News

2014-05-29 | permalink

USA: Loophole to Avoid Regulation of Genetically Modified Grass

The biotechnology industry has found another use for pesticide-resistant gene technology by putting it in grass seeds, and in the process, completely avoided federal regulation of this new genetically engineered (GE) product.

2014-05-29 | permalink

Hawaii: Maui GMO-free initiative gets more signatures

WAILUKU » Activists have handed in more than 9,000 additional signatures to the Maui County Clerk's office in support of a moratorium on growing or testing genetically modified foods. The new signature submission comes after more than half of the signatures the group turned in last month were found to be invalid. The citizens' initiative must have valid signatures of 8,465 registered Maui County voters to appear on the Nov. 4 general election ballot. Sustainable Hawaiian Agriculture for the Keiki and the Aina Movement earlier gathered 4,720 valid signatures, The Maui News reported. The initiative needs another 3,745 to go forward this year. The initiative seeks to ban genetically modified organisms in Maui County.

2014-05-28 | permalink

Greenpeace press release: Worrying reports on deal between EU countries on new law on genetically modified crops

Brussels – Responding to reports that most member states endorsed today a Greek presidency proposal on how countries could ban the cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops in their territory, Greenpeace warns that this deal is riddled with legal holes.
Most importantly, it does not address health and environmental risks posed by GM crops. Moreover, biotech companies would be given an official role in the banning process, further increasing their influence over the European Commission and national governments.

Greenpeace EU agriculture policy director Marco Contiero said: “It looks like EU countries are falling for a Trojan horse. What the European Commission wanted to achieve through this draft law is to speed up EU approvals of GM crops -despite the fact that the European public is opposed to them. Today’s deal would do very little to help those countries who want to say ‘no’ to GM.”

2014-05-28 | permalink

Australia: Organic farmer loses court case over alleged GMO contamination

Farmer had claimed that genetically modified canola had drifted onto his property, losing him his certification.

A farmer growing organic canola in western Australian lost his bid to claim damages from a neighbor after genetically modified (GMO) canola seed heads blew on to his property, causing him to lose his licence as an organic grower. The Supreme Court of Western Australia ruled on Wednesday against organic farmer Steve Marsh, who sued his former friend Michael Baxter after winds carried harvested seed from Baxter's Monsanto Roundup Ready canola crop on to Marsh's farm.

2014-05-27 | permalink

FoEE press release - Biotech companies set to be given legal right in decisions to ban GM crops

Brussels, May 27, 2014 – A new GM law being discussed in Brussels this week could grant biotech companies, like Monsanto and Syngenta, unprecedented power over decisions on whether to ban genetically modified (GM) crops in Europe, according to Friends of the Earth Europe.

The new law is being promoted as a way to give governments more sovereignty over decisions on whether to ban GM crops. However, the current proposals give biotech companies the legal right to decide whether a ban should be allowed. If companies refuse, governments are forced to fall back on vague, non-scientific legal grounds upon which to ban GM crops, opening the door to legal challenges.