In
This Issue:
GM
Corn Trial Sites in UK
Farm scale
trials for genetically-modified corn in the United Kingdom are scheduled
to be set up by the end of April 2001. A total of 32 sites are targeted
to be planted and will be monitored by the Scientific Steering Committee.
Covering a three year program, the committee also recommended 60-75
sites for each of the other four herbicide-tolerant GM crops - spring
oilseed rape, winter oilseed rape, beet and corn.
The UK
government says that all of the seeds in the trials have been through
years of rigorous safety tests and trials are not about the safety
of GM technology. The trials aim to provide answers to questions
about whether planting herbicide-tolerant GM crops and using weedkillers
associated with them might affect the abundance and diversity of
wildlife. Trial results will be analyzed by the committee and made
available for public scrutiny.
Greenpeace
Sow GM Seeds of Confusion in Thailand
Greenpeace
announced that the Cabinet of the Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra
decided to instruct the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives
to halt all approvals for GM field trials. However, the Minister
of Science and Technology has stated that the cabinet did not pass
a resolution to this effect. He says that an agenda item on the subject
was proposed and the Cabinet simply acknowledged the proposal. However,
this seems to have been taken out of context by the Greenpeace press
office.
Shinawatra
later stated that Thailand does not oppose genetically modified organisms
and he recognizes that they could improve crop productivity. He also
said that more research was needed as currently the government could
not rule out the possibility of GMOs harming humans.
Boontipa
Simaskul, director-general of the Thai
Commerce Ministry's Department of Business Economics, has indicated
that a ban on GM imports would have international trade implications
under World Trade Organization rules.
The Secretary
General of the Bureau of Food and Drugs has said that Thailand's
government will require labelling of genetically engineered food
by the end of this year. Secretary General of the Food and Drugs
Administration, Dr. Vichai Chokeviwat said on UBC Nation Television
that the Thai government has a duty to let the public know about
GE ingredients in food and confirmed that 'there will be labelling
of GE foods by at least the end of the year'. He later repeated this
on Kom-Chat-Luak programme on UBC 8.
Growth
in GM Traits Predicted
The "current
backlash" against genetically modified crops will subside as
more consumer-directed products emerge in 2004-05. The market for
testing for genetically modified materials in foodstuffs is predicted
to blossom into a significant testing arena during the next five
years as the volume and variety of genetically modified crops increases,
according to a new market report. C
urrently
this market is relatively small, extremely dynamic and exhibiting
clear signs of future growth. The report from Strategic
Consulting Inc., called The World Market for GM-Food Testing
says roughly 43 million hectares of GM-crops were planted worldwide
in 2000 and predicts this will increase to 85 million hectares in
2005.
GM crops,
particularly those planted in 2004 and 2005, increasingly will encompass
what the report calls Generation 2 and Generation 3 output traits,
which will be critical in mitigating consumer backlash against agricultural
biotechnology.
While
the report predicts sustained testing during the next few years,
specifically for StarLink, there will be a shift in testing needs
from primarily meeting regulatory and non-GM-contract requirements
to ensuring that desirable traits are present in the product, says
Tom Weschler, President of Strategic Consulting, based in Woodstock,
VT.
Today's
GM-products, such as StarLink maize, are termed Generation 1. They
yield positive input traits which primarily benefit food producers.
Generation 2 traits also benefit food producers in reducing processing,
energy, storage or transportation costs. Generation 3 products yield
output traits that directly benefit the consumer, such as edible
vaccines, anti-cancer vegetables, cholesterol-reducing grains and
crops fortified with micronutrients.
FDA
Suggests Biotechnology Rules
The US
Food and Drug Administration has proposed a rule to require food
developers to notify the FDA at least 120 days in advance of their
intent to market a food or animal feed developed through biotechnology.
Food developers would also be required to provide information to
demonstrate that the product is as safe as its conventional counterpart.
UN
Agencies Recommend Measures for Consumers on GM Foods
The United
Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health
Organization have forwarded recommendations to help protect consumers
from risks that some genetically modified organisms (GMOs) could
pose for certain people who suffer from food allergies.
The two
UN agencies brought together experts to review the latest scientific
information on allergens and foods derived from biotechnology. The
recommendations aim to prevent the use of foods that commonly provoke
allergies in bio-engineered foods.
Canada
to Sign Biosafety Protocol
Canada
will sign an international agreement to regulate the movement across
international borders of living organisms modified by modern biotechnology.
The goal of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, negotiated under
the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, is to protect
biodiversity while permitting trade of living modified plants, animals
and microorganisms.
Biodiversity
is defined under the Convention on Biological Diversity as the "variability
among living organisms from all sources." "Canada already
has a domestic regulatory framework for biotechnology products," said
Environment Minister the David Anderson. "Our signature to the
Protocol demonstrates our continued commitment to international cooperation
and builds on our domestic and international actions to protect the
environment and human health," he said.
"We
will take a leadership role in achieving a Protocol that is workable
and protects the environment without causing unnecessary trade disruptions," said
Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Lyle Vanclief. Signing the Protocol
is the first step in a two-step decision process for Canada. Canada
will consider ratification of the Protocol based on progress achieved
in international discussions and decisions on how it can most effectively
be implemented by Canada. Signing the Protocol will ensure that Canada
is a full participant in the ongoing international discussions.
Environment
Minister David Anderson will sign the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
for Canada at a meeting of the Commission on Sustainable Development
at the United Nations in New York on April 19. Eighty-six countries
have signed the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to date, and two
have ratified it. The Protocol will come into force 90 days after
50 countries ratify it, likely within two or three years.
Japan
Brings in New Food Regulations
Japan
has brought in new legislation which requires labelling of genetically
modified (GM) and organic food and includes tough measures to deal
with unapproved GM products entering the country. The labelling rules
also require ingredients that may cause an allergic reaction to be
listed on food products.
The GM
food labelling rules are as follows:
- food
containing less than 5% of approved GM crops are labelled as 'non
GM'. o food containing non-GM crops or ingredients may be labelled
as 'GM free'.
- food
products where a GM ingredient is one of the top 3 ingredients
or where a GM ingredient accounts for more than 5% of the product
weight must be labeled as GM.
- food
companies that do not segregate GM ingredients will have to label
their products saying so.
- animal
feed and food in which genetically altered DNA cannot currently
be detected are exempt from these regulations.
- some
specific food items are exempt from the labeling regulations: soy
sauce, vegetable oil, corn flakes, glucose syrup, high fructose
corn syrup alcoholic beverages containing maize starch, dextrin,
and various potato products
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