Save our Seeds

In a rare case the company admitted to have paid bribes in Indonesia to win approval for the introduction of its genetically engineered BT cotton variety in Indonesia, in the face of intense opposition from local farmers and activists. Money went to more than 140 individuals according to Reuters.</p><p><a href="http://ifrik.org/index.php?id=52">Ifrik Dossier: "Food. Health. Bribery" full background</a></p><p><a href="http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=7263224">Reuters</a></p><p><a href="http://news.ft.com/cms/s/42d799ac-6019-11d9-bd2f-00000e2511c8.html">Financial Times: Monsanto agrees to $1.5m crop bribe penalty</a></p><p><a href="http://www.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20050110.B02">The Jarkata Post: KPK to investigate Monsanto bribery case</a>

The commission established by the government to monitor ethical and social issues linked to GM crops is to be disbanded after its members insisted that conventional and organic farmers should be protected from contamination by GM crops - and be compensated if safeguards fail.</p><p><a href="http://politics.guardian.co.uk/green/story/0,9061,1380456,00.html">The Guardian</a>

The European Economic and Social Committee (CES) adopted today an own-initiative opinion on coexistence between genetically modified, conventional and organic crops."This opinion covers the impact of coexistence in all it`s economic dimensions. The CES as a representation of the organized civil society in Europe is in favour of the polluter-pays-principle, the principle of precaution and the choice for consumers and farmers in case of deliberate release of GMO," says Bernd Voss, rapporteur for coexistence in the CES.</p><p><a href="http://saveourseeds.org/Download_Centre/04-12-16-berndvoss%20koexistenz%20EN.doc">Press release Bernd Voss,Member of the European Economic and Social Committee</a></p><p><a href="http://saveourseeds.org/Download_Centre/Koexistenz-Opinion.doc">own-initiative opinion on coexistence from the European Economic and Social Committee (CES)</a>

Based on the experts' findings, the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) today called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to immediately ban the field production of corn, soybeans, and other food crops engineered to produce pharmaceutical and industrial chemicals.</p><p><a href="http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release.cfm?newsID=444">UCS News</a></p><p><a href="http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/1216-08.htm">Common Dreams News Centre</a></p><p><a href="http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_environment/biotechnology/page.cfm?pageID=1561">The full report of UCS</a>

A report funded by the Biotech Industry displays the current situation, facts and a global biotech outlook to promote the use of biotechnology.</p><p><a href="http://www.whybiotech.com/index.asp?id=4787">Council for Biotechnology Information: Plant Biotechnology Goes Global</a></p><p><a href="http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/28502/story.htm">Reuters: Half of China Crops May Be Biotech By 2014</a></p><p><a href="http://www.apec.umn.edu/faculty/frunge/globalbiotech04.pdf">The study by Ford Runge as pdf</a>

An in depth analysis and overview on the EU legal situation, the ongoing regulatory fights and the lobbying in the capital of Europe on GMOs.</p><p><a href="http://www.corporateeurope.org/biotechbrussels.html">Corporate Europe Observatory: Power Struggle over Biotech in Brussels</a>

"Moldova doesn't grow genetically modified crops although it has on its market certain items containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs), Angela Lozan, coordinator for the National Biological Security System Development Project has confirmed.</p><p><a href="http://www.azi.md/news?ID=32015">Moldova Azi</a>

"The stakes in Asia`s decision on GM food are enormous: a huge market in seeds and crops, a total restructuring of farming practice, and a test of civil society`s strength in countries where governments routinely dictate agricultural policy," writes John Feffer of the Yale Center for the Study of Globalization.</p><p><a href="http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/display.article?id=4956">Asia Holds the Key to the Future of GM Food</a></p><p><a href="http://www.checkbiotech.org/root/index.cfm?fuseaction=news&doc_id=9214&start=1&control=228&page_start=1&page_nr=101&pg=1">Checkbiotech: China denies planning modified rice sales</a>

The European Food safety authority has issued a guidance document on the safety evaluation of genetically modified organisms with regard to food as well as environmental safety. The document has been criticised especially with regard to the environmental safety concept.</p><p><a href="http://www.foodnavigator.com/news/news-NG.asp?n=56478-efsa-issues-gm">Food Navigator: EFSA issues GM guidance</a></p><p><a href="http://www.efsa.eu.int/science/gmo/gmo_guidance/660_en.html">E F S A European Food Safety Authority</a>

Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Portugal and Estonia -- voted in favour of approving MON 863 maize, while 12 voted against and five abstained.</p><p><a href="http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/28349/story.htm">Reuters</a></p><p><a href="http://www.foodnavigator.com/news/news-NG.asp?id=56438">Foodnavigator: Monsanto GM ingredient rejected</a></p><p><a href="http://www.saveourseeds.org/downloads/results_nov_29.rtf">The results of the voting - 29. November (rtf)</a>