Monthly Online Updates on GE

2008 FEBRUARY

• NEW DELHI: Indian agriculture experts have debunked recent claims that Bt cotton has been a boon to Indian farmers.
  
  Bt cotton was introduced in India in 2002 and has found favor with the government as well as Cotton Association of India, which attributed increased output this year to higher productivity of Bt cotton.
  
  Bt cotton has not contributed to helping most small cotton farmers escape the agrarian crisis that continues to threaten their livelihoods.    read ...
  Source: www.dnaindia.com/report.asp
• India Bt cotton cultivation.
  
  The GM proponents attempt to attribute everything good with cotton cultivation to GM cotton.
  
  But Bt Cotton has not been created to have higher yields but for pest control, that too for a very small number of pests. The yields are highly dependent on the original germplasm or receptors of the genes inserted. High yields with normal cotton hybrids are not unheard of and in the 1990s, many farmers got onto the treadmill of cotton farming after seeing the performance of some non-GM hybrids. Farmers working with NPM (Non Pesticidal Management) or Sustainable Agriculture have also proven that high yields can be obtained with non-chemical and non-GM options, effective ecological agriculture practices.    read ...
  Source: www.deccanherald.com/Content/Feb112008/editpage2008021051519.asp
• Hyderabad, February 27, 2008: Activists from fourteen states of India, consisting of farmers' organizations, NGOs, consumer groups and women's federations have pledged to keep India free of Genetically Modified foods and crops. Concluding a two-day national meeting (on February 25th and 26th 2008)which reviewed the available evidence on GM technology and its ramifications, the Coalition for GM-Free India today resolved to intensify the campaign to educate, create awareness and build public opinion against the hazardous implications of the technology. Last year, 2000 villages declared themselves GM Free where farmers took an informed decision to protect themselves against the onslaught of this imprecise corporate science.    read ...
  Source: www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp
• China rice imports faces EU's crack down after traces of GM strains were found
  
  Brussels - The European Union on Tuesday decided to crack down on imports of rice from China after member states said that some products contained banned genetically-modified (GM) material. From April 15, only rice and rice products such as noodles, rice paper and rice starch which feature on a special EU-approved list will be allowed into the 27-member bloc, a statement from the EU's executive, the European Commission, said.    read ...
  Source: www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/185336,eu-cracks-down-on-chinese-rice-imports-after-gm-traces.html
• Australia were told by Japanese activist to stay GM free
  
  Kashima, Japan, 13th February 2008: Japanese activists placed a message on a cargo ship telling Australia to reject genetically modified (GM) canola. The message, projected onto a ship carrying GM canola read 'Australia stay GM free!'.
  
  The action comes just days after the South Australian Government announced that it would extend its GM food crop ban, due to concerns over loss of markets such as Japan. However, New South Wales and Victoria still intend to let their GM food crop bans expire this year, opening up Australia to GM contamination. This will threaten the entire country's GM free reputation and international markets.    read ...
  Source: www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp