News

2014-08-11 |

USA: More Firms Are Jettisoning GMOs From Their Foods

Modified High Modified High

Two decades after the first genetically engineered seeds were sold commercially in the U.S., genetically modified organisms—the crops grown from such seeds—are the norm in the American diet, used to make ingredients in about 80% of packaged food, according to industry estimates. (.....) "Non-GMO" is one of the fastest-growing label trends on U.S. food packages, with sales of such items growing 28% last year to about $3 billion, according to market-research firm Nielsen. In a poll of nearly 1,200 U.S. consumers for The Wall Street Journal, Nielsen found that 61% of consumers had heard of GMOs and nearly half of those people said they avoid eating them. The biggest reason was because it "doesn't sound like something I should eat."

2014-08-11 |

Mexico: Co-existence between honey production and GM soybeans is not possible

A small group of beekeepers in Mexico has inflicted a blow on biotech giant Monsanto, which has halted the company’s ambitions to plant thousands of hectares of soybeans genetically modified to resist the company’s pesticide Roundup.

A district judge in the state of Yucatán last month overturned a permit issued to Monsanto by Mexico’s agriculture ministry, Sagarpa, and environmental protection agency, Semarnat, in June 2012 that allowed commercial planting of Roundup-ready soybeans.

The permit authorised Monsanto to plant its seeds in seven states, over more than 253,000 hectares (625,000 acres), despite protests from thousands of Mayan farmers and beekeepers, Greenpeace, the Mexican National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity, the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas and the National Institute of Ecology.

In withdrawing the permit, the judge was convinced by the scientific evidence presented about the threats posed by GM soy crops to honey production in the Yucatán peninsula, which includes Campeche, Quintana Roo and Yucatán states. Co-existence between honey production and GM soybeans is not possible, the judge ruled.

2014-08-07 |

EU needs a legally sound mechanism for prohibiting GM cultivation and independent risk assessment

A letter was sent to German MEPs signed by 11 German/European NGOs concerning a draft directive granting to EU member states to decide whether or not they wish to cultivate genetically modified organisms(GMOs) on their territory.
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EU needs a legally sound mechanism for prohibiting GM cultivation and independent risk assessment

(.....)
Please, make sure that 'Opt-Out' is considerably revised in the relevant committees. It should protect consumers and the environment, not the interests of GM companies. On the basis of the European Parliament's decision of 05.07.2011, we are asking you to:

strengthen the precautionary principle in the risk assessment and cultivation of genetically modified plants;
ensure that EFSA's risk assessment of GMO is independent and rigorous;
ensure that national prohibition of GM cultivation is based on EU environmental law (Article 192 of the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union) which would make them more legally sounder and binding;
help to protect the sovereignty of the EU and its member states by ensuring that they are not obliged to ask GM companies before they can prohibit the cultivation of GM plants;
ensure that prohibiting the cultivation of GM plants will be possible at any time without having to provide 'new objective circumstances';
help protect the many GM-free farmers and food producers by ensuring that an appropriate period of time must be respected before a ban on the cultivation of GM plants can be revoked.

Numerous opinion polls have shown that EU voters oppose genetically modified plants in agriculture and in their food. Now it is up to you to engage in the negotiations with Commission and Council to provide member states with a genuine opportunity to prohibit the cultivation of GM plants, to ensure that risk assessment is carried out rigorously and that member states' full sovereignty is protected.

(Download the letter: EU needs a legally sound mechanism for prohibiting GM cultivation and independent risk assessment)

2014-08-06 |

Scientists challenge makeup of panel meant to evaluate GMO risks

Today, 64 established scientists, researchers and professionals submitted an open letter to the National Academy of Science’s National Research Council (NRC), strongly criticizing the council's proposal of a panel of experts tasked with completing a new NRC study, "Genetically Engineered Crops: Past Experience and Future Prospects." According to NRC, “the committee was drawn from nominations submitted, considering the full range of expertise and experience needed to address the study's statement of task.” NRC offered the public an opportunity to comment on the committee's composition through August 5.

2014-08-05 |

Croatia: Farm ministry reassures there has been no GMO seeds donation

Croatia's Agriculture Ministry on Thursday stated that no genetically modified seeds had been donated by the Monsanto company to eastern areas hit by recent flooding and that the entire territory of Croatia was free of GMO seeds. The ministry gave this statement following media reports in connection with GMO seeds donation from Monsanto to the flood-ravaged areas,

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