Home » Rice LL601

The illegal release of Bayer Crop Science's GM rice LL601

The American GM rice variety LL601 manufactured by Bayer CropScience escaped from field experiments in the USA between 1998-2001, and contaminated global food supplies without detection until January 2006. It has since been discovered in 24 countries including 15 in Europe. The unapproved rice contains bacterial DNA for resistance to glufosinate ammonium weedkiller, a neurotoxin linked to birth defects. Denying any culpability, Bayer variously blames the contamination as an "act of God". Switzerland, Japan, and Russia have been the first to banne all US long-grain rice imports. The EU member states waited until late October before requiring mandatory testing of US long-grain rice, but left the door open for two more illegal GM rice varieties (LL62 rice also manufactured by Bayer CropScience, and Chinese Bt63 rice which produces its own pesticide), and failed to call for suspect products to be recalled. Bayer's illegal LL601 rice has been sold by Aldi, Centra, Dunnes Stores, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, Musgrave, Supervalu, and Tesco. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) GMO panel said there is insufficient data to claim the illegal rice presents no health risk. Whether EFSA itself ignores the opinion of the GMO panel claiming LL601 as ''save'' anyway having close ties to the agribiotechnology lobby, for public health accounting purpose this case is allarming, as it shows that safety masures build up to provide illegal contribution of unapproved genetically modified products are to fall far short or were not reneged by persons in charge.

Please take action against a new genetically modified rice variety that prepares to enter the European Uninon...read more

Official documents

http://www.bayercropscience.com/bcsweb/cropprotection.nsf/id/20061004_EN18 August 2006, Bayer Crop Science: Comments on the identification of traces of biotechnology rice in U.S. rice samples

US documents

5 October 2007, USDA APHIS, Report of LibertyLink Rice Incidents
5 October 2007, USDA APHIS, Lessons learned
5 October 2007, USDA APHIS, Transcript of Technical Briefing on Rice Investigation with Cindy Smith, Administrator, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service

28 November 2006, USA Rice Federation, U.S. Rice Industry Recommendations to Reestablish Supply and Marketability of U.S. Rice

24 November 2006, US Department of Agriculture: USDA deregulates line of genetically engineered rice
24 November 2006, US Department of Agriculture: USDA provides upddate for farmers on genetically engineered rice
24 November 2006, US Department of Agriculture / Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS): Finding of No Significant Impact - Extension on Nonregulated Status to Rice Line LLRICE601

24 November 2006, (CFS:) USDA gives rubber-stamp market approval to genetically engineered rice contaminating food supply

November 2006, Information Systems for Biotechnology (ISB): Wild Rice

11 October 2006, Center for Food Safety (CFS): Comments on Bayer's petition for deregulation of LL601

14 September 2006, Center for Food Safety (CFS): USDA Urged to Deny Approval of Illegal Genetically Engineered Rice Found in Food Chain
14 September 2006, Center for Food Safety (CFS): Petition for Banning All "LibertyLink" Rice as Plant Pests

8 September 2006, US Department of Agriculture: Invitation for Bids (Rice in Bags) to the Philippines - Purchase Authorization (last amended 18 September 2006)

30 August 2006, various plaintiffs: Geeridge Inc.vs. Bayer crop science, first class action law suite on LL Rice contamination
To pay compensation, be punished and obliged to decontaminate fields and harvest and storage facilities of plaintiffs and prevent further spread

23 August 2006, US Department of Agriculture: Philippines to purchase $20 million of U.S. rice under Public Law 480, Title I.

18 August 2006, US Department of Agriculture: Statement by Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns Regarding Genetically Engineered Rice

18 August 2006, U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Statement on Report of Bioengineered Rice in the Food Supply

18 August 2006, USDA: Factsheet genetically engineered rice

January 2006, USDA Office of Inspector General: Audit report: APHIS Controls Over Issuance of Genetically Engineered Organism Release Permits
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture "Current (USDA) regulations, policies and procedures do not ensure the safe introduction of agricultural biotechnology". The USDA audit report says the agency "lacks basic information" on where field tests are or what is done with the crops after they are harvested.

EU documents

October 2008, EU Food and Veterenary Office:Inspection Report on the measures taken in the USA regarding the emergency measures on rice imports to the EU concludes that strong measures are now in place to prevent the contamination of US rice exports with LL602, but points to uncertainties as well.

6 November 2006, Food Standard Agency, UK: Legal challenge on GM rice

24 October 2006, FoE Europe: American rice imports must be tested for GM contamination

16 October 2006, Greenpeace: Thailand benefits from GMO rice contamination scandal

9 October 2006, Finnish Food Safety Authority (EVIRA): Evira investigated presence of genetically modified rice in foods and feeds marketed in Finland
http://www.greenpeace.eu/downloads/gmo/LL601contamination060921.pdf
21 September 2006, FoE Europe: Outrage as illegal genetically modified rice slips through the net

15 September 2006, EFSA’s GMO Panel provides reply to European Commission request on GM rice LLRICE601
The GMO Panel has evaluated the available scientific data on LLRICE601. According to the Statement of the Panel issued today there is insufficient data to provide a full risk assessment in accordance with EFSA’s GM guidance.

11 September 2006, EU Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health, Summary record of the 11th meeting on 11 September 2006
The presence of the genetically modified rice LLRICE601 in food and feed products on the European market is, even at extremely low levels, illegal. Rice containing LLRICE601 is not allowed to be placed on the market. The European Commission has raised awareness of industry at EU level with respect to their responsibilities of ensuring that the food they produce is safe in all Member States and will continue to do so. Member States will do the same at national level. On the basis of the knowledge available today, the Standing Committee agreed that, as a matter of priority, it was necessary to ensure that illegal GM long grain rice originating from the USA does not enter the EU market or is not further distributed in the food chain. In case of unfavourable results the contaminated long grain rice as defined in Article 1 of Decision 2006/601/EC should be withdrawn from the market.

1 September 2006, FoE Europe: Bayer, not taxpayers, must pay for GM rice testing in Europe

30 August 2006, EU Community Reference Laboratory: Detection of rice GM events containing p35S::bar sequences and Detection of rice GM event LLRICE601

23 August 2006 EU Commission: Commission requires certification of US rice exports to stop unauthorised GMO entering the EU

23 August 2006 EU Commission: Questions and Answers on the finding of unauthorised GM rice on the US market

21 August 2006 EU Commission: Letter to the USDA