In This
Issue:
EC
ACTS AGAINST 11 STATES' NON-ADOPTION OF GM LEGISLATION
The
European Commission will refer France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands,
Germany, Italy, Ireland, Greece, Spain, Austria and Finland to
the European Court of Justice for failing to adopt and notify national
legislation of an EU law on the deliberate release of genetically
modified organisms (GMOs) into the environment. These Member States
failed to meet an agreed deadline of 17 October 2002 to adopt the
national legislation. The EU law strengthens earlier laws to help
better ensure a safe, step-by-step approach to releasing GMOs into
the environment.
Environment
Commissioner Margot Wallström said that these countries have
been remiss despite repeated calls to live up to their obligations.
She added that the new framework Directive on GMOs provides the
European Union with one of the most advanced and comprehensive
pieces of legislation and that it is important to demonstrate that
it can be implemented.
The
revised Directive introduces:
- Principles
for the environmental risk assessment;
- Mandatory
post-marketing monitoring, including monitoring of possible long-term
effects on the environment;
- Mandatory
information to the public;
- A
requirement for Member States to ensure labeling and traceability
at all stages of marketing;
- A
requirement that initial approvals of GMOs be limited to a maximum
of ten years;
- Obligatory
consultation of the Scientific Committee(s);
- An
obligation to consult the European Parliament on decisions relating
to the authorization to release GMOs into the environment;
- The
possibility for the Council of Ministers to adopt or reject a
Commission Proposal for authorization of a GMO by qualified majority.
For
more information visit http://europa.eu.int/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?
p_action.gettxt=gt&doc=IP/03/1007|0|RAPID&lg=EN
GM RICE MAY PAVE
WAY FOR GM CROP ACCEPTANCE
The
importance of rice in the developing world and the significant
role played by the public sector in providing new rice crop technology
will result in faster acceptance and adoption of genetically modified
rice. This is a view forwarded by Graham Brookes and Peter Barfoot
of PG Economics in the United Kingdom in their report entitled "GM
Rice: Will This Lead the Way for Global Acceptance of GM Crop Technology?" It
is an abridged version of the June 2002 PG Economics Report made
available to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech
Applications (ISAAA) for publication.
This
report is divided into four key parts covering the global importance
of rice, rice biotechnology developments, current and future economic
strategic issues, market dynamics and conclusions.
Report
highlights include:
- There
are a number of genetically modified (GM) rice traits that are
either ready for or close-to-ready for commercial use; they offer
some potentially substantial benefits that can contribute to
enhanced food security in developing countries.
- The
application of GM technology is currently 'stalled' as result
of a combination of constraints associated with politics, intellectual
property rights, regulatory approval processes and opposition
to the technology from some international interest groups.
- GM
rice technology is projected to play a significant role by 2012.
The driving force will come from the adoption of GM rice technology
at the national level. The largely public sector plant breeding
and research bodies in China, Vietnam and possibly, India, will
make this possible based on their respective governments' desire
to reap the benefits of the technology.
- If
GM rice is made widely available across Asia (without undue restrictions
related to significant royalties/license fees), its rapid intake
in the region has the potential to demonstrate the benefits of
the technology to the world. This may make a valuable contribution
to reducing opposition to GM technology, facilitating regulatory
approval and uptake of the technology in all crops.
The
full report is available at http://www.isaaa.org.
The publication is US$25.00 inclusive of postage. Free copies of
the publication are available to nationals of developing countries.
US PUBLIC SECTOR
TO SHARE AG TECHNOLOGIES
A group
of US public sector agricultural research institutions has agreed
to allow access to each other's current and future patented agricultural
technologies. It is exploring ways to ensure that new licensing
agreements allow for technologies to be used to fight global hunger
and to boost the domestic agricultural sector.
"The
new Public Sector Intellectual Property Resource for Agriculture
(PIPRA) is an extremely important and exciting initiative," says
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center president, Roger N. Beachy. "This
bold and novel approach to the management of intellectual property
rights will eliminate obstacles, encourage sharing and collaboration,
and ultimately ensure that the promise of agricultural biotechnology
more rapidly reaches resource-poor farmers, boosting crop productivity
and improving human nutrition and health in the developing world."
The
agreement will accelerate research and development to improve staple
crop varieties like rice, cassava, sorghum and potatoes essential
to resource-poor farmers in developing countries worldwide. PIPRA
will explore and encourage best practices in IP licensing that
will result in greater access to agricultural inventions for subsistence
and specialty crop applications. It will also establish a mechanism
for information sharing so that researchers at those institutions
can easily determine what public sector-owned technologies exist,
who holds the rights, and if the technology has been licensed,
to whom and under what terms.
For
more information on the new Public Sector Intellectual Property
Resource for Agriculture visit http://www.pipra.org.
UK CONSUMER VIEWS
ON GMF
Although
most consumers in the United Kingdom (UK) do not have established
views on genetically modified (GM) food they remain suspicious
of GM. This is the gist of a report of UK's Food Standards Agency
(FSA) entitled "Consumer Views of GM Foods". The report
summarized a consumer research that the Agency has done for the
last three years on a range of issues including GM food.
Highlights
of the report include:
- Concern
about GM food has decreased over the last three years but may
people still do not see clear and proven consumer benefits.
- The
potential impact of GM crops to the environment was an issue
of most concern. The safety of GM food was less of an issue although
consumers expressed suspicion and concern.
- Consumers
want to make an informed choice between GM and non-GM food. A
clear and effective label was felt to be important.
- Although
some people considered that GM could bring benefits in terms
of nutrition, quality and price, others questioned whether GM
food was necessary given the choice of food currently available.
- Most
people said there is little public understanding about GM food.
They wanted unbiased and accessible information.
- Consumers
wanted more information on the safety assessment carried out
on GM food.
- Although
people recognized consumption of GM food outside the UK, they
showed concern about the potential long-term health effects of
eating GM food.
The
full report is available online at http://www.foodstandards.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/gm_rep.pdf
FOOD SAFETY:
TOP CONSUMER ISSUE IN CANADA
Eighty-eight
percent (88%) of Canadians perceive "food safety" as
the top consumer issue. This was the major finding of the Consumers
Council of Canada via its newly created Public Interest Network
(PIN). The network is composed of 500 grassroots thought leaders
who are influential personalities in their respective fields, are
abreast with current consumer issues, and are actively involved
in their communities.
Other
highlights of the survey are as follows:
- Sixty
percent (60%) are sure that the food they eat is safe.
- Fifty-nine
percent (59%) are confident that the water they drink is safe.
- Sixty-eight
percent (68%) are unsure that GM food is safe.
- Half
of the leaders or 52% believe that the presence of government
inspection labels increases the level of confidence regarding
food safety.
- Majority
of the leaders perceive that the federal government (71%) and
the provincial government (63%) are not communicating effectively
about emerging health issues (e.g. mad cow)
- Male
leaders have lesser confidence in the government.
Peta
Lomberg, PIN Project Leader, Consumer Council of Canada, says about
the implications of these findings, "those in the food industry
should take note of the survey results and implement changes now
so that they can head-off a potential consumer backlash down the
road."
According
to the Consumer Council, consumer confidence and loyalty can only
be built, and market share increased, if the food companies can
guarantee that their products and handling methods are safe.
For
more information about the Consumer Council, visit http://www.consumerscouncil.com/pin.htm.
US CONSUMERS
OK MANDATORY LABELING
Majority
of consumers in the United States favor the mandatory labeling
of food products - that is 92% for GM food, and 85% for food from
farm animals that have been fed hormones or antibiotics. Further,
51% of the respondents say that they are attracted to food with
labels stating that they were not genetically modified. While 46%
say they are attracted to food products labeled as hormone-free
or antibiotic-free.
These
results were revealed by the opinion poll survey that was conducted
by ABC NEWS last July 9 to 13. A sample of 1,024 adults comprised
the respondents of the survey. Data was gathered by telephone interviews
with the said respondents.
The
opinion poll further revealed that, at present, the American public
is evenly divided on whether GM food is safe to eat (46% safe to
eat, 46% unsafe to eat). The same division in opinions is also
observed for food that was derived from farm animals treated with
hormones or antibiotics (49% safe, 42% unsafe).
Differences
in opinions by sex were also reported, with women (54%) being more
skeptical than men about the safety of GM food. Respondents from
the Midwest, or near the Farm Belt, also think that gene-altered
food is safe (53%). Lastly, those who have attended college are
also more likely to perceive GM food as safe.
Visit http://abcnews.go.com/sections/business/Living/poll030715_modifiedfood.html for
more information.
CONKO ON BENEFITS
OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
"As
the world's population grows, environmental stewardship will require
science to find ways to produce more food on less land," says
Gregory Conko, Director of Food Safety Policy at the Competitive
Enterprise Institute, in his paper entitled "The Benefits
of Biotech" published in the Spring 2003 issue of Regulation.
Due
to the complexities that plant transformation entails, the attainment
of the potential benefits of biotechnology seems remote to some
people. However, the biggest threat lies, not in these technological
complexities, but on the misconceptions that the science itself
poses grave threats.
According
to Conko, "to gauge the value of individual applications or
agricultural biotechnology as a whole, we have to place their risks
and benefits into a broader context that does not ignore the risks
posed by conventional and organic production practices or our ability
to manage those risks responsibly."
Conko
concludes that if biotechnology is evaluated on a level playing
field, farmers, consumers, and regulators would probably see that
it has more potential benefits than its competitors.
Download
the article at http://muse.jhu.edu.
US' REACTION
TO EU'S NEW GMO RULES
Despite
the new rules established by the European Union (EU), US trade
officials still say that the new rules on labeling and traceability
of GM crops and food are not enough to resolve the complaint that
the United States has recently filed with the World Trade Organization
(WTO).
According
to Richard Mills of the US Trade Representative's Office, as quoted
by The Scientist, the new rules are not enough to satisfy the US'
WTO complaint against the EU. Mills stated that EU's new labeling
requirements should have been non-prejudicial and feasible. He
added that EU's new labeling and traceability rules, from the US'
point-of-view, do not meet these standards.
In related
news, the United Nations (UN) rules on GMOs was said to may have
strengthened the EU's position, and may have weakened that of the
US. Last July 7, the United Nations adopted new standards on GM
crops and food that will be used as the legal basis for resolving
trade disputes, such as that of the United States and Europe.
The
rules set by the United Nations also provided detailed procedures
for determining if GM foods are safe. It also endorsed the concept
of traceability, which is Europe's main concern.
See
the full story at http://www.biomedcentral.com/news/20030709/03.
VIEWS ON AGRI
BIOTECH
The
Agricultural Biotechnology in Europe (ABE) has released a publication
entitled "Views on Agricultural Biotechnology", a compilation
of comments from various opinion leaders worldwide. According to
ABE," a large number of independent, knowledgeable and respected
figures and organizations recognize that agricultural biotechnology
holds great promise for society. They see real benefits in the
areas of environment, economics, overseas development and for the
consumer".
The
publication contains a collection of recent statements made by
political figures, international organizations, scientists, representatives
of different societal groups, and developing country leaders. These
statements were all made "on the record", either in published
reports or as reported by the media.
See
the June 2003 publication at http://www.abeurope.info/images/files/abe_issues_paper_7.pdf
JAPANESE DEVELOP DNA BOOK
Scientists
from the RIKEN Genomic Sciences Center in Japan have developed
the Mouse Genome Encyclopedia, a comprehensive collection of the
mouse transcriptome, which is considered a novel way of delivering
valuable DNA to researchers.
Researchers
currently ship DNA clones as transformed Escherichia coli or DNA
in tubes or titer plates. However, this method requires much time,
effort and money. The Japanese discovery allows DNA clones or PCR
products to be printed onto paper and attached to pages of books
or journals. Hence, researchers are able to get the DNA along with
the relevant scientific articles and information.
To test
this idea, one DNA sheet was bound to the latest issue of Genome
Research and the RIKEN scientists have asked researchers to report
back on their ability to extract and amplify the embedded DNA.
Initial feedback has been positive.
If the
DNA book idea is successful, it will allow the printing of cDNA
fragments onto standard textbooks of molecular biology.
Email
inquiries to rgscerg@gsc.riken.go.jp or
visit http://genome.gsc.riken.go.jp/
pressdoc@dnabook.doc
INDIAN FARMERS
ASSOCIATION: LET FARMERS DECIDE
"We
know which are good agricultural practices. Leave the choice to
us." P. Chengal Reddy, honorary chairman of the Federation
of Farmers Associations in India, has asked that the Indian farmers
be allowed to decide for themselves what technologies they can
use instead of developed countries making these decisions for them.
Reddy
shares his thoughts in a paper entitled "Debate on GMOS in
UK - Views of Farmers from India". He notes that while India
is now a world player in information technology and even in the
pharmaceutical industry, farmers in India are still far from being
globally competitive as they "remain under regulations, controls,
and restrictions." He stressed that they need technologies
to overcome many difficulties.
For
the full paper email Chengal Reddy at Indian_farmers_federation@yahoo.com.
Visit their website at http://www.indianfarmers.org.
SCIENTISTS FIND
GENE AGAINST POTATO DISEASE
Scientists
from the University of Wisconsin-Madison have discovered a gene
that protects potatoes against potato late blight, a major fungal
disease. The gene found in a species of wild potato known as Solanum
bulbocastanum, was reported in the online edition of the Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The disease turns tubers
into mush and kills any plant it infects.
John Helgeson, a UW-Madison professor of plant pathology and senior author
of the PNAS paper says this is welcome news as "No potato grown in the
United States on any scale at all has resistance to this disease."
With
the blight-resistant gene, the Wisconsin team was able to engineer
plants that survived exposure to Phytophthora infestans. "So
far, the plants have been resistant to everything we have thrown
at them," says Helgeson.
The
gene comes from a plant that scientists believe co-evolved in Mexico
alongside the late-blight pathogen. It was discovered as a result
of a new strain of P. infestans in the US in 1994. At UW-Madison's
Hancock Agricultural Research Station, the only plants to survive
were the wild Mexican species and its progeny in Helgeson's test
plots.
For
more information email John Helgeson at jph@plantpath.wisc.edu.
GM PLANTS AS
PROTEIN FACTORIES
Agricultural
researchers in the US are currently exploring the use of genetically
engineered plants for economical and large-scale production of
recombinant proteins for industrial, research and clinical applications.
Different
strategies were developed by plant biotech researchers for protein
expression in plant species such as corn, rice, wheat, tobacco,
alfalfa, tomato, banana, potato, oilseed rape and soybean.
The
researchers used the soil microbe Agrobacterium tumefaciens or
direct transfer procedure such as electroporation, microinjection
or biolistic bombardment, transgenes to introduce and be expressed
in plants. Proteins can also be expressed in the entire plant or
can be targeted to specific plant organs.
The
scientists are exploring various options to address the concern
of environmentalist groups on the possible spread of the transgenes
and their encoded proteins to the environment. These include asexual
reproduction, male sterility, plant host genomes incompatible with
nearby related species, chloroplast genetic engineering, and methods
for doing recombinant technology without selectable markers.
Since
regulatory agencies such as the US Food and Drug Administration,
and US Department of Agriculture have established a growing body
of safely guidelines, several companies are beginning to move forward
in developing, testing, and utilizing plants for protein expression.
Lee
Quarles, of Monsanto Protein Technologies, says that manufacturing
costs could be decreased from four to five folds via plant-based
expressions as compared to traditional cell culture techniques.
The
full paper is published at The Scientist, Vol. 17, Issue 14, No.
45.
JAPAN'S GM EUCALYPTUS
The
Oji Paper Co. in Japan has developed a genetically modified (GM)
eucalyptus that can grow in acidic soil. Oji Paper's Forestry Research
Institute in Kameyama, Mie Prefecture in collaboration with Gifu
University, undertook this research. The company officials say
that if the new plant has no negative impact on the environment,
then it will be produced commercially as a substitute for regular
wood in paper production.
The
company hopes to develop eucalyptus that can grow in arid regions,
and on salty and acidic soil within 10 years time as well as start
afforestation projects in Australia and other countries. It also
aims to develop tougher kinds of eucalyptus that can prevent the
shortage of trees for paper production in the Asian region.
Read
the news release at http://www.asahi.com/english/business/K2003071600271.html | 
