In
This Issue:
GM SAFE
FOR FARM LIVESTOCK
There
does not appear to be any increased risk to animals consuming genetically
modified crops or to humans consuming the products of animals fed
on rations containing GM feeds. David E. Beever, professor of the
Center for Dairy Research of the University in Reading, United Kingdom
made this conclusion at the CropLife Asia conference "More People,
Less Land: Technology's Role in Sustainable Agriculture in Asia" held
in Bangkok, Thailand.
Beever
said that a review of literature with respect to the processes of
nucleic acid digestion in livestock confirmed that the gut has considerable
capacity to digest DNA as well as RNA, thus rendering them functionally
inert as far as the host animal is concerned. In particular he noted
the recent study of R. Einspainer and colleagues (published in European
Food Research and Technology, 212-2001) which fed both Bt and non
Bt maize as grain to chicken or as silage to cattle. A comprehensive
analysis of digesta, feces, blood and tissues as well as eggs and
milk were unable to detect any Bt gene fragments. This indicates
no significant uptake of transgenic DNA and subsequent incorporation
into animal tissues.
A number
of studies have also been conducted to examine the safety and efficacy
of such feeds for farm livestock. There has been no substantiated
reports of any animal health problems. In terms of animal performance,
the feeding of GM crops has not been shown to have any negative effects
of feed intake, whole tract digestibility or animal productivity
in studies with chickens, pigs, sheep, beef cattle and dairy cows.
Beever
however, notes that issues regarding the safety and efficacy of GM
crops for feeding livestock need to be kept under constant review
and a concerted system of evaluation needs to be agreed among countries
wishing to exploit this new technology.
SKERITT:
ASIAN AGRIC REQUIRES STRONG SUPPORT SYSTEM
While
Asian countries can find hope in biotechnology, nations should look
at it as a suite of technologies than can be embedded in established
agriculture says John Skeritt of the Australian Centre for International
Agricultural Research.
Speaking
at the CropLife Asia Conference in Bangkok, Thailand, Skeritt forwarded
several points that could give hope to Asian agriculture:
- Removal
of US and European farm subsidies. Trade liberation could provide
annual welfare gains of US$180 billion/year versus US20 billion/year
for maximum possible GM-related productivity boosts.
- Better
application of crop management technologies, i.e. conservation
tillage, better water use
- Sustainable
use of fertilizers and integrated pest management
- Better
transport and communication systems
Skeritt
also noted that developed and developing countries face similar challenges.
These include poor linkages between biotechnology research and development
and its implementation; lack of harmonization of regulatory systems;
different national approaches to labeling and acceptance of GMOs,
among others.
CropLife
Asia will post papers presented during the conference in its website: http://www.croplifeasia.org this
December.
FDA ORDERS
DESTRUCTION OF SOYBEANS CONTAMINATED WITH "PHARM" CORN
The US
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered a biotechnology company,
ProdiGene, to destroy 500,000 bushels of soybeans worth approximately
$2.7 million. The order was given because a corn variety intended
to make a pharmaceutical product got mixed with the soybeans.
According
to authorities, the problem started in 2001 when ProdiGene contracted
a Nebraska farmer to grow an experimental corn crop on a small plot
of land. After the tests, the farmer planted conventional soybeans
this year. However, some seed left over from last year's experiment
grew into plants in the soybean field. ProdiGene discovered up to
65 grams of corn stalks in 500,000 bushels of soybeans.
The "biopharming" industry
uses plants to make medically important proteins. It is only beginning
with only 120 acres used in the US this year. Corn is a popular plant
among researchers and ProdiGene is attempting to produce different
medications such as a hepatitis B vaccine and an insulin-making enzyme
in corn plants.
FDA Deputy
Commissioner Lester Crawford said early this week that none of the
soybeans made it into the food supply so there is no risk to the
public. He also said that the amount of contamination would not have
been a threat to public health but it was not supposed to be there.
This case was said to be markedly different from the Starlink case
since the regulators caught the contamination before the soybeans
made it to the market.
ProdiGene
was reported to have committed a similar mistake in Iowa. Fearing
that pollen from corn not approved for human consumption may have
spread to nearby fields of ordinary corn, the US Department of Agriculture
(USDA) was cited as ordering 155 acres of Iowa corn pulled up in
September and incinerated. Cindy Smith, acting head of biotechnology
regulation for USDA said that the genetically modified corn did not
enter the food supply in both cases. She further said that "it
wasn't luck ... it was planned luck".
Smith
said that the government considers the violations significant and
is weighing serious penalties. Further, the department may consider
revising its rules to lessen the chance of similar problems.
TOP
50"SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN" AWARDEES
INCLUDE CROP BIOTECH RESEARCHERS
The Scientific
American Magazine is honoring 50 individuals, teams, companies and
other organizations. The magazine said that, "through their
many accomplishments in 2001-2002, they have demonstrated clear,
progressive views of what our technological future could be, as well
as the leadership, knowledge and expertise essential to realizing
those visions".
The magazine
honored these researchers during its "first annual celebration
of visionaries from the worlds of research, industry and politics".
The agricultural biotechnology researchers are: Stephen Goff, Huanming
Yang and Jin Yu who Led the effort to sequence the genome of rice,
the world's most important food crop. Allison Snow who is conducting
research on the potential of genetically engineered crops to pass
traits to weeds was included. G. Steven Burrill, of Burril and Company,
who advanced the cause of biotechnology by demonstrating its prudent
investment value was also noted. Lastly, the work of Prodigene Inc.
in producing transgenic corn that could be the basis for an edible
AIDS vaccine was recognized.
The Scientific
American is the oldest continuously published magazine in America.
The full description of their work will be available in its December
issue and at its website, http://www.scientificamerican.
com/article.cfm?chanID=sa004&articleID=00052728-1BFF-1DD0-A060809EC5880106
TOMATO VACCINE
ONE OF THE "BEST INVENTIONS"
A tomato
genetically modified to produce a vaccine is among 42 inventions
chosen by Time Magazine as the best in 2002. The inventions are divided
into transit and talk, clothing, home and safety, robots and tech,
toys and sports, and medical and more.
The researcher,
Charles Arntzen, an Arizona State University biologist has been working
on a tomato that carries a gene from a strain of E. coli bacterium.
Some strains of E. coli can cause violent diarrhea and death. However,
the product of Arntzen's research should act as a vaccine, priming
the immune system to recognize and fight off the real thing. Arntzen
focused on diarrhea because "diarrheal diseases kill at least
2 million people in the world every year, most of them children".
Researchers
have been conducting experiments which would use plants to distribute
medicine since the method is cheaper than producing conventional
vaccines. Such a technology would help in developing countries especially
if the plants can be grown locally. Arntzen chose tomatoes because
greenhouse-grown tomatoes can not easily pass their altered genes
to other crops and tomato processing equipment is relatively cheap.
Arntzen's plan is to process the tomatoes so that the dosage would
be uniform. He is thinking about vaccines for cholera, hepatitis,
human papilloma virus and measles. Around four-dozen laboratories
around the world are conducting similar researches.
The Time
Magazine feature can be read at http://www.time.com/time/2002/inventions/
med_tomato.html.
US BIOTECH
REGULATORY PROCESS "AMONG SAFEST"
The USA
has one of the most highly developed food regulatory process in the
world, making the US food supply among the safest. Senior scientists
of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) gave this assessment during
a recent briefing at USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) headquarters
in Maryland. Peter Bretting and John Radin said foreign scientists
and journalists visiting ARS facilities appreciate the broad scope
of risk assessments used in the United States during the development
of genetically engineered varieties of crops, livestock and fish
that promise to help meet the world's growing food security needs.
The US
system serves "as a model" for other countries developing
agricultural and food research centers, said Radin, who recently
spoke to the South Korean Ministry of Agriculture on how the USA
monitors and assesses the products of agricultural biotechnology.
Three
federal agencies are responsible for regulating different aspects
of agricultural biotechnology in the USA. USDA's Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service (APHIS) regulates the movement, importation
and field testing of genetically engineered plants, livestock and
microorganisms. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates
foods and feed derived from new genetically-engineered crop varieties.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates the use of pesticides,
and therefore has responsibility for regulating crops genetically-engineered
for improved forms of pest resistance, the officials noted.
The US
also serves as a training site for agricultural researchers from
around the world who want to learn more about advanced agricultural
science, including agricultural biotechnology. USDA has hosted visiting
scientists each year at its research facilities and at leading agricultural
universities, Bretting said.
Most scientists
around the world agree that foods derived from agricultural biotechnology
have proven to be as safe as foods developed through "traditional" means
of plant breeding, the officials said. But the safety of foods enhanced
by biotechnology is "largely underreported overseas." Adding
to the public's confusion about biotechnology is that the topic has
been "mingled" with anti-globalization sentiments by some
biotech opponents, they said.
The USDA
official also noted that the governments' heavy involvement in agricultural
biotechnology, particularly in research where profit is not a motive,
may also help dispel some critics' charges that agricultural biotechnology
is being promoted only by large companies simply to make money and
with no concern for safety. Notably, USDA increased its funding of
biotechnology risk assessment and risk mitigation research substantially
in fiscal year 2002 and is requesting another substantial budget
increase for this research in 2003, the officials said.
GM
PLANT ROUTE FOR RINDERPEST VACCINE?
Researchers
have demonstrated that pigeonpea expressing the hemagglutinin protein
of rinderpest virus could offer a new route for vaccination of cattle.
G. Lakshmi Sita and colleagues at the Indian Institute of Science
Bangalore have produced plants expressing the hemagglutinin (H) protein
of rinderpest virus at 0.49% of total soluble protein.
The team
has also investigated production of the antigens in peanuts. "We have
generated transgenic peanut plants expressing hemagglutinin protein
of RPV and studied the induction of immune responses in cattle following
oral feeding with transgenic leaves expressing hemagglutinin protein
without oral adjuvant," says Sita. They detected hemagglutinin-specific
antibody in the serum.
Sita is
optimistic that the GM vaccine could be applied directly. "It
can be fed to the animals, provided we grow the same in confined
areas separated from the normal crop grown for human consumption."
"During
the last few years we have developed the transgenic technology and
introduced these vaccine genes into groundnut, pigeonpea and the
fodder crop alfalfa, without any funding," he says. "We
have demonstrated the potential of the technology and if there is
sufficient world interest, the project can be further pursued for
commercialization."
The paper, "Expression
of hemagglutinin protein of rinderpest virus in transgenic pigeon
pea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] plants" by V. V. Satyavathi,
V. Prasad, Abha khandelwal, M. S. Shaila and G. Lakshmi Sita appears
in Plant Cell (http://link.springer.de/link/service/journals/00299
/contents/02/00540/).
Contact:
G. Lakshmi Sita of the Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology,
Indian Institute of Science, at her email address: sitagl@mcbl.iisc.ernet.in
NGOS MEET
BIOTECH INDUSTRY AT WORLD BANK FORUM
A meeting
to examine the role of biotechnology, organic agriculture and other
options in world agriculture that brought consumer and environmental
NGOs face-to-face with industry and government took place in Dublin
last week.
Convened
by the World Bank and hosted by the Irish Department of Agriculture
and Food, the first meeting of a global consultative process on an
international
assessment
of the role of agricultural science and technology (http://www.agassessment.org/)
in reducing hunger, improving rural livelihoods, and stimulating
economic growth over the coming decades reviewed the scope of the
consultative process. Participants included high-level representatives
from international development banks, governments, consumers and
farmers groups, foundations, civil society, scientific groups and
private sector.
The new
international consultative process will look at the full range of
technological and policy options-from intensification, organic production,
and biotechnology, to waste minimization and more efficient use of
natural resources. The process is co-chaired by:
- Robert
T. Watson, World Bank Chief Scientist, who is also the former head
of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC);
- Claudia
Martinez Zuleta, former Deputy Minister of Environment in Colombia;
- Rita
Sharma, Joint Secretary and Land Resources Commissioner for the
Indian Ministry of Agriculture;
- Seyfu
Ketema, Executive Secretary of the Association for Strengthening
Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa; and
- Louise
Fresco, Assistant Director General for Agriculture at FAO.
Watson
said "The meeting was very constructive with full agreement
on how the consultative process should be conducted in an open, transparent
and inclusive manner, and an initial set of questions that could
form the underpinnings of an international assessment on the role
of agricultural science and technology in reducing hunger and improving
rural livelihoods was debated."
Watson
said that "what is needed now is a global assessment that puts
agriculture firmly back on the public agenda and evaluates the economic,
environmental, and social implications of all technological and policy
options-from intensification, organic production, and biotechnology,
to waste minimization and more efficient use of natural resources."
INDIA'S
GEAC WANTS OPEN DEBATE ON GM MUSTARD
India's
Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) will seek feedback
from scientists, farmers, NGOs, and journalists prior to its next
meeting to review a proposal to allow commercial cultivation of GM
mustard. The Committee postponed a decision on ProAgro's GM mustard,
which contains a hybridization system.
AM Gokhale,
GEAC chair noted that mustard oil is used in cooking, but also mustard
leaves are used in dietary preparations, and oilcakes used as cattle
and poultry feed. "We, therefore, need to carefully assess the
possible hazards of GM mustard seeds before final approval," he
said.
Paresh
Verma, ProAgro director said the company was disappointed at the
delay, and had submitted a comprehensive data package to GEAC. The
company argues that a range of allergenicity and toxicity studies
confirmed there was no difference between GM mustard and conventional
mustard.
While
NGOs broadly supported the GEAC's offer of a debate, they were skeptical
of whether a real debate would materialize. Certain NGOs have called
upon India's Central Vigilance Commissioner investigate whether attempts
had been made to influence the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee
in an improper manner.
NO FAILURE
OF BT COTTON SAYS SEED COMPANY
There
has been no failure of genetically-enhanced cotton planted in commercial
scale this kharif season, says the Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Compnay
(Mahyco). Rather, Bt cotton, like non-GM cotton hybrids, has been
affected by "new wilt". Bt cotton is the first GM crop
approved by the government for commercial cultivation in India.
New wilt
is a physiological disorder which occurs when cotton hybrids are
exposed to prolonged dry spells followed by showers or high temperature
during the formation of the cotton bolls, according to Mahyco. Since
Bt cotton had more bolls, the environmental stress on them was more
and the wilt more evident.
New wilt
had affected hybrid cotton varieties in Maharashtra, including the
non-GM lines, according to C.D. Mayee, director of the Central Institute
for Cotton Research at Nagpur. "Till the yield figures become
available, it was not possible to say that GM cotton has failed",
says Mayee.
The full
article appeared in The Hindu (http://www.hinduonnet.com)
ISAAA RELEASES
NEW POCKET K
The International
Service for the Acquisition of Agribiotech Applications' (ISAAA)
Global Knowledge Center on Crop Biotechnology has just released its
9th Pocket K series on Intellectual Property Rights and Agricultural
Biotechnology.
Pocket
Ks are Pockets of Knowledge, packaged information on crop biotechnology
products and related issues. They are written in an easy to understand
style and packaged in a format that is easily shared and distributed.
Pocket
K No. 9 defines intellectual property, explains the importance of
IPRs in developing countries, and discusses the transfer of agri-biotech
to developing countries.
Download
a copy of this publication and back issues at http://www.isaaa.org/kc/Services/
Services.htm. Download the pdf version at http://www.isaaa.org/kc/Services/
PocketK/pocketkpdf.htm
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
African Conference
on Biotech and Food Security
The African
Consumers' Leaders Conference on Biotechnology and Food Security
will bring together leading international and African experts in
the field of biotechnology, leaders of 22 African consumer organisations,
farmers' organisations, research institutes, and key government representatives.
They will address the urgent issue of food aid, food safety and labelling
of GMOs and the implications of biotechnology for food security in
the African region. This is the first of its kind in the regions
and will be held on 18-20 November 2002 at the Chrismar Hotel, Lusaka,
Zambia. For more information, go to http://www.consumersinternational.org/News/display.asp?id=169®ionid=135&tag=X&
type=news&langid=1.
Biosafety Toolbox
Available
The Decision
Support Toolbox for Biosafety Implementation Version 2.0 is now available.
The toolbox is designed to assist policy makers, biosafety managers
and other stakeholders in understanding and applying a biosafety
framework for capacity-building and regulatory decision making. The
toolbox is developed by the International Service for National Agricultural
Research (ISNAR) and FAO, in consultation with UNEP/GEF. It is available
online at http://www.isnar.cgiar.org/
ibs/biosafety/index.htm.
E-Zine on
Africa Biotech
An electronic
magazine (e-zine) called "Biotechnology Developments Africa" is
now available for viewing at http://www.compress.co.za/examples/Biotechnology.exe.
CSSA Announces
Pioneer Fellowship In Plant Sciences
A fellowship
to encourage graduate study in plant sciences, with emphasis on plant
breeding and genetics, has been announced by the Crop Science Society
of America (CSSA). The Pioneer Fellowship in Plant Sciences has been
created to attract top students whose careers will continue to advance
the science of plant improvement. The fellowship is sponsored by
Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., and funded through the Agronomic
Science Foundation. It will support four years of graduate study
with a $25,000 annual stipend.
The first
Pioneer Fellowship in Plant Sciences will be awarded in 2003 to a
Ph.D. applicant with outstanding potential in plant sciences. Application
information will be posted on the CSSA Web site (http://www.crops.org)
in late December. |
