Save our Seeds

The Kenyan government has terminated a the first GM maize experiment recently launched by the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (Kari) and Syngenta and ordered the crop destroyed. The newly appointed Agriculture secretary, Dr Wilson Songa, said there was atendency by local scientists to yield to pressure of international organisations and sidestep existingregulations.</p><p><a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/200508290320.html">allAfrica.com: Kenya: Govt Stops Research On Maize</a></p><p><a href="http://www.genet-info.org/genet/2005/Jun/msg00048.html">Background: "New wonder maize coming to Kenya" and NYT report</a></p><p><a href="http://www.genet-info.org/genet/2005/Jun/msg00014.html">Rockefeller, Cymmit press release June 2005</a>

Monsanto-shareowners Harrington Investments have filed a resolution for Monsanto`s next AGM to set up an independent ethics oversight committee after a settlement with the US Department of Justice in January 2005 over violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). A senior Monsanto manager authorized a $50,000 bribe to get a senior Indonesian Ministry of Environment official to repeal an environmental impact assessment decree for genetically engineered crops - in vain. From 1997 to 2002, Indonesian Monsanto affiliates made at least $700,000 of illicit payments to at least 140 current and former Indonesian government officials and their family members.</p><p><a href="http://www.csrwire.com/sfarticle.cgi?id=1789">Shareowner Resolution Asks Monsanto to Create Ethics Oversight Committee</a>

Japan`s Agriculture Ministry said it discovered a ninth U.S. feed grain cargo tainted with Bt-10 biotech corn, and has told the importer to destroy it or ship it back to the United States.</p><p><a href="http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticleSearch.aspx?storyID=30973+23-Aug-2005+RTRS&srch=syngenta">Reuters: Japan finds 9th U.S. corn cargo tainted with Bt-10</a></p><p><a href="http://www.checkbiotech.org/root/index.cfm?fuseaction=newsletter&topic_id=2&subtopic_id=10&doc_id=11088">Reuters via checkbiotech.org: Japan likely to relax Bt-1O corn control</a>

The European Commission looks for a new Executive Director of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in Parma, Italy. Applications are due by October 5th.</p><p><a href="http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/efsa/index_en.htm">EUROPA - European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) - Vacancy notice</a>

A new research from Canada shows that Bt maize produces similar or up to 12% lower yields than non-Bt maize. The study, by B.L. Ma and K.D. Subedi also found that non-Bt maize showed higher nitrogen uptake. Some of the Bt hybrids took 2-3 additional days to reach maturity. The Bt maize had 3-5% higher grain moisture at maturity.</p><p><a href="http://www.gefreemaine.org/article.php?story=20050818150125790&mode=print">Abstract</a></p><p><a href="http://www.saveourseeds.org/downloads/Btmaize_inferior_yield.pdf">Full Report (pdf)</a>

EU governments face a slew of decisions in the next few months on whether to allow more imports of genetically modified foods. With EU institutions mostly closed in August, ministers and national experts will be asked to process a backlog of applications for new GMO approvals in four crammed months.</p><p><a href="http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/32081/story.htm">Reuters</a>

"The initial expectation that this technology would be rapidly adopted turned out to be a bit optimistic," says Michael Rodemeyer, of the Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology. "We're in a stall in the development of new GM foods."</p><p><a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0815/p01s03-ussc.html">Christian Science Monitor: A food revolution beckons, but few show up</a>

Four years ago the Mexican government first verified that GM maize had contaminated native maize grown and developed by indigenous farmers in at least two Mexican states, Oaxaca and Puebla. A new study of Mexican and US researchers reports no GM traces in native maize in one area of Oaxaca. "Absence of detectable transgenes in local landraces of maize in Oaxaca, Mexico (2003-2004)" was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (US).</p><p><a href="http://www.etcgroup.org/article.asp?newsid=521">ETC Group: Industry Exploits New Study on GM Contamination in Mexico</a></p><p><a href="http://www.pnas.org/cgi/reprint/0503356102v1">Ortiz Garcssa, Ezcurra, Schoel, Acevedo, Soberon and Snow, PNAS: Absence of detectable transgenes in local landraces of maize</a></p><p><a href="http://www.pulseofscience.org/pnasstatement">Ignacio Chapela et. al: Response to PNAS article failing to detect transgenes in maize from Oaxaca, Mexico</a>

GeneScan, a global tester of genetically modified organisms in food, said on Thursday gene-altered rice is being sold in parts of China, even though Beijing has not approved its commercialisation.</p><p><a href="http://in.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2005-08-11T152138Z_01_NOOTR_RTRJONC_0_India-212333-1.xml">Reuters</a>

The America seed companies Monsanto and Pioneer are trying to get provisional approval to cultivate their pest-resistant maize, Mon 810, in Germany, according to German consumer protection authorities.</p><p><a href="http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1675080,00.html">Deutsche Welle</a>