Save our Seeds

Australia's Office of Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) has approved a genetically modified canola variety forcommercial use as the first GM crop for food (so far only flowers and cotton) in the country. .The decision is out of step with deep caution among state governments on the controversial issue. Most have announced moratoriums on the planting of GM food crops.</p><p><a href="http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/07/19/1058545628968.html">The Sydney Morning Herald</a></p><p><a href="http://www.fas.usda.gov/gainfiles/200307/145985635.pdf">USDA report on the situation in Australia</a>

EU Agricultural Commissioner Franz Fischler published guidelines for the development of strategies and best practices to ensure the co-existence of genetically modified (GM) crops with conventional and organic farming. They are intended to help Member States to develop workable measures for co-existence in conformity with EU legislation. "Measures should be efficient and cost-effective, without going beyond what is necessary to comply with EU threshold levels for GMO labelling," the Commission states. Member States and organisations criticised the Commissions approach to impose GMO planting while leaving the question how to cope with the consequences to the member states. Ag ministers will discuss the guidelines and approach in September.<a href="http://www.zs-l.de/gmo/downloads/guidelines_en.pdf">Commissions co-existence guidelines</a><br><a href="http://www.zs-l.de/gmo/downloads/gp_eeb_foe_guidelines_230703.pdf">Greenpeace, FOE, EEB press release</a><br><a href="http://www.zs-l.de/gmo/downloads/zsl_guidelines_22_07_03.pdf">assessment of the foundation on future farming, zs-l</a><b>Koexistenz-Leitlinien der EU Kommission unter Beschuss</b><a href="http://www.zs-l.de/gmo/downloads/guidelines_de.pdf">Leitlinien der Kommission auf Deutsch</a><br><a href="http://www.verbraucherministerium.de/presse-woche-2003/PM-184-2003.htm">Presseerklärung Ministerin Künast</a><br><a href="http://www.neue-oz.de/information/noz_print/interviews/sonnleitner.html">Sonnleitner befÃ_rchtet Klagewelle</a><br><a href="http://www.tagesschau.de/aktuell/meldungen/0,1185,OID2083326_TYP6_THE_NAVSPM11172_REF2,00.html">tagesschau.de : Gentechnik: Sonnleitner und BUND kritisieren EU-Leitlinie</a><br><a href="http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/0,1518,258535,00.html">SPIEGEL ONLINE: EU-Vorhaben: Gen-Saat neben Bio-Acker</a><br><a href="http://www.zs-l.de/gmo/downloads/guidelines_presse_d.pdf">Deutsche Presse Zusammenfassung</a><br><a href="http://europa.eu.int/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_action.getfile=gf&doc=IP/03/1096-0-RAPID&lg=DE&type=PDF">Presseerkärung der Kommission auf Deutsch</a><br><a href="http://www.zs-l.de/gmo/downloads/guidelines_Fischler.pdf">Presse-Statement von Kommissar Fischler</a><br><a href="http://www.zs-l.de/gmo/downloads/graefe_guidelines_230703.pdf">Presseerklärung der Grünen im Europaparlament</a><br><a href="http://www.fr-aktuell.de/ressorts/wirtschaft_und_boerse/wirtschaft/?sid=d6df156c40fa80120630fa3fa6e2f6d0&cnt=259049">FR Kommentar: Dreiklassenlandwirtschaft</a><br><a href="http://www.bdp-online.de/index.php?ebene1=BDP%20PRESSEMELDUNGEN&ebene2=Pressearchiv&datei=presse_2003_07_14.php">Bund Deutscher Pflanzenzüchter zufrieden, gegen gesetzliche Regelungen</a>

The Council of Agricultural ministers today formally adopted the regulations on labelling and traceability of GMOs. They will now enter into force 20 days after publication.<a href="http://europa.eu.int/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_action.getfile=gf&doc=IP/03/1056§0§RAPID&lg=EN&type=PDF">EU Commission press release</a></p><p><a href="http://www.zs-l.de/gmo/news/2003_07_01_news_archiv.html#105714087100083619">All about the Regulations</a>

The GM Science Review Panel of the UK government today published the results of its review of current scientific knowledge on GM crops and foods.The report by a panel of experts has found no scientific case for ruling out all GM crops and their products, but nor does it give them blanket approval. It emphasises that GM is not a single homogeneous technology and its applications need to be considered on a case-by-case basis. The Panel also emphasised the importance of GM regulation keeping pace with new developments.</p><p><a href="http://www.gmsciencedebate.org.uk/background/pn210703.htm">UK GM Science Review</a>

Fri 18 July 2003, CHINA/GuangzhouIn China, the world`s largest food market, 32 food companies, producing 53 brands have agreed not to sell genetically engineered (GE) food. This is the first time food producers have publicly committed to such a policy in China.</p><p><a href="http://www.greenpeace.org/features/details?item_id=294309">Greenpeace Press release</a>

Anglo-Dutch food group Unilever, the food retailer Co-operative Group, Greenpeace, and the Consumers' Association said they have set up an 'independent GM citizens' jury' in a bid to aid government thinking as it decides whether to allow GM crops to be grown commercially in Britain."<a href="http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=3112205">Reuters</a></p><p><a href="http://www.which.net/media/pr/jul03/general/gmjury.html">Consumer`s association press release</a>

Italy`s Piedmont region on Friday ordered the destruction of 381 hectares of maize fields contaminated with genetically modified seeds (Bt maize Mon 810 of Monsanto). The first fields were destroyed on Monday and Italy`s largest farmer organisation Coldiretti as well as Italian farm minister Alemanno welcomed the decision. However Monsanto and Pioneer Hi-Bred (DuPont) called the farmers and offered financial and legal support against the destruction and announced they would take the decision to court. Meanwhile a criminal investigation against the head of Pioneer Italy started. CIA another farmers organisation asked their members not to oppose the destruction.</p><p><a href="http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L11478528.htm">Reuters AlertNet - Italian region orders GMO maize fields destroyed</a></p><p><a href="http://www.iii.co.uk/shares/?type=news&articleid=4696158&action=article">Monsanto, Pioneer urge Italian farmers to fight GM crop cull</a></p><p><a href="http://www.forbes.com/technology/newswire/2003/07/15/rtr1025347.html">Pioneer contests Italy order to destroy gene maize</a></p><p><a href="http://www.agi.it/english/news.pl?doc=200307121635-0086-RT1-POL-0-NF82,NF30&page=0&id=agionline-eng.italyonline">Minister supports Piedmont decision</a></p><p><a href="http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20030715/hl_afp/italy_biotech_maize_030715184100">Monsanto Italy chief defends GMOs found in crops as "accidental"</a></p><p><a href="http://reuters.com/financeNewsArticle.jhtml?type=governmentFilingsNews&storyID=3106529">UPDATE 17.7.03: Court rejects Pioneers bid to prevent GM maize destruction</a>

The Commission, the European Union`s executive arm, said it was taking 11 out of 15 governments to court as they had not implemented the main new EU rules on approving GMO crops that should have been in place last October.The "deliberate release" directive was passed by EU states and the European Parliament in 2001 after years of debate on how best to test and monitor GMOs to allay consumer fears about the hi-tech foods' potential risks to health and the environment.But the Commission said all EU states except Britain, Sweden, Denmark and Portugal had failed to put the new legislation into their national law and was taking them to the European Court of Justice to pressure them to do so.</p><p><a href="http://asia.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=scienceNews&storyID=3093180">Reuters</a>

Colorado State University researchers say wind-blown corn pollen can pollinate corn plants up to 600 feet (>180 meters) away, raising questions about the size of the buffer zones needed to isolate genetically modified crops.In February, Boulder County commissioners voted to allow farmers to grow genetically modified corn on county open space.But commissioners said that neighboring growers of conventional crops could demand a 150-foot (45 meters) buffer zone around the genetically modified varieties.</p><p><a href="http://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_2110127,00.html">Rocky Mountain News: CSU study pops theory on bio-corn buffer zones</a>

Chiefs of the country`s largest food stores - Tesco, Sainsbury, Safeway and Asda were invited to express their opinions as part of the government-sponsored national debate on whether the gene-spliced crops are commercially viable.A spokesman for Britain`s largest supermarket, Tesco , said it would only stock GM foods if consumers demanded them.'We removed all traces of GM ingredients from our own-brand products after consulting with our customers, and that`s unlikely to change unless they tell us different,' he added."<a href="http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=3097908">Reuters</a>