Save our Seeds

Over 250 people from across Europe attended a conference in Brussels to hear regional Ministers and MEP`s call for a bigger say in whether GM crops are grown commercially in their region. The number of European regions and provinces now declaring themselves "GM Free zones", or publicly wishing to restrict GM crops, has climbed to 162. Over 4500 local governments and smaller areas in Europe are similarly calling for restrictions to commercial growing. Participants endorsed ten principles on future GMO planting.</p><p><a href="http://www.foeeurope.org/press/2005/joint_17_May_gmo_free_zones.htm">FOE/AER: Press Release</a></p><p><a href="http://www.foeeurope.org/press/2005/10_principles_EN.pdf">Ten principles</a>

The Codex Committee on food labelling failed to agree on guidelines for GMO labelling in food at its meeting in Kota Kinabulu, Malaysia, 9-12 May. Negotiations stalled because of controversial positions of GM exporters and other countries. The "Codex Alimentarius" of FAO and WHO is a global standard setting body for food safety and labelling issues with high WTO relevance.<p><a href="http://www.foodnavigator.com/news/news-ng.asp?n=60053-talks-on-gm">Foodnavigator: Talks on GM labels stalled at Codex meeting</a></p><p><a href="http://www.consumersinternational.org/documents_asp/ViewACategory_levelBelowOnly.asp?regid=135&langID=1&CategoryID=974">Consumers International: Consumer organisations worldwide want to see labels on all GM food - full background and daily updates from Malaysia</a>

The U.S. Department of Agriculture today issued two reports on agricultural GMOs that cover the evolving world requirements for the traceability and labeling (Biosafety Protocol and Codex Alimentarius) and predicting the use of GM products in the future.</p><p><a href="http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usdahome?contentidonly=true&contentid=event_15.xml">USDA Issues Two Biotechnology Reports, May 9, 2005, Washington, DC Event</a>

In a letter to the three US agencies involved the Centre for Food Safety and Friends of the Earth USA heavily criticise official ascertions that the illegal GM maize strain of Syngenta was safe and demand immediate action to recall seed and produce containing bt10 from the US market.</p><p><a href="http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/press_release5.11.2005.cfm">Centre for Food Safety: Government Must Come Clean on Secret Dealings with Crop Developer</a>

The EU member states standing committee on seeds will discuss on May 18th national bans of GM varieties of Mon810 maize of Monsanto, enacted under the seed variety legislation in Poland and Greece. The Commission is expected to propose a rejection of these bans.</p><p><a href="http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/rc/scsp/index_en.html">Standing Committee on Seeds and Propagating Material of Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry (SCSP)</a></p><p><a href="http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/rc/scsp/agenda/agenda32_en.pdf">agenda32_en.pdf (application/pdf Object)</a>

Brazil Supreme Court ruled last week that a Paraná state law banning the planting and sale of genetically modified organisms was illegal and the state had the obligation to allow GMOs through the port of Paranagua, a main trade point for soybeans in Brazil. The Paraná government issued the ban last year claiming the port doesn't have the facilities to segregate GMO and non-GMO produce.</p><p><a href="http://www.asasoya.org/News/Weekly/Soy050905.htm">American Soybean Association</a>

Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) disallowed commercial cultivation of three varieties of Mahyco-Monsanto's genetically engineered Bt cotton hybrids in Andhra Pradesh, receiving adverse reports about its performance in the last three years.</p><p><a href="http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=89912">GEAC rejects 3 varieties of Monsanto Bt cotton in AP</a></p><p><a href="http://www.keralanext.com/news/index.asp?id=200755&pg=1">Keralanext: NGOs hail ban on Monsanto seeds</a>

The Soil Association has accused the Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission (AEBC), a government-backed advisory body, of being overly influenced by heavyweight biotechnology companies in supporting more tax payer funded research into GMOs.100 million £ of public funds are spent annually on agricultural biotechnology research in the UK against only about £2m into organic farming, in spite of sales now topping £1 billion a year.</p><p><a href="http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/business.cfm?id=448022005">The Scotsman</a></p><p><a href="http://www.aebc.gov.uk/aebc/reports/research_agendas_final_report.pdf">AEBC Report (pdf)</a>

A recently published poll, conducted by a market research organisation at the behest of the European Commission shows that European citizens clearly state they lack information on relatively new environmental issues such as the use of genetically modified organims in farming.</p><p><a href="http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/30642/story.htm">Reuters: Europeans Say Ignorant About GMO Foods, Crops - Poll</a>

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have published statements on the safety of genetically engineered Bt 10 corn in food and feed, which don't comply with EU safety assessment standards. Farmers are confident that gluten exports will not be affected, especially as tests for the illegal GM corp are conducted per vessel (20 - 40.000 t) only.</p><p><a href="http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/%7Elrd/biobt10.html">U.S. Food and Drug Administration`s Statement on Bt 10</a></p><p><a href="http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/biopesticides/pips/bt10_statement.htm">US EPA statement on Bt10</a></p><p><a href="http://farmweek.ilfb.org/viewdocument.asp?did=7916&drvid=102&r=0.5373957">Farm weekly: Gluten demand is on our side</a>