News
2014-06-05 | permalink
EU: Environment ministers will vote on how countries could ban the cultivation of GM crops
Thursday 12 June 2014: Environment Council
The Council is expected to reach political agreement on the proposal for a regulation amending
directive 2001/18/EC as regards the possibility for member states to restrict or prohibit the
cultivation, in all or part of their territory, of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) that have
been authorized at EU level.
The Commission presented its GMO cultivation proposal (12371/10 + ADD 1) in July 2010 with the
aim of providing a legal basis to allow member states to restrict or prohibit the cultivation of GMOs
in their territory on grounds other than health and environment considerations, which had already
been addressed during the EU authorization process for GMOs. The proposal has been examined
under several presidencies since then and following the exchange of views at the Environment
Council of March 2014, member states showed willingness to re-open discussions on the proposal, on the basis of the Presidency compromise text.
Thursday 12 June 2014: Environment Council - Overview of the agenda
GM Freeze | Contamination Matters: Why GM crops can’t be managed at a national level- GM Crops for Europe – The Deal Nobody Wants | Food and Water Watch
- GMO-free EU under threat - Misleading proposal from Greek Presidency agreed in Coreper | GMOfreeEU
- Monsanto to be given right in decisions to ban GMOs | Friends of the Earth Europe
- Worrying reports on deal between EU countries on new law on genetically modified crops | Greenpeace EU Unit
- FAO study: Cases of GMO contamination rise | EurActiv
2014-06-04 | permalink
Non-GMO category may need to tell its story better
BELLEVUE, WASH. — Sales of food and beverage products with non-bioengineered ingredients might be increasing, but companies promoting them could explain the category better. Consumers may wish to know why they are buying the products and how they can be sure the products are free of bioengineered ingredients, also called genetically modified organisms, according to The Hartman Group, which is based in Bellevue and provides consultation on consumer trends and culture. “Non-G.M.O.” labeling on retail products is inconsistent and confusing, according to The Hartman Group. “Because the federal government does not regulate non-G.M.O. labels, it is essentially a voluntary process with all the unevenness one would expect from such an effort,” The Hartman Group said in the June 3 issue of its hartbeat newsletter.
- Non GMO category may need to tell its story better | Food Business News
- GMO Labeling: Confusion at the Shelf
- Keys to Achieving Non-GMO Verification
- More people shop for 'non-GMO' than 'organic' | New Hope 360
- GMO confusion and how food companies can help
- What is Non-GMO? What are genetically modified foods?
2014-06-03 | permalink
Africa: GMO contamination, detection, Non-GMO import
The African Centre for Biosafety (ACB) released a new report ‘GM Contamination, Cartels and Collusion in South Africa’s Bread Industry.’ The report shows that the white bread tested contains high levels of Monsanto’s genetically modified (GM) soya in the soya flour used in the bread and that most companies are unashamedly flouting GM labelling laws and undermining the consumer’s right to know. The nation consumes about 2.8 billion loaves of bread a year, handing over more than R28 billion of their hard-earned cash to a cartel comprising Tiger Brands, Premier Foods, Pioneer Foods and Foodcorp, that controls the wheat-to-bread value chain. Roughly a quarter of South Africans live below the bread line and price fluctuations in bread – our second most important staple food after maize – has hit the poor the hardest.
- Below the belt, below the breadline – South Africa’s inequitable and GM contaminated bread industry
- allAfrica.com: North Africa: Arab Countries Need Better GMO Detection Systems
- Coastweek: Kenya set to import 3 million bags of maize to boost stock
- South African Biosafety Clearing House
- Status of Crop Biotechnology in Africa
2014-06-02 | permalink
Genetically engineered maize 1507: EFSA cannot invalidate criticism Testbiotech demands EU authorisation is stopped
In a letter to the EU Commission, Testbiotech is once more asking for the market authorisation of genetically engineered maize 1507 to be stopped. The reason for this letter is a statement received from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concerning two Testbiotech reports. In its statement, EFSA fails to invalidate the crucial points raised by Testbiotech. The authority defends its own risk assessment but cannot disprove the substantial lack of relevant and sufficiently reliable data.
“After analysing the EFSA statement it is evident that the existing data are not sufficient to exclude risks for human health and the environment. On the contrary, some of the knowledge gaps are becoming even more evident”, Christoph Then says for Testbiotech. “Commissioner Tonio Borg now has to show that he is able to provide the high level of safety standards requested by EU regulations.”
- Genetically engineered maize 1507: EFSA cannot invalidate criticism | testbiotech
- EU member states back compromise to allow GM crops-diplomats| Reuters
- French ban on GMO maize cultivation gets final approval
- Record number of EU countries opposes Commission plan to allow pesticide-producing GM maize | Greenpeace EU Unit
- European Commission broke law to force GM crops into Europe | Friends of the Earth Europe
2014-05-31 | permalink
Clean Food Movement calls on PM to declare Malta a GMO free zone
The Clean Food Movement, which is made up of 21 NGOs, today requested that Prime Minister Joseph Muscat declare Malta a GMO free zone.
The Movement is also requesting the newly elected MEPs to encourage the rest of the European Parliament to do the same in Europe.
During a protest held in Valletta, the Clean Food Movement said that to this very day, Malta lacks an accredited laboratory to carry out tests on food for chemical residues and GMOs that can be presented as evidence in Court.
