News
2013-02-18 | permalink
GM coton oil on the milkbar menu in Australia
The next time you head into town for the family treat of fish and chips, ask your fryer what oil they’re using. Chances are it’s cottonseed oil. My local milkbar has just switched to it. It’s cheaper than what they were using and has a higher burning point which means less smell. If it’s cottonseed oil produced in Australia, it’s more than likely to be genetically modified because most cotton seed produced in Australia is genetically modified. Genetically modified cotton has been a boon for farmers: it contains genes from a bacteria that produces a protein that kills caterpillars when they eat it. Some cotton varieties now also contain genes that make the cotton tolerant to herbicides such as glyphosate.
2013-02-18 | permalink
Washington (USA) Senate action on GMO initiative said unlikely
A hearing before the Agriculture, Water and Rural Economic Development Committee is likely as far as the GMO labeling initiative will get in the state Senate. “I don’t think there’s four votes,” the number that would be needed to get the initiative out of committee, chairman Brian Hatfield, D-Raymond, said. mandate labeling most foods that have genetically modified ingredients, will also be heard in the House ag committee. The tentative date is March 6.
Capital Press, USA: Senate action on GMO initiative said unlikely- The Seattle Times, USA: Be skeptical of Initiative 522 on GMO labeling
- The Seattle Times, USA: Initiative to require labels on GMO foods debated
- Yakima Herald-Republic, USA: Both sides of labeling debate appear at Senate hearing regarding I-522
- EurekAlert, USA: Food science expert: Genetically modified crops are overregulated
- Capital Press, USA: Label initiative reaches Senate
2013-02-15 | permalink
As Indian Bt cotton acreage stagnates, seed firms eye food crops in big way
Stagnating acreage is prompting Bt cotton seed makers to diversify into food crops such as hybrid rice, corn and vegetables, where they see a big market potential. Companies such as Nuziveedu Seeds Ltd and Rasi Seeds (Pvt) Ltd, which currently earn a major share of their revenues from Bt cotton seeds, are aggressively charting plans to scale up exposure to food crops. The Rs 500-crore firm [...] plans to scale up its breeding programme to introduce more hybrids. Rasi Seeds has partnered with Israeli firm, Evogene Ltd, to develop yield-enhancing and drought-tolerant rice varieties.
2013-02-13 | permalink
European Commission amending honey law to hide GM pollen
Tomorrow EU Member States will discuss the Commission’s proposal to amend the Honey Directive in what is widely believed to be an attempt to circumvent the European Court of Justice and hide the presence of GM pollen from consumers. The discussion, which will take place at the Council of Europe’s Working Party on Foodstuffs, is the latest development in the long story of GM pollen in honey. In September 2011 the ECJ ruled that pollen is an ingredient of honey and that honey containing GM pollen must follow GM regulations, meaning it cannot be sold without full food authorisation and GM labels.
2013-02-12 | permalink
About 150 Indian scientists raise concerns about GM crops in a letter to the environment minister
More than 150 scientists have written a letter to the environment minister, Jayanthi Natarajan on Saturday raising concerns about genetically modified crops. Their primary concern is that Ministry of Agriculture is allegedly making a case for GM crops by stating that the technology is ‘absolutely needed’ for India’s food security. They referred to a recent affidavit filed by the ministry of agriculture in the Supreme Court claiming that nation’s food security will be jeopardized without GM crops. “It also argues that open-air field trials of GMOs are absolutely essential for this.” The scientists in their letter said that there are “many serious scientific and policy fallacies” in the argument made by the Ministry of Agriculture.
