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NEWSLETTERS
09 Nov 2005
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THE GE INFORMATION BULLETIN
An independent digest of widely-sourced information relevant
to the GE debate
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No. 39 November 2005 (short-form edition)
http://www.geinfo.org.nz/112005/bulletin39.html
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IN THIS ISSUE:
> Rural NZ Supports GM-free Production
> One-fifth Of Human Genes Patented
> Aus: New GM Contamination Confirmed
> Harvesters Unhappy GM Protocols Not Established
> GE Organisms Out Of Control In Romania
> Disappointing Biotech
> GM Crop 'Ruins Fields For 15 Years'
> WTO Ruling On EU GMO Laws Delayed
> Peruvian Farmers Move To End Terminator Seeds
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RURAL NZ SUPPORTS GM-FREE PRODUCTION
Rural News, October 26, 2005 (New Zealand)
The most recent poll on public attitudes to GMOs shows rural and urban dwellers equally support the concept that New Zealand should remain a GM Free food producer. Rural responses showed fractionally higher support at 75.5% while urban respondents were marginally lower at 74.1%.
79% New Zealanders would support the current policy of zero tolerance to GM contamination of seed imports. It further found 77% support for zero tolerance to GM contamination of crops in the field.
Full item on GEinfo website
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ONE-FIFTH OF HUMAN GENES PATENTED
National Geographic News, October 13, 2005 (USA)
A new study in the journal Science, shows more than 4,000 genes, or 20 percent of the almost 24,000 human genes have been patented in the United States, primarily by private firms [62%] and universities [28%].
"Gene patents give their owners property rights over gene sequences - for example in a diagnostic test, as a test for the efficacy of a new drug, or in the production of therapeutic proteins."
In cases where there are a lot of patents surrounding one area of research, the scientific costs of gene patents - financial and otherwise - can be extremely high.
Full item on GEinfo website
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AUS: NEW GM CONTAMINATION CONFIRMED
AAP NewsWire, October 26, 2005 (Australia)
The state government is concerned up to 150,000 hectares of the state's canola crop could be affected [by] the latest GE contamination of West Australian crops.
WA Agriculture Minister Kim Chance said "It is either a malicious act, or unbelievable sloppy practice, but either way we will be investigating".
Full item on GEinfo website
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HARVESTERS UNHAPPY GM PROTOCOLS NOT ESTABLISHED
ABC, October 14, 2005 (Australia)
Contract harvesters are angry that protocols acceptable to all parties have not been established for dealing with canola crops contaminated with GM material.
They say with harvest just around the corner, there is no protection against liability claims should they be accused of transporting contaminated material from farm to farm.
Full item on GEinfo website
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GE ORGANISMS OUT OF CONTROL IN ROMANIA
Romanian Daily, October 11, 2005 (Romania)
At a Greenpeace press conference, Monsanto's former Romanian general manager, Dragos Dima, warned that massive illegal cultivation of GE crops threatens farmers and the economy and authorities have totally lost control over GM organisms.
Full item on GEinfo website
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DISAPPOINTING BIOTECH
British Medical Journal;331:895-897, October 15, 2005 (UK)
We assessed the biotech medicines approved by the European Medicine Evaluation Agency from 1995 to 2003.
Summary points:
Only a small proportion are therapeutically innovative.
Most new products were variations on existing drugs.
Evaluation of these substances was not always based on rigorous methodological criteria.
Most are no less toxic than conventional drugs.
[They] are generally more expensive, and this deserves evaluation.
Research News: Full item on GEinfo website
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GM CROP 'RUINS FIELDS FOR 15 YEARS'
The Independent, October 9, 2005 (UK)
GM crops contaminate the countryside for up to 15 years after harvest[ing], new government research shows. The findings cast a cloud over prospects of growing the modified crops in Britain, suggesting that farmers who try them for one season will find fields blighted for a decade and a half.
Full item on GEinfo website
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WTO RULING ON EU GMO LAWS DELAYED
American Soybean Association, October 10, 2005 (USA)
A World Trade Organization dispute panel ruling on the EU's alleged moratorium on market authorizations for new genetically modified products is being put off until after the WTO's Hong Kong ministerial conference in December.
Full item on GEinfo website
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PERUVIAN FARMERS MOVE TO END TERMINATOR SEEDS
Inter Press Service, October 11, 2005 (UN)
Peruvian indigenous leaders are urging the UN to expose the dangers of Terminator technology and uphold the moratorium. They also demand that indigenous people have a say in the process equal to the influence of the agribusiness lobby.
Convention on Biological Diversity officials acknowledged the input from the Peruvian farmers was one of the strongest they have received so far, said Michel Pimbert from the International Institute for Environment and Development.
Full item on GEinfo website
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The items in this Bulletin are excerpts from articles which remain the copyright of the original owners. The material is edited for brevity and published here for educational and public interest use only.
Subscribe to the Bulletin, download a PDF or Word version and read full stories at the GEinfo website.
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