In
This Issue:
NZ
INTRODUCES NEW TESTS FOR GM CORN
New protocols to test imported sweet corn and corn seeds for the presence of
genetically modified (GM) seeds take effect 1 August 2002 in New Zealand.
No GM crops
are grown commercially in New Zealand and GM seeds have not been
approved for release into the environment. The Ministry of Agriculture
and Forestry (MAF) is responsible for preventing unapproved GM seeds
being imported into New Zealand. The current testing regime expires
on 31 July 2002.
MAF has released a revised import health standard for corn for sowing. All
consignments of sweet corn and corn seeds for sowing must be tested for the
presence of unapproved GM seeds, either offshore or at the border, unless MAF
is satisfied that the source country has sufficient systems in place to provide
a level of assurance equivalent to testing every consignment.
MAF's Director of Plants Biosecurity, Richard Ivess said MAF is extending its
current testing regime to include a wider range of seeds. As well as extending
the sweet corn regime to corn seeds from 1 August 2002, testing of canola seeds
will start from 1 October 2002, in time for the planting season. MAF will begin
discussions with industry to introduce testing for soybeans starting 1 January
2003.
MAF will develop a standard criteria for deciding whether countries are free
from commercial production of GM varieties, and have sufficient controls at
their borders and over any trials of GM crop. Until then, MAF will consider
applications from countries in consultation with other New Zealand agencies
and will publish its decisions. Once approved, routine testing of seeds will
not be required though MAF may conduct random testing of imports.
The new testing protocol was developed by MAF in consultation with other government
agencies including the Environmental Risk Management Authority and the Ministry
for the Environment. MAF also consulted widely with the public and industry
through its discussion paper released on 6 May 2002.
FRENCH
APPROVES GM FIELD TRIALS
Asia Intelligence Wire reports that the French government has approved eight
new field trials on genetically modified (GM) crops by Biogemma, Bayer CropSciences,
Pioneer Genetique and AGPM Technique. Biogemma is due to start trials on corn
in Blagnac and Artonne this year. Other trials will start in Spring 2003.
Tighter restrictions have been imposed on these trials. The sites must be inspected
by the regional plant protection authorities and they must be at least 400
m (instead of 200 m) away from traditional crops. In May 2002, GM corn was
planted to study the traceability of the crop in controlled natural conditions.
USDA:
US-CHINA TRADE WILL NOT BE DISRUPTED
US Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman met with Chinese officials for three days
where she pursued various trade topics including soybean GMO regulations, issuances
of import licenses, and use of export subsidies for corn and cotton. Veneman
received broad assurances that trade will not be disrupted.
Earlier this year, China put out interim regulations on biotechnology with
the final regulation due in December. Some sectors have reacted to the rules
saying that they need clarification and it was expected that China's GM labeling
laws would be on top of Veneman's agenda.
Secretary Veneman and Agriculture Minister Du identified officials to review
science aspects of the issues to resolve trade concerns on both sides. Veneman
said that the US received strong assurances that China intends to 'strictly
follow' all WTO rules and that the US stands ready to "provide technical and
other assistance to help in their timely compliance".
Secretary Veneman's transcripts of press conferences as well as a press release
on the topic can be accessed at http://www.usda.gov/news/releases/2002/07/0318.htm
FRAMEWORK
FOR COEXISTENCE OF SUPPLY CHAINS FORMULATED
Amidst the polarized views on conventional, organic and agri-biotech farming,
a document for policies that will allow supply chains to co-exist has been
drafted in Australia. Authored by the Gene Technology Grains Committee, "A
Strategic Framework for Maintaining the Coexistence of Supply Chains" was formulated
to allow producers to choose production systems and supply chains they wish
to participate in.
The draft-for-discussion of the framework seeks to enable:
- grain
suppliers to competitively meet the requirements of their chosen
market;
- the
release of GM crops in ways that maintains or enhances the natural
resource base and minimizes offsite impacts;
- producers
to use technologies appropriate to their chosen farming system;
and
- the
incorporation of GM crops into individual farming systems using
techniques that would maximize the technology's effective life.
Industry
initiatives are proposed to be developed in accordance with six principles.
There will be transparency and consultation where the sectors of
the grain industry. They will have the opportunity to contribute
to the development of the grain industry but they will be responsible
for communicating their requirements and contributing to industry
issues.
The producers will have the freedom of choice in production systems. Reasonable
measures will be implemented based on science, customer and regulatory requirements
that are flexible, practical and cost effective incorporating relevant initiatives.
Participants from one supply chain will have the responsibility to act such
that their activities will not interfere with another supply chain. There will
be monitoring and review where new measures are developed or existing ones
revised in response to changing circumstances. Lastly, there will be a case-by-case
planning where plans are developed that address risks identified with the introduction
of crops or specific genetic traits into a grains sector.
The framework was formulated to "enable the coexistence of different production
systems and supply chains such that they concurrently operate in a responsible,
harmonized, profitable and sustainable manner and in response to changing market,
environmental, agronomic and technology requirements". The full document can
be downloaded at http://www.afaa.com.au
BIOTECHNOLOGY
CAN ENHANCE YIELD AND NUTRITION
Crop biotechnology is being used to enhance human nutrition by improving global
food security and by enhancing the nutritional composition of foods. Maureen
Mackay made this statement in an article entitled "The Application of Biotechnology
to Nutrition: an Overview" which was published in the Journal of the College
of American Nutrition Vol. 21, No. 3, 2002.
There are several projects in Africa, South East Asia and Latin America where
biotechnology is being used to enhance locally grown crops. Examples are the
Kenya Sweet Potato Project; the ringspot virus resistant papaya in Hawaii and
Southeast Asia; and the high carotene mustard seed oil which may benefit people
in India, Nepal and Bangladesh.
There are other projects that would enhance the nutritional composition of
food to the benefit of both developing and developed countries. Canola has
been modified to over-express stearic acid which results in a vegetable oil
which requires little or no hydrogenation, has no transfatty acid and provides
the food processing qualities of hydrogenated oil without the hydrogenation
process. Workers in Japan have reduced the content of an allergenic protein
in rice by silencing the gene expressing protein. Genetic engineering techniques
are being used to put vaccines into food such as potatoes and bananas.
Mackey said that over 51 crops have been enhanced via biotechnology in the
past six years. Though most of these technologies were used on crops grown
in the developed countries, biotechnology that will improve yields of crops
in developing nations are already being seen. The author further said "the
introduction of such new products will require the development of new policies
and procedures to assure their safe and appropriate introduction into the marketplace".
The article is available online at http://www.jacn.org/cgi/reprint/21/suppl_3/157S.pdf.
BIOTECH
ENRICHES IRON CONTENT IN RICE
Around 30% of the world's population is estimated to be deficient in iron,
making it the most widespread nutrient deficiency. Iron supplements may rapidly
improve an anemic person's condition but it is expensive. Fortifying food is
thought to be the best long-term strategy but iron compounds of relatively
high iron availability cause color and flavor changes in food while the compounds
which do not react organically are usually poorly absorbed by the body.
An alternative and more sustainable approach would be enriching the food staples
either by plant breeding or genetic engineering. Dr. Paola Lucca of the Institute
for Research in Biomedicine, Switzerland, with Drs. Richard Hurrell and Ingo
Potrykus, conducted experiments that aimed to increase the iron content in
rice endosperm and improve its absorption in the human intestine by using genetic
engineering.
They introduced a ferritin gene from the Phaseolus vulgaris into rice
grains to increase their iron content. A thermo-tolerant phytase from Aspergillus
fumigatus was also introduced to increase bioavailability. Endogenous cysteine-rich
metallothionein-like proteins were also over-expressed since they are considered
as enhancers of iron absorption.
Transgenic rice grains were produced that could potentially increase both iron
intake and bioavailability. However, more work remains to be done to evaluate
the bioavailability of the iron to humans.
The paper "Fighting Iron Deficiency Anemia with Iron-Rich Rice" was published
in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition Vol. 21, No. 3. It is also
available online at http://www.jacn.org/
cgi/reprint/21/suppl_3/184S.pdf
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