The latest salvo in the battle over Africa's seed systems has been fired, writes Stephen Greenberg, with the Gates Foundation and USAID playing puppet-masters to Africa's governments - now meeting in Addis Ababa - as they drive forward corporation-friendly seed regulations that exclude and marginalize the small farmers whose seeds and labour feed the continent.
… products, seeds and GMOs. A recent meeting on biotechnology and biosafety was held to establish a "COMESA biotechnology and biosafety policy … out from 2015-2019, "leading to increased biotechnology applications and agricultural …
The EU Parliament is voting tomorrow on the controversial Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) being negotiated between the USA and the EU. But do MEPs realise that the agreement could force European markets open to 'new biotech' foods and crops using advanced GM technologies that do not meet current definitions of 'GMO' within the EU?
… people and the environment. New techniques of biotechnology on the TTIP table One such area … its obligations to make timely decisions on biotechnology applications." [8] It is very … internationally on issues related to biotechnology such as low-level presence of …
The 'Kevin Folta affair' has cast the hard light of day into the dubious PR tactics of the GMO industry, writes Claire Robinson - recruiting and paying scientists as secret shills to promulgate a pro-GM message without revealing their funding sources.
… scientists" , including Folta, "to help with 'biotechnology outreach' and to travel around … the Grocery Manufacturers Association and the Biotechnology Industry Organization are … GMO Answers, for its client, the Council for Biotechnology. Regarding an upcoming meeting …
Africa's biotech establishment is deploying its biggest guns to attack NGOs opposed to GMO crops to help push through Ghana's corporation-friendly Plant Breeders Bill - a key element in the corporate enclosure of Africa's farming, seeds and agricultural heritage.
… Chapter of the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa (OFAB) in … change public perceptions toward modern biotechnology. This will lead to increased … out every day, this despite the fact that the biotechnology industry has done its best to …
A new biosafety report for the Norwegian Environment Agency says GM foods cannot be declared safe due to major gaps in the science, writes Nafeez Ahmed. Indeed research clearly indicates harmful and adverse impacts to both health and environment. But Monsanto insists that GMOs are just as safe as, or even safer than, conventional crops.
… impacts of the crop, Monsanto and other biotechnology companies are misleading the … coincided with a spate of bad news for the biotechnology food industry. An expensive …
Pro-GMO US senators have a dastardly plan to deny states the right to require GMO labeling, writes Steven M. Druker, by attaching their DARK Bill as a rider to the Appropriations Bill next week. Now is the the time to wake up senators to the Bill's true intent, and to the deceit, illegal behaviour and scientific falsification that has kept the dangers of GMO foods a well kept secret - so far.
… a genuine scientific review, and the FDA's Biotechnology Strategic Manager has … Recommendations for the Regulation of Food Biotechnology in Canada; An Expert Panel Report on the Future of Food Biotechnology ' prepared by The Royal Society …
We owe a deep debt of gratitude to Dr Frances Kelsey, write Helena Paul & Philip Bereano. In 1960, she defied her bosses at the FDA to prevent the licensing of thalidomide in the USA, saving thousands from being born with serious deformities. Her tough approach to minimising the risk from new drugs contains lessons we ignore at our peril.
… guidelines for assessing 'Foods from Modern Biotechnology'. Now, however the idea of … Alimentarius Guidelines on Food from Modern Biotechnology. Books: Helena has co-authored a …
A broad community of independent scientific researchers and scholars challenges claims of a 'consensus' that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are 'safe' to grow and eat. The claims - which continue to be widely and often uncritically aired - are a false and artificial construct that have been misleadingly perpetuated through diverse media.
… by conventional breeding were "performed by biotechnology companies or associates, which … recommendations for the regulation of food biotechnology in Canada; An Expert Panel Report on the Future of Food Biotechnology. 2001, January [ …
The NYT's expose of Kevin Folta's PR role as a pro-GMO shill in the employ of Monsanto barely scratched the surface of a huge web of corporate money, influence and intrigue that permeates the US's premier universities and scientific institutions, writes Jonathan Latham - from Harvard and Cornell to the AAAS. Why the reticence to name all the names?
… Ermakova. They persuaded the journal Nature Biotechnology to interview Ermakova about her … and organisations who speak in favour of biotechnology, self-reportedly out of personal … Analysis and Biosafety Implications '. Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Reviews …
An elite group of aid donors and agribusiness corporations met in London this week to plan the takeover of Africa's seeds, writes Ian Fitzpatrick, replacing traditional seed breeding and saving by small farmers with a corporate model of privatized, 'improved', patented, genetically uniform and hybrid seeds in a profit-driven market.
… Syngenta (the world's third biggest seed and biotechnology company), and its 'greenwashing' …
Research by GM-Free Cymru shows that studies carried out for Monsanto and submitted to the US's Environmental Protection Agency in 1981 provided ample evidence that glyphosate caused cancer and other health problems. But the key documents were classed as 'trade secrets' and never published.
… a team of writers with strong links with the biotechnology industry. But because of the …
Scotland's decision to maintain its GM-free status is in the best interests of the country, its people and its farmers, 30 scientists write to Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead. It is abundantly justified by the scientific evidence and will support the sustainable, agroecological farming systems of the future.
… Former member of the governmental Norwegian Biotechnology Advisory Board. Dr Hector … Alimentarius Guidelines on Food from Modern Biotechnology. Helen Browning OBE; Director, … UK Government's Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission. Dr Brian Higginson …
Next to McDonalds, Burger King and KFC, Chipotle's Mexican Grill is a minnow, writes Jonathan Latham. But its decision to go GMO-free will ultimately compel all America's consumer-facing food brands to follow suit - because that's what their customers want. Could this be the beginning of the end of GMOs? That's what Monsanto, Dupont, Bayer and Syngenta fear.
… coming on stream that will likely make crop biotechnology even less popular than it is … kill people, or, they will give opponents of biotechnology plenty of ammunition. The …
With the deadline for EU countries who wish to ban genetically GM crops drawing near, writes Oliver Tickell, Poland is the latest to register with the European Commission to go GM-free. Now the division of the EU into pro and anti-GM zones may test the single market beyond its limits.
… recently told an international conference on biotechnology. 'Real progress' in the battle …
A BBC documentary claimed 90% success for a controversial GM crop in Bangladesh, Bt brinjal, writes Claire Robinson. But as journalist Faisal Rahman discovered, there's no evidence to support the claim, the BBC relied on biased sources, and its journalists failed to investigate reports of widespread crop failure. Was it all an exercise in pro-GMO propaganda?
… 'partner' organisations of the Agricultural Biotechnology Support Project II (ABSPII), … the charged debate around agricultural biotechnology and genetically modified … the rest of South Asia by the Agricultural Biotechnology Support Project II ( ABSPII ), …
The Philippines were meant to be the US's sandbox for GMO development and penetration into southeast Asia, but that has all changed with a Supreme Court decision to ban GMO crop trials pending the development of new biosafety protocols.
… observed that "the Philippines' prominence in biotechnology has made the country a target …
Scientists, environmental and consumer groups have decried USDA's approval of two 'Arctic' apple varieties, while major food companies and apple growers have no plans to source or grow them - despite their potential to 'generate consumer excitement in the apple category.'
USDA approves world's first GMO apples The Ecologist | 16th February 2015 News Farming USA GMOs Regulation Food apples-cut.jpg Scientists, environmental and consumer groups have decried USDA's …
The Government is preparing 'rules' that will enable the planting of GM crops in the UK as soon as 2017, writes Lawrence Woodward. A ministerial letter also signals a significant weakening of GMO safeguards compared to the Tories' 2010 manifesto. Now is the time to exert maximum pressure and fight off a planned GMO invasion.
… the Nation ' food policy review states: "Biotechnology cannot, by itself, increase the …
Europe's biggest organic fair kicks off today in Valencia, writes Pedro Burruezo - 30 years after the first ever BioCultura event in Madrid in 1985 kicked off Spain's organic revolution. Since then Spain has become Europe's biggest organic producer, and the sector is growing at a dizzying rate of over 10% a year.
BioCultura - celebrating Spain's organic revolution Pedro Burruezo The Ecologist España | 27th February 2015 Ethical Living Food Farming Organic Spain angeles-parra-cut.jpg Angeles Parra at …
The US Congress votes this Thursday on the infamous 'DARK Act' that would abolish states' right to label GM foods, writes Katherine Paul. This 'Mother of all Monsanto Protection Acts' would also outlaw state GMO bans and even prevent the FDA from pre-market safety-testing GM ingredients. Send a clear message now to your member of Congress.
… take advantage of market opportunities. The Biotechnology, Horticulture and Research …
President Obama will shortly be on his way to India. In this Open Letter, Vandana Shiva invites him to join in securing the essential human freedoms to seeds and food - and to set aside any plans to pressure India into changing its laws to allow the corporate domination of life.
… corporations (which are the same as the biotechnology corporations) are seeking …
The citizens 'right to know' campaign about GMOs has put the food industry on the defensive, big time, writes Carey Gillam. But that only creates the impression they have something to hide. if GMOs are as great as they claim, they should be only too glad. It's time they switched sides and got with the people they feed.
… provided several unrestricted grants to the biotechnology outreach program that Chassy …
Technology is crucial to all the big issues, but criticism is hampered by mythologies and structures of power, writes David King. Designed by and for corporate interests, modern industrial technologies embody a 400-year old technocratic philosophy of control of nature and people which must be confronted.
… and campaigning about issues related to biotechnology and other technologies for 25 …
India's decision to release GMO cotton seeds that incorporate genes for Bt toxins into indigenous 'desi' varieties threatens disaster for the country's small and organic cotton farmers, writes Vandana Shiva. The danger is that the GMO characteristics will spread rapidly into the gene pool, contaminating India's unique heritage of cotton seed diversity.
… - the agency entrusted with the regulation of biotechnology and GM field trials - and a …