The decision by Monsanto to shelve the launch of its genetically modified (GMO) wheat may been applauded by green groups, but Europe`s feed producers say they have little choice but to use GMO ingredients because non-biotech supplies are running out fast.</p><p><a href="http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=5122298">Reuters</a>

Friends of the Earth Europe today warned the European Commission that they will face increased public hostility if they force through the approval of a genetically modified (GM) sweet corn on Wednesday. Senior European bureaucrats are meeting on Monday to agree the Commissions position.</p><p><a href="http://www.foeeurope.org/press/2004/AB_14_may_GM_food_import.htm">FoE Europe - Press Release</a>

While a draft Commission proposal on seed thresholds has surfaced in Brussels, with a range of 0.3 to 0.5 percent for permitted GMO presence in conventional and organic seeds, it is far from clear that the EU executive itself is totally agreed."On seeds, there will certainly be a discussion within the next couple of weeks. There are different views on this," said EU Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner David Byrne.</p><p><a href="http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=5107711">Reuters</a>

"As a result of our dialogue with wheat industry leaders, we recognize the business opportunities with Roundup Ready spring wheat are less attractive", said Carl Casale, executive vice president of Monsanto, announcing "the company is deferring all further efforts to introduce Roundup Ready wheat". He claimed that "consumer concerns were not part of the equation."<a href="http://www.agriculture.com/default.sph/AgNews.class?FNC=goDetail__ANewsindex_html___51738___1">@griculture Online: Monsanto backs away from Roundup Ready wheat</a></p><p><a href="http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,63403,00.html?tw=wn_1bizhead">wired: Monsanto backs off bio-wheat</a></p><p><a href="http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/business/stories.nsf/0/026799FDCA95899586256E9000596926?OpenDocument&Headline=Monsanto+puts+plans+for+biotech+wheat+on+hold">Associated Press: Monsanto puts plans for biotech wheat on hold</a></p><p><a href="http://www.monsanto.com/monsanto/layout/media/04/05-10-04.asp">Monsanto: press release</a></p><p><a href="http://weblog.greenpeace.org/ge/archives/001296.html#001296">Greenpeace: "victory" and background</a>

Monsantos Bt-maize Mon 810 is being planted on 300 ha at different sites in Germany as the result of massive industry efforts and a generous offer of one of its poorest states to cover all liabilities. The experiment is not well received in the public.</p><p><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/gmdebate/Story/0,2763,1211329,00.html">The Guardian: Secret German GM crop trials revealed</a>

Agriculture ministers of the current and future EU states, including the new Slovenian Agriculture Minister Milan Pogacnik, finished their meeting on Monday, 26 April without reaching an agreement on new, stricter regulations for the transport of livestock, nor on the selling of the genetically modified sweet corn in Europe.</p><p><a href="http://www.gzs.si/eng/news/sbw/head.asp?idc=15874">Slovene Press Agency STA / Slovenia Business Week</a>

At a press conference of the "Save our Seeds" initiative in Brussels, representatives of farmer, environmental and consumer organisations condemned the EU Commissions new draft proposal for a GMO-Seed-Directive. They will hand over 200.000 signatures for clean seeds this afternoon to Commissioner Margot Wallström.</p><p><a href="http://www.saveourseeds.org/de/frame.php?page=press_may3_data">Save Our Seeds: Press release and background</a>

In the EUs Standing Committee on the Food Chain on Friday there were 8 states in favour 5 against and 2 abstentions - not enough for an approval.</p><p><a href="http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/24970/story.htm">Planet Ark : EU states again reveal rifts over lifting GMO ban</a></p><p><a href="http://www.genet-info.org/genet/2004/May/msg00087.html">Translation of assessment of french Food safety authority</a>

The Spanish food safety authority has withdrawn the approval for planting Sygentas GMO maize Bt176 as of 2005 because the GM maize contains an antibiotic resistance gene. Spain is at present the only country in the EU to grow GMOs, most of the 20.000 ha there are presently covered with Bt176. Monsantos Mon 810 however is still approved.</p><p><a href="http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000085&sid=aTHzBgQCkUvs&refer=europe">Bloomberg: Spain to ban GM crop</a></p><p><a href="http://www.aesa.msc.es/aesa/web/AesaPageServer?idpage=56&idcontent=5323">La EFSA apuesta por una evaluación rigurosa de la resistencia a antibióticos en los OGM</a>

The European Union moved one step closer to ending a controversial six-year ban on the approval of new genetically modified crops yesterday, after farm ministers left a key decision to the European Commission.The Commission has already said it will "most likely" approve the sale of a crop, a new maize variety known as BT-11, which is produced by Syngenta of Switzerland. It expected to grant approval for the Bt-11 maize in the next two months.</p><p><a href="http://www.nzz.ch/2004/04/27/english/page-synd4895777.html"> NZZ Online: EU set to approve Syngenta GM maize</a></p><p><a href="http://www.newkerala.com/news-daily/news/features.php?action=fullnews&showcomments=1&id=13906"> newkerala.com: EU likely to give green light to GM products</a></p><p><a href="http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1079420630732"> Financial Times online:EU closer to lifting ban on GM crops</a>