The National Trust, caring for over 248,000 hectares of beautiful countryside in Great Britain, 600 miles of coastline and 200 buildings and gardens of outstanding interest and importance has adopted a decision not to allow the growing of any GMOs on its land. The Trust will prevent any GM crops from being grown on Trust land by employees of the Trust and including a clause in all farm tenancy agreements, preventing the growing of GM crops by tenants.</p><p><a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/nationaltrust/agm/2003/index.html">National Trust AGM 2003</a>

Senior figures from the worlds of politics, science and food will meet in Brussels on 4-5 December for an EU sponsored conference on risk perception. Keynote speakers include Spain's Minister for Agriculture Miguel Arias Cañete, Germany's Minister for Agriculture, Renate KÃ_nast and the European Commissioner for Consumer Protection, David Byrne.The event incorporates a stakeholder forum on risk perception of genetically modified food.<a href="http://europa.eu.int/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_action.gettxt=gt&doc=IP/03/1620-0-RAPID&lg=EN&display=">Commission Press Room</a>

Britain`s top adviser is unable to provide clear guidelines for the use of GMOs in the UK. The Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission disagreed on key questions but agreed that tough measures would be needed to prevent contamination.</p><p><a href="http://www.aebc.gov.uk/aebc/coexistence_liability.shtml">Press release and Report of the AEBC</a></p><p><a href="http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=3889824">Reuters</a></p><p><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3236266.stm">BBC</a></p><p><a href="http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1069493500304">Financial Times</a></p><p><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardianpolitics/story/0,3605,1093153,00.html">The Guardian</a>

The planting of GE corn, soybeans and cotton in the United States since 1996 has increased pesticide useby about 50 million pounds, according to a report by the Northwest Science and Environmental Policy Center.The first comprehensive study of the impacts of all major commercial GE crops on pesticide use in the US over the first eight years shows reductions between 96 and 98 and a steep increase over the last 3 years. Especially herbicide tolerant plants account for that increase.</p><p><a href="http://www.biotech-info.net/Technical_Paper_6.pdf">full study (46 pages)</a></p><p><a href="http://www.biotech-info.net/technicalpaper6.html">short description</a>

An open letter to Mexican government authorities and intergovernmental bodies was sent by 302 organizations from 56 countries, demanding actions to stop contamination of farmers' maize with DNA from genetically modified (GM) maize, and to prevent any further contamination in the world`s centers of crop diversity and origin.</p><p><a href="http://www.etcgroup.org/article.asp?newsid=417">etc group: open letter and information</a>

With the publication of the EUs Regulation (EC) No 1946/2003 on transboundary movements of genetically modified organisms the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety becomes law within the EU on November 25th. The new rules lay down strict labeling and consent rules for GMOs exported from the EU. The Regulation provides that the export of GMO material from the EU is only possible forauthorized GMOs and with the explicit permission of the importing country. Exporters must comply with the importing countries legislation in this area, even if it goes beyond the requirements of the Cartagena Protocol and that the precautionary principle must be respected.</p><p><a href="http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/archive/2003/l_28720031105en.html">Regulation in Official Journal of the EU</a></p><p><a href="http://www.fas.usda.gov/gainfiles/200311/145986790.pdf">Excerpts of the key provision of the regulation, USDA report</a>

After a contentious debate, the European Union has put off decision that would allow Syngentas genetically modified sweetcorn Bt11 for human and animal consumption. It would have been the first GMO to be be approved since 1998. "A fierce discussion took place today," said the Commission spokesman, who briefed reporters about the debate that took place in an EU specialist committee.</p><p><a href="http://www.dw-world.de/english/0,3367,1430_A_1026559_1_A,00.html">EU Postpones Decision on Allowing GM Foods Deutsche Welle 10.11.2003</a></p><p><a href="http://www.saveourseeds.org/downloads/reuters_10_11_03.pdf">Reuters</a></p><p><a href="http://www.foodnavigator.com/news/news.asp?id=8733">Background, Food Navigator - GMO authorisations the state of play</a></p><p><a href="http://www.saveourseeds.org/downloads/eu_approval_scheme.pdf">Background: EU GMO approval scheme</a>

Representatives of the EU 15 member states meet on Monday 10th November to discuss whether to approve a genetically modified (GM) sweetcorn variety (Syngentas Bt11, for consumption only), despite continued consumer scepticism about the controversial technology.If they vote 'yes' for the first time in five years, the EU`s unofficial blockade on new GM imports would formally end.</p><p><a href="http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=3776104">Reuters EU prepares for test vote on five-year GMO ban</a></p><p><a href="http://www.saveourseeds.org/downloads/gp_bt11_oct_2003.pdf">Greenpeace technical dossier on Bt 11</a></p><p><a href="http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/environment/story.jsp?story=461997">Independent: Britain to vote for Bt11 approval</a>

GM canola plants were discovered in a conventional wheat crop near Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia.NSW Agriculture investigators are deciding whether to destroy a trial being run by Bayer CropScience after the flowering plants were found in a buffer zone containing the wheat. Leaked departmental documents show attempts to control the escaped canola with pesticides were unsuccessful and trial workers had to try to remove the plants by hand.</p><p><a href="http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/11/06/1068013332179.html">Call for more safeguards as GM canola crop found in wheat - www.smh.com.au</a>

The European Union`s unofficial five-year ban on most GM products is facing a key challenge with an upcoming test vote on authorising imports of genetically modified sweet corn, documents showed on Tuesday.</p><p><a href="http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=3749714">Reuters</a>