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Feedback needed urgently on Terminator seeds
15 Sep 2005
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The United Nations is looking for input from local communities, farmers, indigenous peoples and other stakeholders on the future use of Terminator and other GE sterile plants.
Known as GURTS (Genetic Use Restriction Technology), these plants are genetically engineered to make their seeds sterile, stopping farmers saving seed.
Right now there is a de facto moratorium on them, but several countries (including New Zealand) are pushing for this to change.
Comments from around the world will be collected by the UN Convention for Biodiversity, and used to inform delegates at crucial meetings on GURTS in 2006.
Concerns around GURTS include:
- impacts on traditional seed-saving practices
- possible escape of Terminator genes through gene-flow or out-crossing, resulting in crop losses
You can send your views to the Hamdallah Zedan at the UN CBD by September 30th
Email: secretariat@biodiv.org
Fax: (001) 514 288 6588
Include the reference: "Ref: SCBD/STTM/DCO/va/48601 "Advice on the report of the Ad HocTechnical Expert Group on Genetic Use Restriction Technologies"
Click here for a list of questions you may like to answer
Click here for more info on Terminator and GURTS
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