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NEWSLETTERS
05 Apr 2006
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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. 43 April 2006 (short-form edition)
http://www.geinfo.org.nz/042006/bulletin43.html
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IN THIS ISSUE:
> Biosafety Protocol Alive, But Restricted
> GURTs Moratorium Maintained
> Govt Looks At Sterile Seed Technology
> Half A Million Sign Terminator Protest
> Brazil Backs Stronger GMO Export Labeling
> Lawmakers Push Ban On GM Field Testing
> Co. Wants Stockfeed GE Corn Approved For People
> The War Over 'Suicide Seeds'
> Syngenta Fined Over GM Tests In Brazil
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BIOSAFETY PROTOCOL ALIVE, BUT RESTRICTED
IPS, March 18, 2006 (Brazil)
The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety "is alive," celebrated the delegates to the Third Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol (MOP3). The delegates approved a requirement for clear labeling of cross-border shipments containing living modified organisms (LMOs) in products for direct use as food or feed, or for processing.
Full item on GEinfo website
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GURTS MORATORIUM MAINTAINED
Bridges Trade BioRes, Vol. 6 No. 6, April 3, 2006 (Brazil)
At the COP8, many developing countries and civil society groups geared up to fight language that they feared could undermine the current moratorium on GURTS adopted at COP-5.
After relatively short discussions in a 'Friends of the Chair' group, the reference to case-by-case risk assessments was dropped from the final decision.
Language related to GM trees [also] proved particularly controversial. Some countries, such as the EU, Ghana and Kenya advocated a precautionary approach to the use of GM trees. Iran and several civil society groups called for an outright moratorium.
Full item on GEinfo website
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GOVT LOOKS AT STERILE SEED TECHNOLOGY
TVNZ, March 23, 2006 (New Zealand)
The Sustainability Council says Cabinet papers released under the Official Information Act show the government is seeking the option to authorise field trials for terminator technology [that] genetically modifies plants to make them incapable of reproduction.
Full item on GEinfo website
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HALF A MILLION SIGN TERMINATOR PROTEST
Khaleej Times Online, March 18, 2006 (India)
About half a million farmers from Southern states of India have urged the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to protect country's agro biodiversity against the new and serious threat from the Terminator seeds technology.
Full item on GEinfo website
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BRAZIL BACKS STRONGER GMO EXPORT LABELING
Reuters, March 14, 2006 (Brazil)
Brazilian exports of GMOs, such as soybeans, will bear the label "contains GMOs" within four years, the environment ministry said. Brazil's support of the stronger labeling position marks a shift in its position from the weaker "may contain GMOs" - as is called for by the Cartagena Protocol.
Full item on GEinfo website
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LAWMAKERS PUSH BAN ON GM FIELD TESTING
ABC News, March 2, 2006 (Hawaii)
State senators have advanced two bills putting limits on the genetic modification of taro and coffee, crops that are key to Hawaii's identity. The bills would ban until 2011 the field testing of strains of both plants that have been engineered or spliced with the genes of other organisms. The taro bill also would place a five-year ban on genetically modifying Hawaiian varieties of the plant.
Full item on GEinfo website
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CO. WANTS STOCKFEED GE CORN APPROVED FOR PEOPLE
NZ Herald, March 24, 2006 (New Zealand)
Global seed producer Monsanto has applied for two new GM crops used as animal feed to be approved in human foods.
[It] wants approval, as a small amount may enter human foods by accident, but experts warn that [then], nothing will stop the crops from being used widescale in food production.
Full item on GEinfo website
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THE WAR OVER 'SUICIDE SEEDS'
The Calgary Herald, March 13, 2006 (Canada)
Terminator seeds were invented to ensure farmers of GM crops buy seed every year rather than growing from their own seed stock. Industry giants such as Syngenta and DuPont, which together account for almost 20 per cent of the world seed trade, have already taken out patents on the technology, which is still in development.
Full item on GEinfo website
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SYNGENTA FINED OVER GM TESTS IN BRAZIL
SwissInfo, March 23, 2006 (Brazil)
Swiss agrochemicals giant Syngenta has been hit with a $461,000 fine for planting transgenic seeds close to a protected nature reserve. Ibama says Syngenta broke the law by planting 30 acres of transgenic soy six kilometres from Iguaçu National Park.
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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