Monthly Online Updates on GE

2008 MAY

• Patenting the Climate Gene and Capturing the Climate Agenda
  
  The world's largest seed and agrochemical corporations are stockpiling hundreds of monopoly patents on genes in plants that the companies will market as crops genetically engineered to withstand environmental stresses such as drought, heat, cold, floods, saline soils, and more. BASF, Monsanto, Bayer, Syngenta, Dupont and biotech partners have filed 532 patent documents (a total of 55 patent families) on so-called "climate ready" genes at patent offices around the world. In the face of climate chaos and a deepening world food crisis, the Gene Giants are gearing up for a PR offensive to re-brand themselves as climate saviours. The focus on so-called climate-ready genes is a golden opportunity to push genetically engineered crops as a silver bullet solution to climate change.    read ...
  Source: www.etcgroup.org
  
  
• UN biosafety conference agrees in principle on liability deal
  
  Bonn - A UN conference on biosafety reached a preliminary agreement Friday on liability for environmental damage arising from the use of genetically modified organisms in farming. The accord initially provides for countries to claim compensation from those directly responsible for environmental damage or from the manufacturers of the genetic products that caused the damage. But the conference was unable to finalize an internationally legally binding agreement that identifies those who should be held liable and who should pay compensation.    read ...
  Source: www.earthtimes.org
  
  
• Call to Action on World Food Emergency
  
  Historic, systemic failures of governments and international institutions are responsible. Governments will meet at the U.N. FAO Food Summit in Rome 3-5 June and they must begin by accepting their responsibility for today's food emergency and the loss of biodiversity.
  
  The emergency today has its roots in governments' and intergovernmental organisations' failures, among others, to respect, protect and fulfill the right to food and to produce food, especially for domestic markets.    read ...
  Source: www.etcgroup.org
  
  
• The seed struggle
  
  SAINT ANDRE D'ARGENTEUIL, Que. - Heather Meek leafs through the seed catalogue she wrote on the family computer on winter nights after the kids went to bed.
  
  There are Kahnawake Mohawk beans and Painted Mountain corn, Tante Alice cucumber and 40 varieties of heritage tomatoes.
  
  Selling seeds is more than just an extra source of income on this organic farm an hour northwest of Montreal.
  
  For Meek and partner Frederic Sauriol, propagating local varieties is part of a David and Goliath struggle by small farmers against big seed companies.
  
  At stake, they believe, is no less than control of the world's food supply.
  
  Since the dawn of civilization, farmers have saved seeds from the harvest and replanted them the following year.
  
  But makers of genetically modified (GM) seeds -- introduced in 1996 and now grown by some 70,000 Canadian farmers, according to Monsanto -- have been putting a stop to that practice.    read ...
  Source: www.canada.com
  
  
• The government has come out in favour of extending a ban on genetically modified organisms (GMO) in agriculture until 2013.
  
  Voters approved a five-year blanket ban in a nationwide ballot in 2005, but research remains permitted. Parliament is to debate the government proposal.
  
  The Federal Environment Office said the current moratorium had had no adverse impact on farming or research in Switzerland, and Swiss agriculture could benefit from its GMO-free status.
  
  Results of a national research programme into genetically modified plants are expected by 2012.    read ...
  Source: www.swissinfo.org