A Silent Forest

Monday, 12 April 2010 10:17

The Growing Threat Genetically Engineered Trees. This award winning documentary film explores the growing global threat of genetically engineered trees to our environment and to human health. The film features renowned geneticist and host of PBS' The Nature of Things David Suzuki, who explores the unknown and possibly disastrous consequences of improperly tested GE methods.(Total time 15:46)

Watch video

GM salmon step closer to our dining table

Wednesday, 26 December 2012 22:16

EXTRACTS: Critics say... the FDA has relied on outdated science and substandard methods for assessing the new fish.

"We are deeply concerned that the potential of these fish to cause allergic reactions has not been adequately researched," said Michael Hansen, a scientist at the Consumers Union.

"FDA has allowed this fish to move forward based on tests of allergenicity of only six engineered fish, tests that actually did show an increase in allergy-causing potential."

"Congress can still keep FDA from unleashing this dangerous experiment," said Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch, a consumer advocacy group. "Although this latest FDA decision is a blow to consumer confidence, we encourage everyone to contact their members of Congress and demand this reckless decision be overturned."

"It is extremely disappointing that the Obama Administration continues to push approval of this dangerous and unnecessary product," said Andrew Kimbrell, executive director of the Center for Food Safety. "The GE salmon has no socially redeeming value. It's bad for the consumer, bad for the salmon industry and bad for the environment."
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Super-salmon that are genetically modified to grow twice as fast a step closer to our dining table
Richard Alleyne
The Telegraph, December 24 2012
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/9764433/Super-salmon-that-are-genetically-modified-to-grow-twice-as-fast-a-step-closer-to-our-dining-table.html

*A controversial genetically engineered salmon has moved a step closer to the dining table after an American food watchdog said it was unlikely to pose a threat to the environment or humans.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the GM eggs would produce fish with the potential to grow to market size in half the time of conventional salmon.

If it gets a final go-ahead, it would be the first food from a transgenic animal – one whose genome has been altered – to be approved by the FDA, Reuters reports.

The AquAdvantage Atlantic salmon egg was developed by AquaBounty Technology to speed up production to meet global seafood demand.
In a draft environmental assessment, the FDA affirmed earlier findings that the biotech salmon was not likely to be harmful. It said it would take comments from the public on its report for 60 days before making a final decision on approval.

"With respect to food safety, FDA has concluded that food from AquAdvantage salmon is as safe as food from conventional Atlantic salmon, and that there is a reasonable certainty of no harm from consumption," the FDA assessment states.
AquaBounty officials said they were caught by surprise by the news that its product was a step closer to approval as years of controversy had followed the company's application for a go-ahead from the regulator.

They said they did not know the timing or details of the process the FDA will follow following the 60-day comment period.

"We are encouraged that the environmental assessment is being released and hope the government continues the science-based regulatory process," said AquaBounty Chief Executive Ronald Stotish.

Critics say the new salmon is a "dangerous experiment" and have pressured the FDA to reject it.

They say the FDA has relied on outdated science and substandard methods for assessing the new fish.

"We are deeply concerned that the potential of these fish to cause allergic reactions has not been adequately researched," said Michael Hansen, a scientist at the Consumers Union.

"FDA has allowed this fish to move forward based on tests of allergenicity of only six engineered fish, tests that actually did show an increase in allergy-causing potential."

There were also concerns the FDA would not require the genetically modified salmon to be labelled as such, and some critics said they may file a lawsuit to prevent what they fear could be the imminent approval of the engineered fish.

"Congress can still keep FDA from unleashing this dangerous experiment," said Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch, a consumer advocacy group. "Although this latest FDA decision is a blow to consumer confidence, we encourage everyone to contact their members of Congress and demand this reckless decision be overturned."

The Center for Food Safety, another non-profit consumer protection group, was highly critical of the FDA report, and officials said they might sue the regulator over the issue.

"It is extremely disappointing that the Obama Administration continues to push approval of this dangerous and unnecessary product," said Andrew Kimbrell, executive director of the Center for Food Safety. "The GE salmon has no socially redeeming value. It's bad for the consumer, bad for the salmon industry and bad for the environment."

The FDA spokesman Morgan Liscinsky said no final decisions have been made on labelling or on the application for approval.

"The release of these materials is not a decision on whether food from AquAdvantage Salmon requires additional labelling; nor is it a decision on the new animal drug application currently under review. It also does not provide a final food safety determination," Liscinsky said.

The AquAdvantage salmon would be an all-female population with eggs produced in a facility on Prince Edward Island in Canada and shipped to a "grow-out facility" in Panama, where they would be reared to market size and harvested for processing.

Blunt's 'Monsanto Protection Act' undermines legislative process

Wednesday, 10 April 2013 12:19

Read more: Blunt's 'Monsanto Protection Act' undermines legislative process

March Against Monsanto - UK and global

Thursday, 23 May 2013 21:43

NOTE:  There are now over 400 events in over 45 countries setup. The March Against Monsanto website is averaging over 40,000 visitors a day and our Facebook page, March Against Monstanto, has reached over 10,000,000 people in the last 7 days.

RESOURCES:
*Lists of events worldwide
http://www.march-against-monsanto.com/p/blog-page.html
http://occupy-monsanto.com/march-against-monsanto-may-25-2013/
*Some of the UK events
http://www.soilassociation.org/news/newsstory/articleid/5438/march-against-monsanto
Also one in Penzance, contact us for details
*Organise your own march
https://www.facebook.com/notes/march-against-monsanto/organize-your-march/577787578906433
*Join the march online - virtual protest
https://www.facebook.com/events/147274678766425/
*French cyber actions
http://www.cyberacteurs.org/manif/index.php
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March Against Monsanto planned for UK cities
Philip Case
Farmers Weekly, 23 May 2013
http://www.fwi.co.uk/articles/23/05/2013/139182/march-against-monsanto-planned-for-uk-cities.htm

Tens of thousands of activists from around the world will take part in March Against Monsanto this weekend to call for action against GM crops.

Currently, marches are being planned on six continents, in 36 countries, totalling events in more than 250 cities.

In the UK, five events are due to take place this Saturday (25 May) - in London, Bristol, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and the Isle of Man. A march is also being held in Cork, Ireland.

The global day of action is targeting Monsanto, the US multinational biotech company, citing concerns about food safety, political favouritism and environmental effects.

Organisers have set up a Facebook page which has nearly 110,000 "likes" and is averaging more than 40,000 visitors a day.

Tami Monroe Canal, lead organiser and creator of the Facebook page, said she was inspired to start the movement to protect her two daughters.

"I feel Monsanto threatens their generation's health, fertility, and longevity. I couldn't sit by idly, waiting for someone else to do something," she added.

Emma Hockridge, head of policy at the Soil Association, said she was worried about the effect that dominant global biotech companies, such as Monsanto, could have on British farmers in terms of promoting GM and limiting their seed choices.

"In the USA there are three major companies in the GM seed market, including Monsanto, and we are worried about this," she added.

"We have seen the effects on US farmers in terms of having less choice about which seeds they plant and the link up to chemical and fertiliser companies. Smaller seed companies have been pushed out.

"We want to see as much choice for British farmers as possible."

In response, Mark Buckingham, spokesman for Monsanto UK, insisted that most of its customers were "very happy" to work with the company and appreciated its drive to improve technology and innovation in agriculture.

He said: "We operate in a very competitive market and our customers are, in the main, very appreciative of that choice and improvement in products this is offering them.

"These voices of protest are not customers. They are missing the need for agriculture to be more productive and sustainable. We don't think that can be achieved without innovation in new technology."

He added: "It's not just about GM, it's about a range of innovations, such as IT technology for precision agriculture, soil testing as well as seeds and agronomy.

"Innovation is increasing across the industry from small companies through to larger corporations, such as Monsanto. This idea that only a few large companies are growing at the expense of the broader industry is not a version of events going on in the marketplace that we recognise - it's a misrepresentation."