, where it was approved.
The measure was designed to prohibit any growth, testing or cultivation of genetically modified or engineered crops and put a stop to any genetic modification and engineering operations in the county until an environmental and public health study is conducted and finds the proposed cultivation practices to be safe and harmless. This measure was the first ever initiative attempt in Maui County, where the initiative power was granted through its charter in 1983.
Proponents reported overwhelmingly positive responses from the Maui voters, collecting their first batch of signatures in less than six weeks, while they were allowed 6 months by law.
2014-11-07 | permalink
MON810: Suspected manipulation in the outcome of EU research
Greenpeace in an action against GM maize
Testbiotech: Evaluation of data from feeding trial with genetically engineered maize MON810 indicates negative health impact in rats.
Friday, 7. November 2014
Testbiotech has today published an independent evaluation of data from feeding trials with rats that were conducted under the GRACE project funded by the EU Commission. The rats were fed over a period of 90 days with genetically engineered maize MON810, which produces an insecticidal protein. The results were published in October 2014 in the journal Archives of Toxicology. The authors conclude that there were no relevant observable toxicological effects. However, an evaluation by Testbiotech has now revealed indications of negative health impacts on kidneys, liver and pancreas. Furthermore, the failure in this study to determine a concentration of MON810 at which there were no observable toxic effects, makes the entire study more or less invalid. For the evaluation of the data, additional external expertise was made available by a toxicologist with long-term experience in regulatory toxicology.
Testbiotech also criticizes the authors purposely published the results of the study in a scientific journal with close affiliation to industry.
- Suspected manipulation in the outcome of EU research project | testbiotech
- EU research project GRACE publishes first study findings - GRACE FP7
- EU project seeks to improve GM food safety testing
- Current ILSI Europe Members
- MON-ØØ81Ø-6: EU register of genetically modified food and feed
- Testbiotech Comments regarding the GRACE publication "Ninety-day oral toxicity studies on two genetically modified maize MON810 varieties in Wistar Han RCC rats (EU 7th Framework Programme project GRACE)"
2014-11-05 | permalink
Will GMO Free Be The New Organic?
For the most part, the war over GMOs is at a resting place. The anti-GMO forces have won the culture wars with a kind of aesthetic distaste for the technology, blocking its success in consumer-visible forms. That is why there is no Flavr Savr tomato anymore.
2014-11-03 | permalink
India: Activists oppose GM maize trials in Maharashtra
The Coalition for a GM-Free India, a group of about 400 organisations, has sought an explanation from the Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth at Rahuri on why it is conducting controversial open field trials of genetically modified corn on its campus.
