News
2013-06-14 | permalink
Monsanto loses in Brazilian Supreme Court over illegally collected royalties for GM soy seeds
The Supreme Court of Justice (STJ) ruled on Thursday 16 May that Monsanto’s claim to extend the life of the patent on GM soybeans was illegal. In a unanimous ruling, the four judges of the Third Instance reaffirmed the initial decision of Judge Ricardo Cueva Villas Boas, who ruled that the 20-year patent, registered on August 31, 1990, had expired. The appeal brought by Monsanto against Judge Cueva’s decision had aimed to invalidate Brazilian legislation on patents. The president of Famato, Rui Prado, said the decision of the Supreme Court reinforces what the soy producers have been fighting for since last year - for the judicial system to recognize that the patent had expired.
2013-06-13 | permalink
Paraguay commercially releases Bt-RR cotton seeds
Paraguay has commercially released transgenic cotton Bollgard tolerant – Round up Ready (Bt-RR), the Producers’ Guild has announced. [...] Its commercial sale was approved by Paraguayan Government last year, but was subject to various tests before it was to be finally released. The Producers’ Guild said all the regulatory processes have been met for making Bt-RR cotton seeds available to farmers for the cotton sowing season 2013-14, EntornoInteligente.com reported. According to the Cotton Chamber of Paraguay (CADELPA or Camara Algodonera del Paraguay), more than half of cotton sown in the country during last season was transgenic cotton.
2013-06-12 | permalink
Scientists say new study shows pig health hurt by GMO feed
Pigs fed a diet of only genetically modified grain showed markedly higher stomach inflammation than pigs who dined on conventional feed, according to a new study by a team of Australian scientists and U.S. researchers. The study adds to an intensifying public debate over the impact of genetically modified crops, which are widely used by U.S. and Latin American farmers and in many other countries around the world. The study was published in the June issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of Organic Systems by researchers from Australia who worked with two veterinarians and a farmer in Iowa to study the U.S. pigs.
Thomson Reuters, USA: Scientists say new study shows pig health hurt by GMO feed- Chicago Tribune, USA: Pigs fed GM grain suffer health problems, study says
- GMO Judy Carman, USA: Evidence of GMO harm in pig study
- Consumers Union, USA: Consumers Union statement on new long term study of feeding GE grains to pigs
- Biotechnology Industry Organization, USA (BIO): Statement from Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) on the Carman-Vlieger “pig” study
2013-06-11 | permalink
EU states deadlocked on food and feed approval for SmartStax GE maize
European Union governments failed to agree on Monday whether to approve three genetically modified maize varieties for use in food and feed, the European Commission said. [...] If the appeal committee is also unable to reach agreement, the Commission will be free to grant EU marketing approval. Two of the applications are for maize varieties containing multiple or “stacked” gene traits, designed to protect the growing plants from multiple insect pests and make them herbicide-tolerant. Both products were developed jointly by Monsanto Co and Dow Chemical Co.
2013-06-11 | permalink
Five of 13 major pests became resistant to Bt crops until 2011
More pest species are becoming resistant to the most popular type of genetically-modified, insect-repellent crops, but not in areas where farmers follow expert advice, a study said on Monday. [...] Of 13 major pest species examined, five were resistant by 2011, compared with only one in 2005, they found. The benchmark was resistance among more than 50 percent of insects in a location. Of the five species, three were cotton pests and two were corn pests. Three of the five cases of resistance were in the United States, which accounts for roughly half of Bt crop plantings, while the others were in South Africa and India.
