Archived News

2002

Rat Study Summary Published
31 December 2002 Monsanto UK
Earlier this month, Monsanto Co. published a summary of the results of a 13 week feeding study conducted on some 400 rats, to compare those fed a diet including MON863 maize and those fed conventionally grown maize.

EC Calls For Implementation of Directive
30 December 2002 Crop Biotech Net
The European Union has officially requested nine Member States to implement Directive 98/44/EC on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions.

Vatican Backs GM Foods
27 December 2002 Ananova
The Vatican says GM foods should be used to feed the world's hungry.

Report on Large Scale Releases of GM Crops
27 December 2002 Crop Biotech Net
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in the United Kingdom has released its report on Monitoring Large Scale Releases of Genetically Modified Crops (EPG 1/5/84).

Monsanto Receives Final Regulatory Clearance For Bollgard II Cotton Technology
23 December 2002 Monsanto Co.
Monsanto announced that it has received full U.S. regulatory clearance for its Bollgard II insect-protected cotton technology.

EU Allows Two GMO Derived Cotton Oils to Market
20 December 2002 Reuters
The European Commission was cited as saying the EU has approved two oils from genetically modified cotton for use in food in the bloc, despite a pledge by many EU states to bar new GM foods.

GM or Non-GM Food, There is No Difference
20 December 2002 Life Sciences Network
Executive Director Carol Bellamy of UNICEF, during an interview with the IRIN, talked about the relationship between drought and HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia, genetically modified food, land distribution and the responsibilities of the government and donors.

Scientists Complete Advanced Draft Sequence of Rice Genome
20 December 2002 USDA
Officials at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Energy (DOE) announced completion of an advanced draft, or blueprint, of the rice genome.

Village Bank Established for Banana Biotech
20 December 2002 ISAAA
The banana tissue culture project in Kenya has come up with a way to assist small-scale farmers acquire tissue culture banana plantlets. To provide an infrastructure for farmers who want to avail of the plantlets, the project established a village bank.

Brazil to Import GM Corn
19 December 2002 Crop Biotech Net
Reuters reports that Brazil might import genetically modified (GM) corn next year particularly from the US and Argentina to feed its livestock.

Biotech for Improved Agricultural Productivity
19 December 2002 Crop Biotech Net
Research has to be done to improve agricultural productivity and food quality in developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.

Announcement: Biotech Mentor's Kit Available
19 December 2002 ISAAA
A mentor's kit is now available online.

Confusion on Biotech Affecting Famine, Trade, Official Says
18 December 2002 Washington File
Unjustified negative attitudes about agricultural biotechnology are contributing to the ongoing famine in southern Africa and harming U.S. agricultural trade, a senior U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) official says.

CSIRO Breeds Salt-Tolerant Wheat
18 December 2002 Crop Biotech Net
Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) announced that they have successfully bred the first salt-tolerant durum wheat variety.

Monsanto's Board Of Directors Accepts Hendrik A. Verfaillie's Resignation As Chief Executive Officer
18 December 2002 Monsanto Co.
Monsanto Company Chief Executive Officer Hendrik A. Verfaillie has submitted his resignation as CEO, president and director of the board, effective immediately.

UK Government Advisers say GM Maize Variety Safe
18 December 2002 Food Standards Agency
The advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP) has published its response on food safety and environmental concerns relating to a type of GM maize known as Chardon LL.

Public Perceptions of Biotechnology
17 December 2002 Journal of Food Science
Through commercial application, biotechnology may improve health, agriculture, farming practices and the quality of foods. However, along with the array of potential benefits are potential risks and uncertainties surrounding the commercial applications of biotechnology.

Monsanto Making Progress On The Perfect Corn For Ethanol
17 December 2002 OsterDowJones
How much ethanol can be squeezed out of a bushel of corn? The Monsanto Co., primarily a genetics company famous for its biotech varieties of corn, soybeans and cotton, is in the midst of a eight- to 10-year project to find out.

Quality and Safety Assessment of Foods derived by Modern Biotechnology and Their International Regulation
16 December 2002 African Journal of Food and Nutritional Sciences
Biotechnology has a long history of use in food production and processing. It represents both traditional breeding techniques and the latest techniques based on molecular biology.

US Aid for Africa's Famine
16 December 2002 The Guardian
The Guardian has a letter from US ambassador William Farish, who contests the idea that the US is exploiting the famine in Africa for its commercial gain by offering GM maize. Farish states that 95% of US maize is GM coupled with the fact that world stocks are 25% lower than last year.

USDA Secretary Stresses Importance of Biotech
13 December 2002 CropBiotech.net
US Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman underscored the importance of new technology, including biotechnology, in improving agricultural productivity, particularly in developing countries.

Report on Talk to the United Nations
13 December 2002 ISB News Report
Many NGOs don't understanding basic farming practices, according to Jennifer A. Thomson, Dept of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape.

EU Launches Network of GMO Laboratories
13 December 2002 Crop Biotech Net
In a bid to improve traceability of GMOs in the food chain and support regulation on their use across Europe, a network of GMO laboratories was launched last week in Brussels by European Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin.

GM Plants could Protect against Cancer - Experts
13 December 2002 Life Sciences Network
Genetic engineering of crops, which many people fear could make plants dangerous, may in fact make them more nutritious and more able to protect people from cancer and other disease, two United States researchers said.

Food can be "More Powerful than Drugs"
13 December 2002 Life Sciences Network
Food can be "more powerful than drugs" in our bodies, altering genes that affect whether we get cancer, heart disease, depression, schizophrenia or dyslexia, two Colorado researchers report.

The UK Government's 2002 Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food
12 December 2002 DEFRA
On Thursday 12 December 2002, the UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Margaret Beckett launched the government’s strategy for farming and food in England.

Biofuels High on Political Agenda
12 December 2002 Monsanto.co.uk
The Treasury has called for more dialogue with MPs and lobbyists campaigning for a drop in tax on biofuels, reported Farmers Weekly online.

EU Closer to GM Crop Imports
12 December 2002 CNN
European Union environment ministers agreed to new controls on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) that could eventually lead the 15-member bloc to reopen its markets to GM foods.

The Prime Minister's Scoping Note
12 December 2002 CropGen
As a contribution to the UK national debate on GM crops and foods, the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit has published a scoping Note on "The Costs and Benefits of Genetically Modified (GM) Crops".

Biosafety of Genetically Modified Crops - An African Perspective
12 December 2002 AgBioTechNet
This paper outlines the current status of biosafety in Africa. Various constraints impacting on the successful introduction of modern agricultural biotechnology are discussed, as well as potential benefits for Africa.

Brazil: Realistic Policy on GM Crops needed Urgently
11 December 2002 Estado de Sao Paulo
Brazil has to urgently define a realistic policy for production and trade in transgenics, according to Estado de Sao Paulo.

Report Shows GM Crops Generating Global Economic, Environmental and Social Benefits
11 December 2002 ISAAA News Release
A new study by ISAAA confirms that in 2001, the global area of GM crops was 130 million acres, representing an increase of 20 million acres over 2000. The principal GM crops of soybean, corn, cotton and canola were grown in 13 countries by about 5 million farmers, over 75% of whom were small resource-poor farmers growing Bt cotton in developing countries.

GMOs: the Academy of Medicine Recommends the Lift of the European Moratorium
11 December 2002 Expatica.com
France's Academy of Medicine called for European countries to end their moratorium on genetically-modified (GM) crops, saying it saw no evidence that these plants were a danger to health, reported AFP.

The Potential of Golden Rice
10 December 2002 Fbae
This is with reference to the article by Dr R V Bhat and Dr S Vasanthi on the potential of Golden Rice (GR) to ‘eradicate vitamin A deficiency’.

Allowing Science to Guide Decisions
10 December 2002 Agriculture Research Service
Monarch butterflies are familiar to most people as a welcomed garden visitor. They also have become a poster insect for the need to preserve wildlife and wildlife habitat.

Environment Ministers Pave Way for Council Common Position on GM
10 December 2002 Europabio
EuropaBio welcomes the Environment Council’s decision to complete the GM legislative package.

Green Giant - Nobel laureate Norman Borlaug is credited with saving the lives of 1 billion people. So why is a small cadre of activists bent on tarnishing his legacy?
10 December 2002 Dallas Observer
Nobel laureate Norman Borlaug is credited with saving the lives of 1 billion people. So why is a small cadre of activists bent on tarnishing his legacy?

China Developing GM Eggplants
09 December 2002 Life Sciences Network
Professor Wenbin Li and his graduate students are making efforts to develop male sterile and disease resistant varieties of eggplants using genetic engineering.

Genetically Modified Farming Grows 19%
08 December 2002 The Economic Times
There has been a 19% worldwide increase in commercial genetically modified cultivation to 52.6m hectare in 2001 from 1.7m hectare in 1996.

Monsanto's Insect-Protected Corn Approved for Planting in the Philippines
06 December 2002 Monsanto Co.
The following press release from Monsanto in St. Louis announces the approval for commercial planting in the Philippines of YieldGard Corn Borer corn.

GMO Science Network Launched in Europe
06 December 2002 Life Sciences Network
A further step marking the importance of the traceability of GMOs in Europe was made when the European Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin inaugurated a European network of GMO laboratories.

BT Corn as Healtyy for Cows as non-GM
05 December 2002 CropBiotech
Iowa State University researchers report that new corn hybrids containing the Cry1F Bt gene are as wholesome and nutritious for high producing dairy cows as are genetic counterpart hybrids that do not contain the novel Bt gene.

US Releases Fact Sheets on GM Crops in Food Aid
05 December 2002 CropBiotech
The US State Department has released three fact sheets "designed to provide information to address concerns about the presence of bio-engineered crops in US food aid".

Limites Release of GM Cotton Approved in Australia
05 December 2002 Life Sciences Network
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIRO) in Australia was granted a license for the intentional release of GM insecticidal and insecticidal/herbicide tolerant cotton into the environment.

Italian Scientists: GM Crops Key to Fight Hunger
05 December 2002 Zenit
Scientists and experts in bioethics are one in saying that genetically-modified (GM) crops can help fight hunger, as well as protect the environment.

Survey on GM Crop Adoption
05 December 2002 CropBiotech
South Dakota farmers have generally positive experience with transgenic crops (Bt corn, herbicide tolerant (HT) corn, and HT soybeans).

India needs Transgenic Crops
04 December 2002 India Business Insight
Dr RP Sharma is of the opinion that adoption of transgenic crops must not be delayed once their biosafety issues have been proven.

2002 Marks Biotech's 20th Anniversary
04 December 2002 Southwest Farmer Press
Hard to believe, looking at the yards-long list of just soybean, cotton and corn varieties containing genetic modifications, that the precursors to transgenic crops included tobacco plants and petunias.

Monsanto Company and CPT Jointly Announce Settlement of Lawsuits
04 December 2002 Monsanto Co.
Monsanto Company announced that it has dismissed its lawsuit against Chemical Products Technologies ("CPT") and the three other defendants (Zetachem USA, Inc., Zetachem PTY, and the Hide Group, LLC).

UK Debate : Review of GM science
03 December 2002 Crop Biotech Newsletter
The scientific community and members of the public interested in the science of Genetic Modification (GM) are being invited to take part in a full and open independent scientific review .

Aspects to the Profitability of Growing Genetically Modified Herbicide Tolerant Sugar Beet Varieties
03 December 2002 Crop Biotech Newsletter
A nation-wide survey on representative farms was done to evaluate the actual economical situation of growing sugar beet.

India must Modernize Farming Sector, says Former Chief Justice
03 December 2002 CropBiotech.net
"There is no other alternative than to modernize agriculture with the application of scientific and technological innovations to support more than a billion people solely dependent on agriculture", says former chief justice A. Laxamana Rao.

Next Wave of GE crops Coming
03 December 2002 Life Sciences Network
Observers anticipate that 2003 will see a wave of second-generation genetically engineered (GE) crops begin to emerge in agricultural production.

New Maize Variety Ready in Five Years
03 December 2002 Monsanto Africa
Genetically modified maize could, according to The Nation, be introduced in Kenya in the next five years.

EU Agricultural Ministers Reach Agreement on Beneficial GM Technology
02 December 2002 Europabio
European Agriculture Ministers reached a political agreement on the Genetically Modified (GM) Food and Feed Proposal.

Millions in Zimbabwe face Famine, says UN agency
02 December 2002 Straitstimes
Some 6.7 million people, or half the southern African country's population, are threatened with famine due to the food shortage.

GM Foods: Europe at Risk of being Left Behind
02 December 2002 Life Sciences Network
Consumer fears about GM foods continue to hold back European research. As European companies and their supporters in the scientific community express frustration, their competitors in the USA, Latin America, Australia and now China are forging ahead.

Garden Centre Plants are Bigger Threat than GM Superweeds, says Lord May
29 November 2002 Royal Society
The British countryside is under more threat from some types of exotic plants that can be bought at garden centres than from potential new GM superweeds, Lord May of Oxford will tell leading scientists today (29 November 2002).

Scientific Alliance's Conference
29 November 2002 Scientific Alliance
Scientific Alliance's conference, which takes place in London on January 13th 2003, will bring together expert speakers to debate the cases for and against GM crops in the areas of health, environment, commerce and developing countries.

A Label We Don't Need
28 November 2002 Hoover Institution
If you were designing a label to inform consumers that, for safety reasons, certain foods need to be cooked or handled in a certain way, what would it say? How about "Made in Brussels"

WHO Lists Hunger as Number One Global Health Risk
27 November 2002 World Health Organization
The World Health Organization recently identified lack of food as number one on the list of health risks globally.

Biotech Goal: Sweet-smelling Blue Roses
27 November 2002 Life Sciences Network
Roses are red, and a variety of other colors. But they've never been blue - an omission legions of rose breeders have sought for centuries to remedy.

In Praise of Cowdung
27 November 2002 Zmag.org
In India we worship cow dung as Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. Gobur-dhan puja is literally the worship of gobur (cowdung) dhan (wealth).

Denmark Votes to end EU GM Moratorium
26 November 2002 Altinget
The EU's agricultural ministers are preparing a regulation concerning the labelling of GM food and animal feed. This means that one obstacle to revoking the GMO moratorium has been removed.

European Competitiveness Council to Agree Road Map for European Life Sciences and Biotechnology
26 November 2002 Europabio
Member States will decide to pursue biotechnology as a central part of Europe's competitiveness strategy. "This is a welcome signal," says Feike Sijbesma, Chairman of EuropaBio

Projecting the Benefits of Golden Rice in the Philippines
25 November 2002 Center for Developing Research
This paper has analyzed the potential benefits of Golden Rice in the Philippines. VAD is a severe problem in this country, causing increased morbidity and mortality, especially among children and pregnant and lactating women.

Scientists Must Better Explain Biotech's Benefits, Panel Says
25 November 2002 The Washington File
The international scientific community must do more to explain to the public the consumer benefits of foods derived from biotechnology, a panel of food experts agreed.

Grassroots GM could Help to Stop Hayfever
25 November 2002 Life Sciences Network
Australian scientists have developed a genetically modified grass that could cure hayfever for 95 per cent of summer sneezers, reports a story for the New Zealand Herald.

Movement in Europe
25 November 2002 Cropgen
Slowly and painfully, two steps forward and one back, official Europe seems to be coming to grips with the reality that biotechnology in agriculture is here to stay.

Africa Must Invest in Biotechnology
25 November 2002 FAO Newsgroup
I am Drew Kershen, a law professor who has focused on agricultural biotechology law and policy issues for the past six years. I teach agricultural law courses at the University of Oklahoma School of Law in the state of Oklahoma, United States.

U.S. Farmers Fight EU Ban Of New Bioengineered Food
25 November 2002 Monsanto UK
American farmers, holding out little hope the European Union will make any progress toward lifting a moratorium on new biotech foods in talks starting this week, have started coordinating pressure on Washington to do something about it, reported the Wall Street Journal.

China Gears up for Biotech
25 November 2002 ISAAA
Scott Rozelle of the University of California at Davis notes that that the Chinese government's announcement to quintuple government funding of agbiotech research by 2005, to $500 million annually will top US government spending in the field.

How did Bt Cotton really Fare in India?
25 November 2002 ISAAA
C. Kameswara Rao, an honorary professor at the Postgraduate Department of Applied Botany and Biotechnology, SSMRV College, Bangalore said that it is premature to give a verdict on the performance of Bt cotton in any part of India.

Brazil: Non-GM Soy Threatening Rain Forests Admits Greenpeace
22 November 2002 Alertnet.org
Green groups have praised Brazil's rejection of gene-modified (GM) soybean production but fear the policy will take a heavy toll on the Amazon rain forests, reported Reuters.

Anti-GMO Scientists Accused of Bias As Tempers Flare At Bio-Tech Conference.
22 November 2002 The Times of Zambia
Tempers flared on the sidelines of the bio-technology and food security conference as scientists in favour of genetically altered foods accused fellow experts opposed to the technology of misleading consumers, reported The Times of Zambia.

Golden Rice To Be Available For Local Adaptations
22 November 2002 Financial Express
The betacarotne-rich yellow rice, nicknamed ‘golden rice’, developed by Dr Peter Beyer of Germany and Dr Ingo Potryteus of Switzerland is being made available to the developing countries for free further development under local conditions, according to Financial Express.

Why RSE Believes GM Crop Trials Should Go Ahead
21 November 2002 The Scotsman
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is advising the Scottish Parliament’s inquiry into the health impact of GM crops that it believes GM crop trials should go ahead, so long as tests are strictly monitored.

European Parliament Supports Commission to Lift the de facto Moratorium on GMOs
21 November 2002 Europabio
The European Parliament recommended that the four year de facto moratorium on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) be ended.

Biotech Food Can Help, Not Hurt
21 November 2002 The Tartan
Genetically modified food means agricultural crops that have altered genes to make them more immune to pests, frost, and other damaging factors, according to The Tartan.

Leader - Fresh Questions over BSE and GM Crops
20 November 2002 The Scotsman
It is a question of trust. The chances of a sheep developing a BSE-type disease under normal farming conditions are, on any base of present knowledge, nil. Equally, the chances of a genetically modified crop affecting human health are, from any rational or commonsense base, nil, reported The Scotsman.

The FAO Electronic Forum on Biotechnology
19 November 2002 FAO
The FAO Electronic Forum on Biotechnology in Food and Agriculture is hosting its next e-mail conference.

Agriculture: A Variety of Methods ensures Biodiversity
19 November 2002 CropBiotech
In Germany, no level of farming intensity should be ruled out if we want to secure the largest possible degree of biodiversity.

Undeniable Truths about Biotech Food
19 November 2002 Center For Consumer Freedom
As more and more people begin to understand the measurable benefits (and immeasurably tiny risks) associated with genetically improved foods, some activists will stop at nothing to try and turn the tide against those responsible for this latest agricultural revolution.

British Medical Association Advice Exposes Double Standards
19 November 2002 Cropgen
The British Medical Association (BMA) will express concern about the use of antibiotic resistance markers in genetically modified crops in trials.

Agricultural Biotechnology could Help Feed the World
19 November 2002 Gainesville Times
It's hard to believe that in today's high-tech world, more than 4 billion people do not have access to refrigerated milk. And more than 400 million people worldwide, including 180 million children, suffer from Vitamin A deficiency.

Analyses of the Data Presented in "Transgenic DNA Introgressed Into Traditional Maize Landraces in Oaxaca, Mexico" By D Quist And Ih Chapela
18 November 2002 Electronic Journal of Biotechnology
We performed a detailed examination of the data provided by the authors, and cannot verify their key results. Without proper data, the authors can neither prove nor disprove the presence of engineered genes in Mexico's corn landraces.

New Pesticide Study Focuses on Farm Families
18 November 2002 University of Minnesota
A new study conducted by the University of Minnesota is the most comprehensive bio-monitoring assessment to date of pesticide exposure for farm spouses and children.

GM Safe for Farm Livestock
15 November 2002 ISAAA
There does not appear to be any increased risk to animals consuming genetically modified crops or to humans consuming the products of animals fed on rations containing GM feeds.

US Biotech Regulatory Process "Among Safest"
15 November 2002 ISAAA
The USA has one of the most highly developed food regulatory process in the world, making the US food supply among the safest.

GM Plant Route for Rinderpest Vaccine?
15 November 2002 ISAAA
Researchers have demonstrated that pigeonpea expressing the hemagglutinin protein of rinderpest virus could offer a new route for vaccination of attle.

British Crop Group Speaker Claims Organic Farming on a Global Basis Would be an Environmental Catastrophe
15 November 2002 Center for Global Food Issues
Nobel Laureates, World Leaders and Even Greenpeace Founder Prefer High-Yielding Conventional Agriculture.

Time Magazine's 2002 Best Inventions: Tomato Vaccine
14 November 2002 AgBioView
Charles Arntzen is convinced that the reddish, powdery substance he holds in his hand will make the world a safer place.

Scientists Need to be Open Minded...
14 November 2002 Food and Agriculture Organization
Scientists need to be open minded to new technological developments and be prepared to take advantage of them whenever they became available and when they are the most suitable way to achieve the proposed breeding objectives.

Norman Borlaug Cites Importance of Plant Biotechnology in Fighting World Hunger
13 November 2002 ASPB
The storybook journey of Norman Borlaug’s life turned a page to the American Society of Plant Biologists at its annual meeting August 3.

Groups Urge EU Confrontation on Biotechnology
13 November 2002 AgBioView
Thirty agricultural groups have urged U.S. Trade representative Robert Zoellick to strongly support active engagement with the European Union on biotechnology traceability and labeling.

We Cannot Be Indifferent To Genetically Modified Crops, Secretary-general Says In Introducing Lecture Speakers
12 November 2002 M2 Presswire
Following are Secretary-General Kofi Annan's remarks on introducing Professor Daphne Preuss and Professor Jennifer Thomson as speakers in the Secretary-General's lecture series.

GMOs could help Developing Countries
12 November 2002 Bio-scope.org
According to CIRAD, biotechnology is a useful tool for the developing world allowing to breed crop varieties resistant to stress (dryness, salinity), various diseases or higher nutritional qualities.

ISAAA Releases New Pocket K
11 November 2002 ISAAA
The International Service for the Acquisition of Agribiotech Applications' (ISAAA) Global Knowledge Center on Crop Biotechnology has just released its 9th Pocket K series on Intellectual Property Rights and Agricultural Biotechnology.

Biotech Cancer-Fighting Tomatoes Get Consumer Vote
11 November 2002 Life Sciences Network
Cancer-fighting tomatoes and bananas that protect against sexually transmitted diseases top the list of advancements being made in biotech food, according to Americans surveyed by an industry group.

GMOs - The Nature Argument
11 November 2002 AgBioView
In the debate on the deployment of GMOs in agriculture, a lot has been said about environmental impacts, especially from alarmists disguised as environmental scientists.

GM Maize Can Be Solution to Zambia's Hunger: UNICEF Official
11 November 2002 Xinhua
Genetically modified (GM) maize can be a solution to Zambia's hunger situation if farmers pledge not to plant it, said the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) goodwill ambassador.

Silent Spring Again
08 November 2002 The Scotsman
Spring is pretty silent in the vast oil palm plantations thousands of mile away in Malaysia where the Scottish organic movement obtains the palmitic acid it requires for one of its safe, sustainable, environmentally friendly pesticides, potassium palmitate.

Go GM or Lose Markets, Australian Farmers Told
08 November 2002 CheckBiotech
Australian farmers could lose market share to major competitors if they failed to adopt genetically engineered crops, a new report warns.

Oregon Rejects Initiative to Label GM Food
07 November 2002 Life Sciences Network
Oregon voters overwhelmingly rejected an initiative to make the state the first in the country to require labeling of genetically modified foods.

Food's Fear Factor
05 November 2002 Techcentral Station
The future of farming is in technology, in the ability to use science - including genetic modification - to help do two important things: feed the world and heal the world. Let's take these two in turn.

'Greenpeace - Africans Should Eat GM'
05 November 2002 The Guardian
Greenpeace has not pressured Zambia on the issue and believes that if the choice is between eating GM or dying of hunger, Africans should eat GM.

A Turning Point in Johannesburg?
05 November 2002 Agbioworld
Two developments occurred at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) meeting that are of particular interest to the agricultural biotechnology community, writes Val Giddings for Nature Biotechnology.

High Turnout Expected for GM Lecture
05 November 2002 The Courier
Growing protests in Fife over the testing of genetically-modified organisms are expected to make this month’s British Association lecture one of the best attended.

Who Answers Questions on Genetically Modified Foods ?
04 November 2002 World Health Organization
The World Health Organization recently published a document entitled 20 Questions on Genetically Modified Foods.

Technology to Feed the World
04 November 2002 Bozeman Daily Chronicle
"The first essential component of social justice is adequate food,” said Nobel laureate Norman Borlaug. He received the 1970 Peace Prize for improving agricultural productivity.

Feeding People: How Beautiful is Small?
04 November 2002 Agbioworld
A current standard argument against genetically modified food neglects the fact that vast numbers of those in the worst poverty are poor farmers in Africa for whom increased yields would make a contribution to both hunger and poverty reduction.

Feeding the Poor, Saving the Environment
04 November 2002 AgBiotech Bulletin
Danish researcher Dr. Birger Møller of the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University in Copenhagen is applying biotechnology to cassava, with implications for both the environment and nutrition.

GE could Halt Effects of Global Warming
04 November 2002 Agricultural Research Service, USDA
Recent research suggests that a global climate change could leave some crops partly sterile.A story for the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) says, however, that genetic engineering could help scientists introduce desirable genes from other plants to combat this sterility.

Indian Farmers Welcome Commercial Introduction of 'Miracle' GM Cotton
03 November 2002 Business Report
Farmers have welcomed India's belated go-ahead for the commercial production of genetically modified (GM) cotton as a miracle solution for growers hit hard by drought and pests.

New challenges for Food and Agriculture
01 November 2002 Bio-Scope Newsletter
Entitled "Science for Society Science with Society", the annual Euagri conference took place in Brussels on October the 15th 2002.

Roger Beachy: Using Science to Make A Difference in the World
01 November 2002 Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology
In a world where critics often complain that biotechnology research is being driven to make profits for big corporations, Roger Beachy is defying the stereotype.

African Food for Thought
01 November 2002 The Guardian
Zambia's president would like to protect his nation from the "poison" of GM maize (Zambia slams door shut on GM relief food, October 30). Unfortunately, corpses don't talk, so we'll never know if the famine victims of Mwanawasa's irresponsible policy agreed with him, reported the Guardian.

New Technique Eliminates Risk of Transferring Antibiotic Resistance from Genetically Modified Plants to Nature
01 November 2002 Oresund Food Excellence
Researchers at The Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences have developed a technology, which enables them to use antibiotic resistance in the selection of genetically modified plants, while making sure that bacteria does not spread the antibiotic resistance in nature.

SciDev.Net Launches Dossier on GM Crops
01 November 2002 SciDev.Net
SciDev.Net is pleased to announce the launch of a new dossier on genetically modified (GM) crops.

Super Crops: Genes Tuned to Resist Cold, Drought
01 November 2002 Life Sciences Network
By using genetic material already in a plant or moving genes from hardier organisms, researchers have been able to bolster plants' natural defenses.

Invest in Technology, Reap Benefits
31 October 2002 Times of India
In and around Johannesburg, I have seen large and small farms where farmers were clearly winning the battle against poverty because their society and government have helped them benefit from the advances in science by allowing in GM crops after careful evaluation.

Biotechnology could Lessen Effects of Drought
31 October 2002 Life Sciences Network
The impact of the prolonged drought in Australia could be mitigated by the judicious use of biotechnology, said Australian Director of the Life Sciences Network Dr Wendy Craik.

Children go Hungry as GM Food Rejected
30 October 2002 Glasgow Herald
The teachers at Mankodi primary school keep a wallchart listing each month's problems - broken windows, a shortage of exercise books, and the likes. The entry for October reads "hunger", reported the Glasgow Herald.

Academics Say Africans Going Hungry Because of Activist Scare Tactics
30 October 2002 biotech knowledge center
A new report by European and American scholars challenges the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection's support for Zambia's refusal of food aid containing genetically modified corn.

US: Comprehensive Review on Biotech Released
29 October 2002 Life Sciences Network
The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), a Chicago-based, international, not-for-profit scientific society, has published a comprehensive review of the scientific evidence related to biotechnology and foods.

Welcome to the Agricultural Biotechnology Support Project II
29 October 2002 Cornell University
The Agricultural Biotechnology Support Project II (ABSPII) focuses on the safe and effective development and commercialization of genetically modified (GM) crops as a complement to traditional and organic agricultural approaches in developing countries.

FAO Releases Biotech Documents
28 October 2002 CropBiotech
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has released three reports on biotechnology- related topics.

Plant Biotechnology Improves Wildlife Habitat, Water Quality
28 October 2002 Council for Biotechnology Information
No-till conservation practices have increased 35 percent since biotech crops came on the market in 1996, reported Council for Biotechnology Information.

The Link Between Conservation Tillage and Crop Biotech
28 October 2002 CropBiotech
The Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) study "Conservation Tillage and Plant Biotechnology: How new technologies can improve the environment by reducing the need to plow" links crop biotechnology and no-till.

GM Cotton Will Cut Pesticide Use Even More
28 October 2002 The Cotton Research and Development Corporation
Chemical use on Australian cotton farms would fall dramatically if more genetically modified crops were approved, The Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC) has found.

Europe's Biotech Madness
28 October 2002 Washington Post
For four years the European Union has refused to license new genetically modified crops. It has pursued this policy even though Americans eat biotech products every day without apparent ill effects; even though European tourists arriving in America do not generally bring suitcases full of non-modified food with them.

Study Says Biotech Crops Help Environment
25 October 2002 Life Sciences Network
As scientists and farmers continue to debate whether biotech crops are healthy for humans, a conservation group is announcing that the genetically modified plants are a benefit to the environment.

Biotechnology in Agriculture
24 October 2002 Nigeria Daily Times
Biotechnology is a new and promising technique for crop improvement and novel uses of plants, animals and micro-organisms.

Benefits of Plant Biotechnology: Powerpoint Presentations
23 October 2002 Whybiotech.com
The 50-slide PowerPoint presentation attached at the bottom of this document provides an overview of what plant biotechnology is and the benefits it provides.

Biotechnology A Tool To Help Improve The Quality Of Life For Women Monsanto Executive Says
23 October 2002 Monsanto Co.
Speech at International Business Conference Highlights Benefits of Plant Biotechnology for Women in the Developed and Developing World.

Interview with Lord Sainsbury, Minister of Science and supporter of GM technology
22 October 2002 The observer
The target: scion of the supermarket dynasty, the third richest man in Britain (according to the Sunday Times 'Rich List'), Labour donor and friend of Tony, Science and Innovation Minister and advocate of genetically modified foods.

Sijbesma Aims for Double Goal in Biotechnology
21 October 2002 Financial Times
Feike Sijbesma, newly elected chairman of EuropaBio, the European association of biotechnology companies, says he has two priorities.

'Accept GM Foods or Starve'
19 October 2002 Sunday Independent
Investment in new agricultural technology, particularly biotechnology, is the only way to lift Africa out of its "vicious cycle" of poverty, African food experts said to The Sunday Independent.

New Rules for Biotech Products in EU
18 October 2002 CropBiotech.net
New rules governing the safety approval of field trials and the growing of genetically modified (GM) crops in the European Union (EU) have just come into force.

Context and GM Crops
18 October 2002 CropBiotech
Joseph deVries, Associate Director of Food and Security at the Rockefeller Foundation, believes that much of the global debate on GM crops is about context.

GM Technology and Nutrition
18 October 2002 CropBiotech
While general nutrition has been greatly enhanced through increases in the intake of calories, the availability of micronutrients remains a serious problem for many in the developing world.

EU Authorizes GMOs
17 October 2002 Europa
New GMO Directive taking effect on October 17 provides more transparent and effective system for authorisation of GMOs, says European Commission.

Time For The EU To Say Yes To Agricultural Biotechnology
16 October 2002 Cropgen
Professor Vivian Moses, Chairman of the CropGen panel said: "We deserve a choice on GM crops. We have had enough of hampering our agriculture, damaging our economy and frustrating our scientists. It is time for the UK to move forward.”

It's Official: GM Food "Safe": A committee of Top Canadian Scientists Also Says Mandatory Labelling is not Needed
15 October 2002 The Report Newsmagazine
A blue-ribbon committee of Canadian scientists suggested concerns about the dangers of GM food are more science fiction than science fact, according to The Report Newsmagazine.

Ministers Press for End to GM Ban
13 October 2002 Independent
British ministers will press this week for a Europe-wide go-ahead on new GM crops and foods.

Golden Rice Production may Start within 3 Years: Researcher
10 October 2002 The Times of India
The commercial plantation of the much talked about vitamin-enriched `golden rice` will, according to The Times of India, start in India within the next three years.

Crops on Trial
10 October 2002 Life Sciences Network
The Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission has published a detailed report evaluating the experience of the UK with Farm Scale Evaluations (FSEs).

Enormous Environmental Benefits in GM Crops
08 October 2002 The Canberra Times
Adrienne Clarke told The Canberra Times that the facts clearly show that concerns about the use of gene technology in agriculture are unfounded.

Europe Farmers Show more Interest in Biotech
07 October 2002 AgriNews
Agriculture policy reform taking place in Europe seems to be slowly but surely changing farmers’ attitudes there about biotechnology, according to several U.S. participants of the World Corn Congress held in Pau, France Sept. 17-19.

Technology Helps Farmers Boost Profits While Aiding Environment
06 October 2002 Star Tribune
Gary Wagner's combine, according to this story, rolled over a dying patch of Canada thistle, the purple-flowered weed that farmers fight.

Kornberg: Temper Promise of Biotech With Management of Resources
04 October 2002 CropBiotech.net
Nobel Laureate of Medicine Arthur Kornberg said that the age of genetic engineering and biotechnology is a golden era in science.

South Africa To Produce First GMO White Corn In 02-03 Season
04 October 2002 Dow Jones
South Africa will for the first time produce genetically modified white corn in the 2002-03 summer grain season which gets underway this month, a grain industry told OsterDowJones.

Biotechnology and Genetically Modified Crops at the World Summit on Sustainable Development
04 October 2002 CropBiotech.net
Biotechnology and genetically modified (GM) crops were not listed as topics on the formal agenda of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), however they received considerable attention.

Biotechnology Essential
03 October 2002 The StarPhoenix
Crystal Wallin of Saskatoon writes in this letter that biotechnology is an essential tool for progressive development of agricultural practices.

Of Famine and Food Aid: GM Food Internationally
03 October 2002 The Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology
A new and somber aspect of the global debate about the acceptability of GM foods came to international attention when a number of African countries suffering famine recently refused U.S. food aid because it included genetically modified (GM) corn.

Response to the U.K. Soil Association's, "Seeds of Doubt: North American Farmers' Experiences of GM Crops"
03 October 2002 University of Saskatchewan
The report released by the U.K. Soil Association contains numerous inaccuracies and leaves the reader with an impression that does not reflect documented benefits from biotechnology and GM crops.

GM foods: Support Grows Internationally
03 October 2002 Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology
This growing international support largely stems from the recognition that GM crops can fight off pests and weeds and help increase yields.

Explaining Restricted Approval and Availability of GM Crops in Developing Countries
02 October 2002 AgBiotechNet
Agricultural food and feed crops improved through recombinant DNA are grown widely on farms in wealthy countries such as the USA and Canada, but are scarcely grown anywhere in the poor developing world.

Biotechnology Seen as Cure for Food Crisis
02 October 2002 High Yield Conservation.org
Nobel Peace Prize winner Norman Borlaug, 88, was cited as saying that high-yield agriculture and the use of genetically modified foods have a crucial role to play in boosting farm productivity to end hunger

Bt Cotton in South Africa: Adoption and Impact on Farm Incomes Amongst Small- And Large-Scale Farmers
02 October 2002 CropBiotech.net
South Africa is one of few developing countries, and the only one in Africa, that has adopted genetically modified crops for commercial production.

Dow Agrosciences And Monsanto Reach Agreement Enabling Broader Worldwide Licensing Of Biotechnology Events
02 October 2002 Monsanto Co.
Dow AgroSciences LLC and Monsanto Company announced agreement on a series of licenses and options related to insect-protected corn and Roundup Ready corn, soybeans, cotton and canola.

ERMA Decision Preserves Opportunities
01 October 2002 Life Sciences Network
The Environmental Risk Management Authorities' approval of AgResearch's application to conduct contained research trials on cows is a positive outcome for agriculture and the New Zealand economy, says Federated Farmer's National Vice Chairman Charlie Pedersen.

Survey: Consumers Support Food Biotechnology
30 September 2002 Institute of food Technologists
According to the latest survey conducted for the International Food Information Council, American consumer support for food biotechnology is holding steady, while specific benefits are resonating even more.

NZ Growers Want GE Options Open
30 September 2002 NewsRoom
New Zealand grain growers want to keep their options open so they can grow genetically modified crops in the future, despite little interest in the crops now, reports NewsRoom.

How Not To Save The World
28 September 2002 New Scientist
Bullying people into action has become counterproductive, says Calestous Juma to the New Scientist. We need a new generation of activists who are prepared to work with business.

Don't Discount Biotech Benefits
27 September 2002 The StarPhoenix
Nicole Sangster of Saskatoon writes that she came away with a totally different idea about how biotech is helping farmers in both the developed and developing worlds.

CIRAD Says GMOs Could Help Developing Countries
27 September 2002 CropBiotech.net
The French research organization CIRAD says that biotech could help in addressing key constraints in the developing world.

Changing Status Of GM Crops In Europe?
27 September 2002 CropBiotech.net
Following a series of important European Union minister meetings in October, the informal ban on genetically modified (GM) crops may be lifted.

GMO's Pose no Greater Threat than Non-GMOs
27 September 2002 New Zealand News
A new public discussion paper released by the Ministry for the Environment in New Zealand says the risks associated with GMO’s pose no greater threat than non-GMO’s, reported the New Zealand News.

GM Crops Benefits Small Farmers in Spain
27 September 2002 Europabio
In a new study presented in Brussels, Brookes West consultancy reports that small farmers in North East Spain are achieving environmental benefits as well as higher yields, better quality and increased income by growing genetically modified maize (Bt Maize).

BT Technology Could Cut Use of Insecticides
27 September 2002 The Guardian
GM crops are the most successful of any new agricultural technology, said David T. Dennis, Ph.D., FRSC president and CEO, Performance Plants Inc., reported The Guardian.

Monsanto Executive Says Continuous Innovation Strengthens Market Position
26 September 2002 Monsanto Co.
Continuous innovation is a cornerstone of Monsanto Company’s leadership in the agricultural industry, Chief Technology Officer Robert T. Fraley, Ph.D., said at the 15 th annual Credit Suisse First Boston Chemicals Conference.

GM Crops Seen as 'a Fantastic Tool'
26 September 2002 The West Australian
If genetically modified crops are used wisely in Australia, they will be a fantastic tool in managing existing herbicide resistance problems, reported The West Australian.

German Food Chain on "Green Biotechnology": Facilitating co-existence - Ensure Freedom of Choice
25 September 2002 Monsanto.co.uk
The German food chain "from farm to fork" considers the co-existence of production methods - with and without the use of genetic engineering - to be both possible and necessary.

An American Farmer Appeals to Africa
25 September 2002 Chicago Tribune
I grow poison on my farm, feed it to my family and sell it to unsuspecting consumers in the U.S. and around the world, said John Reifsteck to Chicago Tribune.

European Parliament Supports EU Research on Plant Biotechnology
25 September 2002 Europabio
The Parliament signalled support for EU plant biotechnology research when voting on a new proposed Regulation to implement the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.

Pseudo-science and "FrankenFears"
24 September 2002 Life Sciences Network
In an article for the Times of India, journalist Swaminathan S Anklesaria Aiyar alleges that Green fundamentalists are killers.

Biotechnology is Cutting Production Costs, Food Prices, Expert Says
24 September 2002 Knight-Ridder Tribune
Leonard Gianessi, program director of the nonprofit National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy said that biotechnology is lowering production costs for farmers and food costs for consumers, reported Knight-Ridder Tribune.

Developing Countries Should Adopt Biotech, U.N. Panelists Urge
24 September 2002 US Department of State
Developing countries should consider adopting agricultural biotechnology, which can improve crop yields and safely provide more nutritious food at a lower cost, according to a group of experts meeting at U.N. headquarters.

New Book Entitled "Plants, Genes and Crop Biotechnology" is Available
23 September 2002 CropBiotech.net
This textbook is about plants, genes, food, and agriculture, and the changing relationships among them.

October 17 will be D-Day for GM Crops in Europe
23 September 2002 EUobserver
Consumers and farmers in Europe may be exposed to a GMO revolution after important EU minister meetings in October, writes Norwegian paper Nationen.

Biotech Offers Real Opportunities for Australian Farmers
23 September 2002 CropBiotech.net
The effectiveness of Bt in minimizing insect attacks in the first half of the growing season has seen a major reduction in the application of chemicals such as endosulfan.

Monsanto Questions GM Report Claims
23 September 2002 Monsanto Co.
Genetically-modified (GM) crop manufacturer Monsanto says a report claiming GM products have been a failure in the United States does not correspond with the figures.

Uganda Could Take 4 To 5 Years To Introduce Bt Cotton - Official
20 September 2002 OsterDowJones
Uganda could take four to five years to introduce genetically modified cotton, or Bt. cotton, a senior government official told OsterDowJones.

Biotech Food can Save Millions of African Lives
19 September 2002 International Herald Tribune
All scientific risk assessments thus far show that the biotech foods now on the market are every bit as safe to eat as their conventional counterparts, reported International Herald Tribune.

GM Food Said a Big Help Advantage for Developing Nations
19 September 2002 The Leader-Post - Regina
Anatole Krattiger was cited as telling the final plenary session of the Agriculture Biotechnology International Conference (ABIC) in Saskatoon that the agriculture biotechnology community should take a radically different approach to convincing people of the merits of genetically modified (GM) food.

Farmers Not - Stupid!
18 September 2002 Life Sciences Network
Dr Steve Sonka, Director of the National Soybean Research Laboratory in Illinois says that the data in the Soil Association report is being used to mislead the public.

Let the Facts Speak for Themselves
18 September 2002 Life Sciences Network
The 69-page report refutes the statement that widespread growing of GM herbicide-tolerant crops has harmed the environment.

Why Do We Need The UK Farm-Scale Trials?
18 September 2002 Spiked-online
The farm-scale evaluations are essential if we are to make informed decisions about growing GM crops without harming wildlife.

GM in Perspective
18 September 2002 Spiked-online
If the field trials are allowed to progress unmolested, Britons will find that they show GM crops to have real environmental benefits.

New Rice Line Could Benefit Malnourished Populations
17 September 2002 USDA
Rice grains with less phytic acid could mean improved nutrition for the world's malnourished, more nutritious animal feed and less potential for water pollution from manure.

American Farmers Rebut GM 'Myths'
17 September 2002 Life Sciences Network
American farmers dismissed claims that many of them were against the use of biotechnology in agriculture as ludicrous.

Britain Funds £13.4m GM Programme in Third World
16 September 2002 Independent
Clare Short's overseas aid department DFID (Department for International Development) has funded at £13.4m programme to create a new generation of GM animals, crops and drugs throughout the Third World.

Top Farmer: GM Techniques Could Cut Chemical Use
13 September 2002 Agbioworld
Raul Q. Montemayor was cited as saying that genetically modified crops offer the world's farmers a chance to reduce their use of chemical insecticides, pesticides and herbicides.

FAO Conference 7: GMOs - Gene Flow
13 September 2002 Food and Agriculture Organization
The Conference 7 of the FAO Electronic Forum on Biotechnology in Food and Agriculture is complete.

WSSD Plan of Implementation Available
13 September 2002 Johannesburg Summit.org
One of the key documents produced from the recently concluded World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) is already available.

Impact of Herbicide Tolerant Soybeans
13 September 2002 Crop Biotech Net
A study was conducted by the George Morris Center to determine the impact of Glyphosate Tolerant (GT) soybeans in Ontario.

Gene Targeting in Rice
13 September 2002 CropBiotech.net
Researchers have found a rapid way of finding the function of specific genes in rice, one of the world's most vital staples.

FDA Issues Guidelines for Bioengineered Plants
12 September 2002 FDA
The FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research is seeking public comments.

GM Crop-Fed Livestock 'Safe Source of Food'
12 September 2002 Gulf Times
Food derived from animals fed genetically modified products is as safe as that produced from conventional feed ingredients, a British expert told the fourth symposium on ‘Food Safety and Human Health’.

Doors Opening For GM Foods - European Briefing
11 September 2002 The Times
While the European Court's advocate-general makes bad law out of bad weed, some sense is beginning to emerge from the Commission on transgenic food, according to The Times.

European Food Sector has to Drive Innovation
10 September 2002 European Commission
Innovation in the farming and food sector is a vital issue to which Europe will need to devote significant attention and energy in the coming years, reported the European Commission.

Many Delegates - Little Sustainability
10 September 2002 Bio-Scope
For the past few days, the eyes of the world have been on the South African city of Johannesburg, where delegates have gathered to forge the master plan for a just, healthy and - above all - sustainable world.

Monsanto Soybean Research Facility First In The World To Receive Prestigious ISO Quality Certification
10 September 2002 Monsanto Co.
Monsanto Company announced that its Ames, Iowa soybean breeding program has become the first soybean breeding program in the world to be awarded the ISO certification.

FAO and Agricultural Biotechnology
09 September 2002 Food and Agriculture Organization
The `World Food Summit: five years later' took place on June 10-13, 2002, at the Headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in Rome and was attended by delegations from more than 180 countries.

Scotland Considers more GM Trials
06 September 2002 Life Sciences Network
Ministers in Scotland are considering whether the autumn programme of genetically modified crop trials should go ahead.

Science Forum Focuses on Role of Biotech and Biodiversity
06 September 2002 Monsanto Africa
One of the highlights during the recently concluded World Summit on Sustainable Agriculture was the Science Forum Workshop on the Role of Biotechnology and Biodiversity in Sustainable Development held at Ubuntu Village, Johannesburg, South Africa.

WSSD Concludes With Government Commitments and Partnership Programs
06 September 2002 Monsanto Africa
The two-week WSSD in Johannesburg, South Africa concluded with significant commitments to improve the lives of people living in poverty and to reverse the continuing degradation of the global environment.

Russian Potato Farms Battle Beetle
06 September 2002 Monsanto.co.uk
The Colorado beetle may be a tougher challenge. The most promising solution is a genetically modified potato, reported Reuters.

Scientists Applaud Limited Activist Supportfor GM Food Aid
06 September 2002 Agbioworld
A group of scientists and agriculture experts led by the AgBioWorld Foundation are applauding recent activist statements supporting genetically-modified food aid from the United States.

Zimbabwe 'Accepts GM Food'
06 September 2002 Monsanto Africa
"The World Food Programme says Zimbabwe has dropped objections to accepting genetically-modified grain so that urgently-needed food aid can be delivered, according to the BBC.

Schmeiser Loses Again; Will the Rest of Us?
06 September 2002 Food Safety Network
Percy Schmeiser, Canadian canola farmer and international genetically engineered (GE) crop martyr, has again lost in a court of law.

FAO Urges Southern Africa to Accept GM Maize Aid
05 September 2002 Just-Food.com
Countries in southern Africa whose populations are facing devastating droughts should "carefully consider" current scientific knowledge before rejecting genetically modified food aid, Dr Jacques Diouf said.

National Academy of Sciences: GM Food is Safe to Eat and Drink
05 September 2002 National Academy of Sciences
A report from the National Academy of Sciences has helped to clarify that genetically engineered foods are safe to eat and drink.

African Scientists Urge GM Acceptance
05 September 2002 Scidev.net
A coalition of African scientists at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg has urged southern African countries to accept donations of genetically modified (GM) maize.

Federal Court Judges Unanimously Dismiss Appeal in Schmeiser vs. Monsanto Canada Inc. Patent Infringement Case
05 September 2002 Monsanto Co.
The Federal Court of Appeal has unanimously dismissed the 17 grounds of appeal submitted for Mr. Percy Schmeiser, who was found guilty of violating Monsanto’s patent pertaining to the Roundup Ready gene in canola.

The 'Pure' and Starving Poor; Environmentalists Stifle Modern Agriculture in the Third World
03 September 2002 Los Angeles Times
The apartheid system is gone, but many here at the World Summit on Sustainable Development seem to want to bring back a form of "separate and unequal" in the form of environmental regulation that would stifle economic development.

Focus On Trade: Famine Reshapes `Frankenfood' Debate
03 September 2002 Wall Street Journal Europe
Some Opponents Of Genetically Modified Food Make Exception For Southern Africa, according to the Wall Street Journal.

South African Minister of Science and Technology Endorses Biotechnology as a Tool for Sustainable Development
02 September 2002 Africabio
Contrary to the negative sentiments that are being expressed by Vandana Shiva and all her allies, biotechnology has been given the go ahead by the South African Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ben Ngubane.

EU 'Sell-Out' is Massive Blow for Renewable Energy Plans
28 August 2002 The Independent
Hopes that world leaders would agree to boost renewable energy, such as wind and solar power, were dealt a devastating blow yesterday when European Union negotiators abandoned attempts to press for it. Confidential conference documents seen by The Independent reveal that the EU – which has led attempts for an increase in renewable energy – is proposing that it rises by only a single percentage point worldwide over this entire decade.

Earth Summit opens amid "sea of poverty"
28 August 2002 Planet Ark
JOHANNESBURG - With a call for an end to the "global apartheid" between rich and poor ringing in their ears, delegates to the Earth Summit in Johannesburg began talks this week aimed at relieving poverty and healing the planet.

Earth Summit Confronts Global Water Crisis
28 August 2002 Reuters
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Earth Summit delegates on Wednesday tackled ways to quench the planet's growing thirst and provide sanitation to billions of the world's poor who do without either every day.

Sustaining the earth?
28 August 2002 The Economist Global Agenda
After reaching a draft agreement on the protection of fishing stocks, delegates at the United Nations Earth Summit in Johannesburg have moved on to other contentious issues, including the provision of water. Tens of thousands of officials, politicians, activists and journalists are at the summit, which runs to September 4th.

Earth Summit chief sees action not words
28 August 2002 Planet Ark
JOHANNESBURG - The U.N. head of the Earth Summit denied yesterday the event would achieve little more than lofty talk about intractable problems and pledged action on narrowing the world's rich-poor divide without damaging the planet.

Sowing Doubt – Account of Planting GM
28 August 2002 The Guardian
Two farmers who recently experimented with planting GM crops (one enthusiastically still does) have been visiting Britain. But Corky Jones from America and Nhlela Phinias Gumede from South Africa recount experiences that differ as widely as the continents from which they come.

FAO: How to Feed 2 Billion More People
23 August 2002 Food and Agriculture Organization
By the year 2030, there will be an additional 2 billion more people but according to the Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) Jelle Bruinsma, it is possible to meet the demand.

Comprehensive Study on Bt by US Academy
23 August 2002 Life Sciences Network
The American Academy of Microbiology has published an easy to read and very accessible assessment of the use of the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis.

Europe Abets Starvation in Africa
23 August 2002 Agbioworld
The European Union is willing to countenance starvation in Africa in order to maintain its artificial trade barriers.

Former Greenpeace Head Backs Biotechnology
23 August 2002 The Philippine Star
The influential founder of controversial international pressure group Greenpeace called on Third World nations to "go ahead and use biotechnology in agriculture".

Pocket Books on AgBiotech
23 August 2002 ISAAA
The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications through its Global Knowledge Center on Crop Biotechnology has updated earlier editions of its Pocket K (Knowledge) series.

Science Group Touts Biotech For Sustainable Development
22 August 2002 AgBioWorld Foundation
The AgBioWorld Foundation urged representatives to next week's World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg to live up to a ten-year-old commitment to facilitate the introduction of advanced biotechnologies into less developed nations.

Better Rice, Less Global Warming
22 August 2002 Life Sciences Network
Rice plants which produce higher yields make less of the potent greenhouse gas methane, researchers have discovered.

Biotechnology and U.S. Food Assistance to Southern Africa
22 August 2002 U. S. State Department
The United States is deeply concerned by the worsening food crisis in southern Africa.

US Ready to Defend Modified Foods
21 August 2002 AllAfrica.com
In anticipation of likely controversy over food safety and biotechnology at the upcoming world summit, the US has taken action to stress the safety of genetically modified food.

Monsanto Faces Pure-Play Biotech Future
21 August 2002 Monsanto UK
Positioning Itself as Independent After Pharmacia Spinoff, Monsanto Company Must Tackle Some Difficult Issues, reported the Wall Street Journal.

Monsanto Gives Boost to Cotton Development
21 August 2002 Monsanto Co.
Monsanto has announced that it will release six genetic promoters that focus on improving fiber quality in cotton.

Science and Sustainability
20 August 2002 Association for the Advancement of Science
The World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg will serve as a powerful reminder that science and technology are at the core of both the world's greatest problems and its most promising opportunities.

Report from Food Standards Agency Concludes Low Risk of Gene Flow
20 August 2002 Food Standards Agency
Preliminary results have been released from a number of Food Standards Agency (FSA) research studies commissioned on the topic of food safety and the fate of DNA from biotech products in the human digestive tract.

ISAAA Briefs No. 23 and 24 Now Available Online
20 August 2002 ISAAA
ISAAA Briefs No. 23: "Global Status of Commercialized Transgenic Crops: 2000" and ISAAA Briefs No. 24: "Global Review of Commercialized Transgenic Crops: 2001" are now available online.

UK Secretary Announces Public Debate on GM Issues
19 August 2002 DEFRA
UK Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett recently announced that public debate on biotech issues will start in autumn.

New Report Highlights Potential of Biotechnology to Positively Impact the Agricultural Revolution in Africa
19 August 2002 African Hunger
A new report released by the Partnership to Cut Hunger and Poverty in Africa examines ways to facilitate progress in the fight against poverty and hunger in Africa.

Transformation of Agricultureis Required to Feed the World
16 August 2002 The Crawford Fund
"To feed the world this century and avert increased economic and civil dislocation, a second and more widespread transformation of agriculture is required," said Dr. Gordon Conway, President of the Rockefeller Foundation.

GM Crops as Safe as Conventional Crops
16 August 2002 ISAAA
Dr. Bruce Chassy of the University of Illinois, states that "crops produced through biotechnology have proven to be as safe as or safer than crops produced by conventional breeding".

Brochures on Bt Cotton in Developing Countries
16 August 2002 ISAAA
Have smallholder farmers benefited from planting Bt cotton? The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications answers this question in a series of brochures on Bt cotton in developing countries.

WSSD 2002 Will Help Ientify Next Big Issue
16 August 2002 ISAAA
"Johannesburg will help identify 'the next Kyoto' - the next big social or environmental issue that will spill over into a corporate communications challenge", said Infonic.

Role of Biotechnology in Sustainable Development
16 August 2002 ISAAA
Read the ISAAA position paper for the World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, 26 August - 4 September 2002.

IOWA OSHA Presents Monsanto Boone Site Top U.S. Safety Recognition
16 August 2002 Monsanto Co.
The administrator of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), John Henshaw, was on hand today as the Iowa OSHA organization presented the agency's top safety classification -- the VPP Star (Voluntary Protection Program) certification - to Monsanto's Boone, Iowa seed-production facility.

BioMalaysia 2002
15 August 2002 Biomalaysia2002.com
The four-day BioMalaysia 2002 symposium is a global event that will generate interest, business opportunites and awareness on biotechnology in not only Malaysia, but also in the Asia-Pacific region.

Monsanto, Pharmacia Shares Jump after Spinoff
15 August 2002 Monsanto.co.uk
Share prices were up for the spinoff and the parent, the first day after Monsanto Co. totally separated from Pharmacia Corp., reported St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Biodiversity : the Impact of Biotechnology
14 August 2002 European Federation of Biotechnology
European Federation of Biotechnology (EFB) briefing paper reviews the various aspects of biodiversity in relation to biotechnology.

In a World of Plenty, How do we Fight Hunger?
14 August 2002 Life Sciences Network
As world leaders gather this month to grapple with the goal of halving world hunger by 2015 the spectre of famine is again stalking sub Saharan Africa.

Mozambique US GM Food Donation
14 August 2002 Ananova
Mozambique is accepting a shipment of genetically modified food aid from the US in an attempt to ease the country's hunger crisis.

High-yield Agriculture Protects Biodiversity
13 August 2002 High-Yield Conservation
On April 30, 2002, a broad coalition of food, environmental, farming and forestry experts invited their colleagues worldwide to co-sign a declaration in favor of high-yield conservation.

Johannesburg 2002: The World Summit on Sustainable Development
12 August 2002 Monsanto Africa
World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) will be a summit gathering from 2 - 11 September 2002 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Biotech Eyed for Papaya, Other RP Plants
08 August 2002 The Philippine Star
Pierriden Perez is developing a papaya variety that has a high level of resistance to a deadly pest and increasing the prospect of increased supply of the vitamin A-rich fruit at cheaper prices in the local market.

UK: FoE Slams Somerfield and Others for Pesticide Levels in Fruit and Vegetable
07 August 2002 Just-Food.com
A new survey by environmental pressure group Friends of the Earth (FoE) shows that 60% of fruit and vegetables sold in Somerfield over the past four years contain pesticide residues.

Bush Proposes System to Approve Biotech Crops
06 August 2002 Life Sciences Network
The Bush administration is proposing a new early approval process for biotech crops that are still in the testing stages.

Commercial Pressure May Push EU to GMOS
06 August 2002 Dow Jones
The opening up of clear price differentials between genetically modified grain and non-GMO grain may, according to Dow Jones, spark commercial pressure that pushes the European Union toward GMO crops.

GE Provides Opportunity to Enhance Sustainability
05 August 2002 Life Sciences Network
The ability to commercialise new gene technology products next year will provide many opportunities for New Zealand to increase its commitment to sustainable development.

Biotech Enriches Iron Content in Rice
05 August 2002 CropBiotech
Around 30% of the world's population is estimated to be deficient in iron, making it the most widespread nutrient deficiency.

GE Farming Advantages Will Outweigh Disadvantages
03 August 2002 Life Sciences Network
The many advantages of genetic engineering outweigh the disadvantages, Crop and Food Research scientist Colin Eady says.

Agricultural Biotechnology: Quality Of Food Improved For Both Developed, Developing World
02 August 2002 Monsanto
Plant biotechnology is an important tool to help address nutrition needs in the developing world Monsanto's chief scientist said at the 10th Annual International Association for Plant Tissue Culture and Biotechnology (IAPTC&B) Congress.

Scientist Promotes Advantages to GE
02 August 2002 Christchurch Press
Crop and Food Research scientist Colin Eady said that GE would lead to the production of industrial raw materials like high value oils, modified starch, and biodegradable plastics, research chemicals, and pharmaceuticals.

Safety of Gmos
01 August 2002 Life Sciences Network
The debate about biotechnology and the food derived from it has gained momentum. More so with the famine which is threatening the lives of more than 10 million people in sub-region.

GM Crops 'Could Help Save Environment'
31 July 2002 UN Environment Programme
Genetically modified crops could help to preserve biodiversity and wildlife, according to a report this week from Klaus Toepfer.

French Approval for Field Trials on GM Crops
30 July 2002 Asia Intelligence Wire
The French government has approved 8 new field trials on genetically modified crops.

GM Moratoriums, Regulations, May Cost Lives
24 July 2002 New Zealand Institute of Crop & Food Research
Moratoriums and regulations will mean that many malnourished children continue to suffer because they can’t get access to the new technology.

Put Facts Before Fervour in GM Food Debate
23 July 2002 NZ Herald
It would be easy to conclude from the political debate that genetic engineering is the greatest risk we face in providing safe food to New Zealand consumers and to our export markets.

Farmers Urged to Face Facts in GM Decision
22 July 2002 Stockjournal
The grains industry is being urged to decide on the future of genetically modified crops in Australia without being "misled by claims not supported by science".

Japan Approves Biotech Corn and Soy for Food
18 July 2002 Life Sciences Network
Japan's Health Ministry approved three varieties of genetically modified (GM) corn and soybeans as safe for human consumption, paving the way for more imports of controversial bioengineered foods.

Young UK Farmers Support Gene Crop Trials
18 July 2002 Life Sciences Network
A poll of more than 2,000 farmers by Lloyds TSB was cited as finding that more than half of young UK farmers and nearly half of older farmers support field trials of genetically modified crops.

More US Land Growing GM Crops
17 July 2002 NewsRoom
New figures showing United States farmers are growing more genetically modified crops is being interpreted by some experts as a sign that farmer resistance to the technology is dwindling.

Next Generation of Foods from Biotechnology
17 July 2002 Life Sciences Network
The Consumer Federation of America held its National Food Policy conference on April 22 and 23 in Washington, D.C.

Approved Use of GM is Safe
16 July 2002 Life Sciences Network
Despite GE foods having been approved and released into our food chain without any long term testing, Life Sciences Network is claiming that 'Approved use of GM is safe'.

Monsanto Gains Early-Bird Advantage In Cotton Hybrids Market
15 July 2002 Business Line
Monsanto 's Bt cotton may have made a quiet beginning in the farmers' fields this season. But it has triggered off a seemingly inevitable process of consolidation in the 10 million packets per year cotton hybrid seeds business.

New GE Products Ready To Go – Scientist
15 July 2002 Monsanto Co.
Crop and Food, Lincoln researcher Margy Gilpin was cited as saying that a raft of new genetic engineering (GE) products is about to be unleashed on the world.

New Biotech Corn Could Significantly Cut Pesticide Use
12 July 2002 Biotenz
A new type of genetically engineered corn awaiting government approval could significantly reduce use of chemical insecticides if the crop proves as popular with farmers as expected.

IFPRI Analyzes Economic Impact of Agri-Biotech
12 July 2002 ISAAA
Growing transgenic cotton is likely to result in reduced pesticide use and is predicted to be profitable in most US states in the Cotton Belt.

'Extremely Low' Risk of GM Transfer
11 July 2002 Food Standards Agency
A series of FSA research projects have concluded that it is extremely unlikely that genes from genetically modified (GM) food can end up in bacteria in the gut of people who eat them.

GM Corn Helps Keep Drinking Water Clean
11 July 2002 ISAAA
A study predicts that herbicide-tolerant GM corn, and probably other transgenic crops with the similar trait, lessens the pesticide load on watersheds.

Monsanto Rounds Up Farmer Support
10 July 2002 Life Sciences Network
Monsanto is trying to garner support from grain growers for its application to commercially release genetically-modified canola.

Blair to Head GM Campaign
10 July 2002 Life Sciences Network
Tony Blair is, according to this story, to lead a three-pronged campaign to win public opinion over to the idea that genetically modified crops should be grown commercially in Britain.

New Figures Show Europe Rapidly Adopting GM
09 July 2002 Life Sciences Network
Recently released figures show a marked increase in the environmental release of GM crops right across Europe.

Biotech Group Supports GM Technology
09 July 2002 Life Sciences Network
A biotechnology organisation is supporting the move to introduce genetic modification for farming in Australia, according to a professional lobbyist.

Bt Rice Could Benefit Philippines and Vietnam
08 July 2002 Agbiotechnet
A study by a Masters student at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University suggests that introduction of Bt rice could have significant economic benefits for the economies of the Philippines and Vietnam.

UK: Government Publishes Proposed Autumn GM Crop Trial Sites
08 July 2002 Just-food.com
Sites for the autumn trials of oilseed rape in the UK government's programme of Farm-Scale Evaluations (FSEs) of herbicide tolerant genetically modified (GM) crops were published on July 9, 2002.

Monsanto Bets on Transgenic Cotton in Brazil
08 July 2002 Gazeta Mercantil
American agrochemical giant Mondanto is, according to this story, investing R$1.5 million in research into BT transgenic cotton in Brazil.

G8 Summit Produces Good Biotech Statement
07 July 2002 Honolulu Advertiser
One of the less-well-noticed decisions coming out of that meeting in Canada of the G8 nations was a statement urging the use of biotech food in the global battle against hunger and malnutrition.

Gene May Boost Tomato's Flavor
06 July 2002 Knight-Ridder Tribune
The fierce rivalry to produce the tastiest tomato is, according to this story, under way between dedicated tomato lovers in humorist Garrison Keillor's fictional town of Lake Wobegon.

Tangible Benefits To Adopting GE Crops
05 July 2002 ISAAA
A study by Jorge Fernandez-Cornejo and William McBride used data from the US Department of Agriculture data to examine the extent to which farmers have adopted GM crops.

Government to Hold First Meeting on Biotechnology Strategy
05 July 2002 Kyodo World Service
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda was cited as telling reporters that the government will hold the first meeting of a new panel on the state's biotechnology strategy July 18 as a measure to help revitalize the sagging economy.

Biotech Crops Benefit Environment – Latest US Report
05 July 2002 Biotenz
Figures in a recent report released by the United States Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) show that biotechnology is beneficial to the environment.

China Academy Of Sciences Prepares To Refute The Allegations In The Nanjing Study
03 July 2002 Monsanto UK
Recent media stories out of China have highlighted Greenpeace allegations regarding the effectiveness and value of Bt cotton. Read the facts.

Question and Answers on the Regulation of GMOs in the EU
03 July 2002 Life Sciences Network
It is divided into two sections; Part A covers legislation in force; Part B covers the legislative proposals on tracability and labelling put forward in July 2001.

Food, Feed Safety Promote Dialogue With European Delegation
03 July 2002 Monsanto Co.
Monsanto Company recently hosted a diverse European group at the Chesterfield Village research facility in St. Louis for a tour and greater understanding of biotechnology food and feed safety.

Statement On Crop Biotechnology - The American College of Nutrition
01 July 2002 American College of Nutrition
The American College of Nutrition is committed to the worldwide availability of a safe, adequate and nutritious food supply. Substantial valid scientific evidence exists establishing the safety of crops developed via biotechnology.

China’s Health Minister Denies Delay in GMO Regulation
01 July 2002 Dow Jones
China's Ministry of Health has denied reports that it is delaying immediate implementation of new safety rules for genetically modified food imports in favor of a one-year phase-in period.

GM Crops Have a Place: NSW Minister
01 July 2002 Life Sciences Network
The use of genetically modified crops has been given cautious support by NSW Agriculture Minister Mr Richard Amery.

USDA Report Shows Increased Planting of Biotech Crops by U.S. Farmers in 2002 Use of Monsanto Technology and Seed Brands Expected to Increase
28 June 2002 Monsanto Co.
Monsanto Company said government report showing increased biotech acres affirms that agricultural biotechnology is helping U.S. farmers grow crops more economically.

'Modest' Amount of GM Material Found in Nearby Crops - Study
27 June 2002 Anova
Genes from GM crops are able to spread to other fields but have only a modest effect, according to an Australian study.

Poll Result Confirms Acceptance Of GM
27 June 2002 Life Sciences Network
"Maybe anti-GM campaigners will now acknowledge they are in the minority," Dr William Rolleston said in commenting on the latest opinion poll which shows two-thirds of those polled supported commercial release of GM under carefully controlled conditions.

World Food Summit Statements
27 June 2002 Monsanto.co.uk
Read statements from "The World Food Summit: five years later" held in Rome, 10-13 June 2002.

Biotechnology Can Improve Quality of Food For Both Developed and Developing World, Monsanto Executive Says
27 June 2002 Monsanto Co.
Plant biotechnology is an important tool to help address nutrition needs in the developing world, as well as chronic lifestyle- and diet-related diseases in the developed world, Monsanto's chief scientist said.

Local Farmers Urged To Adopt Biotechnology
26 June 2002 Asia Intelligence Wire
Local farmers should be more pragmatic and adopt biotechnology since it promises not only higher crop yields but also reduced post-harvest losses, a biotechnology expert said.

Biotech Exporters Need Patience
24 June 2002 Guelph Mercury
For the most part North Americans have accepted biotechnology and are considered a hub for this new science. Europe's been less enthusiastic -- and that will only change if consumers are fed balanced information instead of propaganda.

Bt-Cotton Eco-Friendly - Study
24 June 2002 Business Standard
The controversy over the Greenpeace report on the environmental impact of transgenic Bt-cotton in China took a new turn with some officials of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) maintaining that the insect-resistant cotton actually benefited the environment.

GM Tomato May Give Protection Against Cancer
24 June 2002 Scotsman
Government scientists in the United States have created a genetically modified tomato that destroys dangerous cancer triggers.

EU Must Broaden Biotech Debate
24 June 2002 Life Sciences Network
"One of our main problems in Europe is that we do not have a single policy for life sciences and biotechnology, Christian Siebert, European Commission Deputy Head of Unit Enterprise Directorate-General, told the recent BIO 2002 conference.

Finnie 'Will Flout' GM Law
23 June 2002 Sunday Herald
European Directive 2001/18/ EC is meant to bring in an "improved framework" for the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms by October 18. It will determine how all future GM crops will be decided, and has been broadly welcomed by environmentalists.

China Greenpeace GMO Report Wrong, Biased - Scientists
23 June 2002 Dow Jones
Two Chinese researchers say a Greenpeace China report alleging environmental damage caused by genetically-modified Bt cotton strains introduced by US agribusiness company Monsanto (MON) is incorrect and biased.

Statement On Crop Biotechnology
21 June 2002 The American College of Nutrition
The American College of Nutrition recognizes the potential of biotechnology to improve the size and reliability of crop yields and encourages its use to develop crops that benefit countries of the developing world.

GM Food: Good For The Earth And Our future
20 June 2002 Monsanto.co.uk
Slowly but surely the health and environment benefits of GM crops are becoming obvious, according to the National Post.

Genetic Engineering - Farmers, Consumers "Miss Benefit"
20 June 2002 Bangkok Post
US-based geneticist Channaptna Prakash was cited as telling a briefing on GE technology held by the US embassy that opponents of genetically engineered technology are denying benefits to farmers and consumers.

Biotech Helps Protect US Food Crops From Pests
19 June 2002 National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy
Biotechnology is helping control diseases and pests that take a bite out of US -grown crops, resulting in more food production at lower costs and with less reliance upon pesticides, according to a comprehensive study released here at BIO 2002.

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - Fifth Report
19 June 2002 Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee
The Committee calls for greater transparency and responsibility on GM crops, a wider public debate supported by the Government and the need for independent science to underpin the farmscale evaluations.

New Study Demonstrates Role of Plant Biotechnology in Pesticide Reduction
18 June 2002 Monsanto Co.
A new study released by the National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy (NCFAP) shows that crops enhanced through plant biotechnology have resulted in a significant reduction in the use of pesticides on American farms.

Vaccine In Food
17 June 2002 Life Sciences Network
Australian scientists have genetically engineered lettuce and rice to contain an edible measles vaccine.

Genetically Modified Pasture
17 June 2002 Life Sciences Network
Genetically Modified pasture could be commercially available within two years in Australia.

Environmental Impact Of Ag Biotech
17 June 2002 Life Sciences Network
An issue paper entitled "The Environmental Impact of Agricultural Biotechnology" was released by the Agricultural Biotechnology In Europe (ABE).

Rich Pickings For Farmer Charles
16 June 2002 The Sunday Mirror
Prince Charles's speech in Germany in which he attacked experiments with genetically-modified crops as an "acute threat" to organic farmers sounded safe enough. But wait, all is not as it seems.

Comments On The Greenpeace Publication Claiming Adverse Environmental Impacts Of Bt Cotton In China
16 June 2002 Greenspirit
Patrick Moore's response to the Greenpeace report on Bt Cotton in China.

Anti-GMO Groups Losing European Stronghold
16 June 2002 The Philippine Star
The traditional bulwark of anti-genetically modified organism (GMO) advocates appear to be slipping as Europe opened its doors to a major biotechnology research in the United Kingdom (UK).

Extended GE Ban `Could Do More Harm Than Good'
14 June 2002 Asia Intelligence Wire
The Greens could do more environmental harm than good by pushing for an extended moratorium on genetic engineering, a visiting GE researcher has warned.

Japan To Form Council To Promote Biotechnology In July
12 June 2002 Biotenz
The Japanese minister in charge of science and technology policy, Koji Omi, has said he hopes to hold the first meeting of a planned strategic council on biotechnology early next month.

Farmers Reap Rewards Of GM Crops U.S. Study Shows Bioengineering Brings Greater Yield, Lower Costs
11 June 2002 The Globe And Mail
Bioengineered crops have major benefits, both actual and potential, to farmers in the United States, according to a new study.

Study: Biotech Aids Farmers
10 June 2002 United Press International
Genetically modified crops have increased yields, lowered farmers' production costs and prevented the use of millions of pounds of pesticides and herbicides, a study released Monday concludes.

GM Debate
08 June 2002 The Guardian
The agricultural biotechnology industry is not against a public debate (Fields of ire, G2, January 7). The industry council was specifically created to encourage debate about the potential production of GM crops in the UK.

Biotech Benefits For The Food Industry- Now And In The Future
08 June 2002 Grocery Headquarters
As scientists continue to make technological breakthroughs, we will soon see revolutionary products on retail shelves, including a healthier mix of foods that may also combat diseases.

Nature Biotechnology: Environmental Impact Of GM Crops
07 June 2002 International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications
"We can find no compelling scientific arguments to demonstrate that GM crops are innately different from non-GM crops", say scientists led by Philip Dale of the John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK.

Greenpeace Founder Dismisses Activist Scare Tactics About Biotechnology, Encourages Scientific Discussion
07 June 2002 Agbioview
The media is invited to meet Dr. Patrick Moore, at the BIO 2002 Media Brunch. A leader of the international environmental movement for more than 30 years, Dr. Moore was a founding member of Greenpeace.

India Adopts Biotech Cotton
07 June 2002 BusinessWorld
Global agricultural research leader Monsanto recently announced the approval by the government of India of the commercial cultivation and distribution of a biotechnology-processed cotton variety, a major step in the subcontinent's bid for agricultural productivity.

Row Erupts In China Over Impact Of Transgenic Cotton
04 June 2002 Dow Jones
A Chinese government-funded report that alleges genetically modified Bt cotton strains introduced by U.S. agribusiness giant Monsanto have damaged the environment and provide few long-term agricultural benefits has provoked protest within China's scientific community.

Pontifical Academy of Sciences Report on Biotech
Crops
03 June 2002 Pontifical Academy of Sciences
A report, "Science and the Future of Mankind" is now available from the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. The report concludes: "The developments we have discussed here constitute an important part of human innovation, and they clearly offer substantial benefits for the improvement of the human condition worldwide."

Statement On Crop Biotechnology
03 June 2002 American College of Nutrition (ACN)
The American College of Nutrition is committed to the worldwide availability of a safe, adequate and nutritious food supply. Substantial valid scientific evidence exists establishing the safety of crops developed via biotechnology.

Survey: Americans Trust The Science Behind Bioengineered Foods
03 June 2002 Purdue News
The ongoing debate over the safety and environmental impact of genetically modified foods is complex and multifaceted, but new research shows that American consumers are able to separate the wheat from the chaff when presented with science-based information.

Plant Biotechnology: Current and Potential Impact For Improving Pest Management In U.S. Agriculture: An Analysis of 40 Case Studies
02 June 2002 National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy
A significant new report from the National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy, a Washington, DC based research group, quantifies some of the benefits of biotech crops.

Dramatically Modified Truth
01 June 2002 The Daily Telegraph
Fields of Gold, due to be broadcast on BBC next weekend, is an exercise in paranoia. It depicts a scientist creating GM wheat with a food blender in his bedroom, to which he adds a gene resistant to the antibiotic Vancomycin, which just happens to turn up in hospital waste. During trials, this gene somehow infects bacteria, creating an antibiotic-resistant superbug that kills foxes, birds and old people. Spread by harvest dust, it threatens all humanity.

Nissan Chemical Industries And Monsanto Company Sign Agreement
30 May 2002 Monsanto Co.
Nissan Chemical Industries, Ltd., and Monsanto Company announced the signing of a definitive agreement for the sale of certain Monsanto herbicide assets to Nissan for use in the Japanese market.

Finnie Rejects GM Freeze
30 May 2002 The Scotsman
Ross Finnie, the environment and rural development minister, insisted that genetically modified crop trials were safe and would go ahead on a "step-by-step" basis.

Finnie Rejects GM Freeze
30 May 2002 The Scotsman
Ross Finnie, the environment and rural development minister, insisted yesterday that genetically modified crop trials were safe and would go ahead on a step-by-step basis.

Easing Fears Over GM
30 May 2002 Irish Times
Genetic engineering holds great promise for the benefit of mankind, but you could be excused for thinking otherwise. There has been something of a public groundswell against biotech and yet for a subject that exercises so much concern, a survey done by Forfas suggests very few people understand what biotech is all about.

USA: GM Foods Pose No Additional Risk To Health
29 May 2002 just-food.com
The investigative arm of the US Congress said that genetically modified foods pose no greater threat to health than conventionally produced foods.

GM Comfort Influenced By Knowledge - Survey
27 May 2002 Life Sciences Network
An apple genetically modified using a gene from a different kind of apple to improve the flavour was acceptable to some degree by many New Zealanders according to a survey.

GM Corn Approved For Australia and NZ
26 May 2002 Life Sciences Network
GM corn has been approved for sale and use in Australia and New Zealand after a robust assessment process.

Scientists Unravel Flower Gene
26 May 2002 Life Sciences Network
The head of the CSIRO's plant industry unit Dr Jim Peacock, research partner Dr Liz Dennis and their team have been investigating how plants flower for a decade. Put simply, the results of experiments could revolutionize agriculture.

Charles Arntzen: Edible Immunity
24 May 2002 The Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology
Charles Arntzen has an argument for genetically modified (GM) foods that few can resist. He's developing GM fruits and vegetables containing edible vaccines that could save the lives of millions of children worldwide.

Philippine Monsanto Plans To Commercialize GMO Corn Next Year
23 May 2002 Dow Jones
Arnold Estrada, Monsanto's product development manager, was cited as saying that Monsanto Philippines Inc. hopes to commercialize a genetically modified corn variety known as Bt corn next year.

Monsanto Gets Another Bt Cotton Variety Ready
23 May 2002 Business Line
Six years after commercialisation of the first Bt-gene Monsanto is now ready to release another Bt-gene for pest resistance in cotton.

The Prime Minister, Science And Technology
23 May 2002 Cropgen
We in Britain have both the technical ability and the moral imperative to lead the way, by helping the poorer countries improve their agriculture.

Tony Blair Speaking Up For Science
22 May 2002 Life Sciences Network
Tony Blair has promised to break down the "anti- science fashion" in Britain, declaring that the Government will never give way to misguided protesters who stand in the way of medical and economic advance.

European Commission Study Calls For Manageable Regulations For GM, Organic And Conventional Farmers
22 May 2002 EuropaBio
The European Commission released a report by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) which examines purported implications of the co-existence of traditional and organic systems of agricultural production with increased production of genetically modified crops in Europe.

British Company Aims To Hire North Carolina Farmers To Grow High-Priced Crops
22 May 2002 Knight-Ridder Tribune
Kings Inc., a subsidiary of giant Associated British Foods is, according to this story, aiming to contract with North Carolina farmers to grow tens of thousands of acres of high-priced crops in the next few years, which could boost the state's agriculture industry if the plans move forward.

Nestle Supports Responsible Use Of GNOs In Food Products
22 May 2002 BusinessWorld
Nestle strongly reaffirms its view that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or ingredients derived from them do not constitute a health risk.

Public Perceptions And Willingness-To-Pay A Premium For Non-GM Foods In The US And UK
22 May 2002 Agbioforum
This study uses consumer survey data collected in the United States (US) and United Kingdom (UK) to examine the linkages between subjective risk and benefit perceptions and willingness-to-pay a premium for non-genetically modified (non-GM) foods.

Genetic Altering Creates "Foods For Health"
22 May 2002 Cox News Service
Advances in genetic engineering and the success of "functional" foods, such as calcium-fortified juice, are, according to this story, spawning a new, exotic generation of agricultural products.

GM And Organics Can Co-Exist In Europe - EC
22 May 2002 EuropaBio
The European Commission released a report today (22 May) by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) which examines purported implications of the co-existence of traditional and organic systems of agricultural production with increased production of genetically modified crops in Europe.

Genetically Modified Foods Gaining Wider Acceptance: Between 1996 And 2001, Global GM Crops Increased More Than 30-Fold
21 May 2002 The Barrie Examiner
The uproar over Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) of a few years back has given way to an almost grudging acceptance of the products by farmers.

GM Canola May Be On The Way
20 May 2002 Life Sciences Network
Two giant chemical companies are poised to apply for an Australian licence to release genetically modified canola – a move that could mean the nation's first commercial crop will be sown next year.

Communicating About Agrobiotechnology
20 May 2002 Agbioforum
Agricultural biotechnology is a fundamental technology platform that is promising to transform the world food system and bring about an abundance of healthier foods and improve the environment.

Danish Paper Sets Principles For Biotech Coop
17 May 2002 Danida
Twelve principles for plant biotech cooperation between developed and the developing countries were formulated by a team from the Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences.

Beyond GM Canola - A Gene technology Forum For The Horticulture Industry
17 May 2002 Agrifood Awareness Australia
A gene technology forum with a horticulture focus will be held in Perth to provide growers, councillors and the community with information about research and development taking place in the horticulture industry.

Plants, Genes, and Crop Biotechnology
17 May 2002 American Society of Plant Biologists
The new version of Plants, Genes, and Crop Biotechnology, Second Edition is a must for students and researchers who are interested in the impact of plant biology on agriculture and society.

Public Poorly Informed About Agri-biotech In Europe
17 May 2002 Agricultural Biotechnology in Europe
The Agricultural Biotechnology in Europe (ABE), an initiative by the major crop biotechnology companies in Europe, has released an issue paper on public attitudes to agricultural biotechnology.

Dietitians Of Canada Releases New Educational Materials On Genetically Modified Foods
17 May 2002 Dietitians Of Canada
Consumers rely on dietitians and other trusted health professionals to review the science and provide balanced information to guide decisions about the use of genetically modified (GM) foods.

Genetically Modified Potatoes Nearly Here
17 May 2002 The Russia Journal
Genetically modified potato plants are expected to join Russia’s 3.5 million hectares of potato fields as early as next spring, as Monsanto Co. prepares to clear the final hurdles to selling transgenic seeds in the country.

Genome Sequencing Becomes Cost Effective
16 May 2002 The Hindu
Combining existing technologies in a unique way could revolutionise genetic research by saving time and money. A once-important but rarely used molecular technique is combined with newer methods.

Science’s Role In feeding The World Under Scrutiny
16 May 2002 SciDev.Net
Plans are underway to develop an international body to advise governments on the scientific issues facing global agriculture.

Misunderstood Public Cause For Impasse In GM Debate
16 May 2002 PABE
Most stakeholders in the GM debate misunderstand public responses to genetically modified organisms (GMOs). This represents one of the key underlying causes for the current impasse in the GM debate.

GM Technology Must Benefit All - Book
15 May 2002 Life Sciences Network
If penicillin and vaccine therapy had been subject to precautionary measures as strict as those applied to genetic plant engineering, they would never have been accepted

10 Reasons to Buying Organics is Wrong
15 May 2002 Agbioworld
In my opinion every one of the 10 reasons given to buy organics at best are wrong and most are total deceptions.

Scientists’ Fear at Growing Resistance to Weed Herbicides
15 May 2002 The Scotsman
Scientists are, according to this story, concerned by an increase in the number of herbicide resistant weeds, formerly confined to England but now spreading into some areas of Scotland.

Public Perceptions of Agricultural Biotechnologies in Europe
14 May 2002 Monsanto.co.uk
Genetically modified (GM) crops and food are an important new field of technological innovation and commercial growth in biotechnology in Europe, but there has already been evidence of considerable, if ill-defined, public anxiety about this unfamiliar though potentially beneficial new field.

Rice: Why It is So Essential For Global Security And Stability
14 May 2002 U.S. Department of State
The challenge for the plant research community, according to Ronald Cantrell, is to develop efficient and freely available ways to tap into the rice genome sequence to produce higher yielding, more nutritious, and more resistant rice.

Africa 'Needs GM Crops to Survive'
14 May 2002 Monsanto Africa
Many African scientists believe genetically modified (GM) crops offer the only hope of avoiding mass starvation on the continent, according to BBC News.

No Evidence For Allergies To Starlink Corn 
14 May 2002 Life Sciences Network
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has released a report on its investigation into the human health effects associated with potential exposure to genetically modified corn.

Pontifical Academy Of Sciences Paper On Biotech Crops
14 May 2002 Pontifical Academy Of Sciences
The part of the report regarding agricultural biotechnologies is the study document on the Use of Genetically Modified Food Plants‚ to Combat Hunger in the World.

Monsanto Announced Third Public Release Of Important Genetic Material Aimed At Developing Healthier Soybean For Consumers
13 May 2002 Monsanto Co.
As part of its pledge to share technology, Monsanto announced its intent to release approximately two hundred Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) genetic markers to accelerate the development of a soybean with improved oils, better yields and more protein.

Ten reasons to Buy GMOs
13 May 2002 Agbioworld
Whole Foods Markets has put together a press release with the title "10 Reasons to Buy Organics”. It's far more interesting, though, if you take that release and replace the words 'organic'’ etc. with 'GMOs'’ etc. and read the result.

Monsanto to Release 200 Genetic Markers
13 May 2002 Dow Jones
Monsanto Co. plans to release about 200 genetic markers developed with government assistance to a nonprofit industry group that pushes for development of heartier soybeans.

Beneficial Technology - Letter
10 May 2002 Farm Weekly
I am sorry to have to write to you again on the issue of GMOs after you kindly published my comments on Rod Chandler’s letter of Thursday 12th July 2001. However the outrageous claims of Julie Newman on 18th April 2002 cannot go unanswered.

Monsanto To Support Drought Tolerance Research In India
09 May 2002 Asia Pulse
US-based Monsanto has agreed to extend a grant support of US$40,000 for research in India aimed at identifying genes responsible for imparting drought tolerance in crops and cloning these genes.

The UNITED NATIONS Food & Agriculture Organisation's Fact Sheet On "Biotechnology And Food Security"
09 May 2002 Monsanto.co.uk
In connection with the "The World Food Summit: five years later" to be held in Rome, 10-13 June 2002, FAO has prepared a series of fact sheets on specific issues and topics .

FAO E-Mail Conference - GMOs And Gene Flow
09 May 2002 FAO
Conference 7 of the FAO Electronic Forum on Biotechnology in Food and Agriculture is due to begin in about a month's time and will deal with the issue of gene flow from GM to non-GM agricultural populations.

Talk on "The Future Of Agriculture" By the Assistant-Director General of the UNITED NATIONS Food & Agriculture Organisation.
09 May 2002 Monsanto.co.uk
Louise Fresco, FAO Agriculture Department, gave a presentation on "The future of agriculture: Challenges for environment, health and safety regulation of pesticides" to the OECD Working Group.

Battling Hunger With Biotechnology
09 May 2002 Economic Perspectives
During the coming decades the world will face the extraordinary challenge of conquering poverty and achieving genuine food security with a very potent new tool: agricultural biotechnology.

Comment Invited on GM Cotton
08 May 2002 ANZFA
The Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) invited public comment on proposed changes to the Food Standards Code, including approval for the sale of food derived from genetically modified cotton.

Genetically Modifies Food Pits Poor nations Against The Critics
08 May 2002 Rockey Mountain News
Scientists agree that genetically modified foods ­could attack malnutrition and save lives in developing countries but internal conflicts keep countries with more financial means from growing more of these crops.

Monsanto Gets Russian Biological Safety Certification For Modified Potatoes
08 May 2002 Interfax Information Services
The U.S. company Monsanto Co., a world leader in the production and sale of genetically-modified crop seed, has received in Russia certification of biological safety for its modified potatoes.

South African Students Get Taste of Biotechnology in United States
08 May 2002 Monsanto Co.
Two South African high school students experienced biotechnology firsthand during a trip to Monsanto's Chesterfield Village site in St. Louis, along with other venues.

Genetic, Natural Foods Sell About The Same In Europe
06 May 2002 United Press International
Manufacturers who sell both genetically modified foods and natural products say the two versions sell at about the same level in Europe -- and that does not surprise a Purdue University economist.

Japan-Led Effort Key To Completing Accurate Rice Genome Sequence
05 May 2002 Rockefeller Foundation
A public sector initiative led by Japan is key to completing a precise sequence of the entire rice genome.

Science Not Trusted
04 May 2002 Courier Mail
According to this story, there probably has never been a time in history when scientists have been so mistrusted.

Golden Rice Is Cost Effective
03 May 2002 Crop Biotech Update
Compared to other methods of enhancing food nutrition, Golden Rice is more cost effective in delivering Vitamin A to intended beneficiaries.

US Farmers' Adoption Of GE Crops Jumped Dramatically
03 May 2002 Crop Biotech Update
"Driven by farmers' expectations of lower production costs, higher yields, and reduced pesticide use, the rate at which US farmers adopt genetically engineered (GE) crop varieties has jumped dramatically", said a brief released by the Economic Research Service of the US Department of Agriculture (ERS/USDA).

Nobel Prize Winner Speaks Out on Advantages of Biotechnology; Criticizes Organics
03 May 2002 PEW Initiative on Food and Biotechnology
Dr. Norman Borlaug argued that high yield farming and genetically modified foods are the key to saving the wilderness and feeding poor people in the developing world,

Biotech Crops Make Inroads As Consumers Watch
02 May 2002 Monsanto.co.uk
Consumer groups have raised questions about the long-term impact of growing crops from seeds with re-engineered genes. While the grounds of such concerns are largely theoretical, the benefits for farmers are tangible, according to Reuters.

Biotechnology Expanding at Double in Australia
02 May 2002 Biotenz
Biotechnology, the hot sector of science as perceived by the community, is attracting headlines and recognition as Australia leads global stem cell research and attracts increased government funding.

Management of Biotechnology Key to Proficient Insect Control
02 May 2002 High Plains Journal
With controversy swirling around the development and use of transgenic crops, one family has quietly, yet steadily, found success in planting genetically modified corn varieties.

LSN Refutes Greens' Claims Organic Food Is Better
01 May 2002 Life Sciences Network
"Contrary to the assertions of Green Party politicians organic food cannot be shown to be healthier or safer than conventional food or food from gene technology," the Chairman of the Life Sciences Network, Dr William Rolleston, said.

Doing The Numbers On Pesticide Reduction
01 May 2002 Life Sciences Network
R. H. Phipps and J. R. Park from the Centre for Dairy Research at The University of Reading have looked at theoretical and actual reductions in pesticide use since the introduction of GM crops.

Green Spin Is Desperate Propaganda
01 May 2002 ACT New Zealand
Clearly the Greens have closed their minds to scientific analysis, something that is entirely consistent with their science free New Zealand approach, ACT Environment Spokesman Gerry Eckhoff said.

Farmer Must Pay Court Costs
01 May 2002 Regina Leader Post
The judge who ruled last year that Percy Schmeiser knowingly violated Monsanto's patent on its Roundup Ready gene in 1998 has now ruled the Bruno farmer should pay Monsanto court costs of $153,000.

Ecological And Agronomic Consequences of Gene Flow from Transgenic Crops To Wild Relatives
30 April 2002 Ohio State University
Meeting Proceedings, The University Plaza Hotel and Conference Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, March 5th and 6th, 2002.

Otago Researchers Find No Conclusive Evidence That Organic Produce More Nutritious
30 April 2002 University Of Otago
Claims that organically produced food has superior nutritional benefits do not appear to be supported by the available evidence, according to a recent University of Otago study.

Bt Corn Gets Favorable Review In French Newspaper
30 April 2002 AgWeb
The U.S. ag attache in France reports the influential daily newspaper Le Figaro ran a half-page article in favor of biotech corn.

High Yield Heroes
30 April 2002 Tech Central Station
A remarkably broad coalition of international heroes -- including two Nobel Peace Prize laureates - is calling for sustainably higher yields of crops and forest products in the crucial 50 years just ahead.

Why Do EU and US Consumers Differ on GM
29 April 2002 Agbiotechnet
A study by Jayson Lusk at Michigan State University indicates that US & EU consumers still look at genetically modified crops in different ways.

China Issues GMO Certificates To 20 More Companies
29 April 2002 Dow Jones Newswires
An official at the Ministry of Agriculture's GMO Safety Regulation Office was cited as telling Dow Jones Newswires that China has issued preliminary safety certificates for genetically modified organisms to 20 more foreign companies,

Coming Soon: Genetically Engineered Potato
29 April 2002 The Times of India
After cotton farmers, it is, according to this story, the turn of tobacco and potato growers to reap benefits from biotechnology.

GM Rice Research Necessary, Says IRRI Scientist
26 April 2002 Crop Biotech Update
Conventional breeding has reached its maximum potential since yield has been static for the past 20 years. Through biotechnology, scientists can produce rice varieties that are high yielding and more nutritious on less land using less water and chemical inputs.

Agricultural Biotechnology: Adoption Of Biotechnolgy And Its Production Impacts
26 April 2002 USDA
Driven by farmers' expectations of lower production costs, higher yields, and reduced pesticide use, the rate at which U.S. farmers adopt genetically engineered (GE) crop varieties has jumped dramatically.

Monsanto To Move Ahead With GM Wheat Approval
26 April 2002 Western Producer
Monsanto, according to this story, hopes to begin pursuing regulatory approval this year for its genetically modified wheat variety in Canada, the United States and Japan.

Environmental Benefits Of genetically Modified Crops: Global And European Perspectives On Their Ability To Reduce Pesticide Use
25 April 2002 AgBioView
With increasing world population, a slowing of the rate of crop improvement through conventional breeding and a declining area of land available for food production there is a need for new technologies.

Growing More Per Acre Leaves More Land For Nature
25 April 2002 Center for Global Food Issues
Global demand for food and forest products will double in the coming decades. Yet we are already taking more than one-third of the planet's total land area for farming.

Sowing The Seeds Of A Better Future
25 April 2002 Monsanto.co.uk
Ignore the doubters. GM crops can help to feed the world reported The Guardian.

GM Access "Crucial"
25 April 2002 Stock & Land
Victorian Farmers Federation policy manager Clay Manners was cited as telling that Australian agriculture must have access to new genetically modified (GM) crops or farmers will go broke.

Starving For The Truth
24 April 2002 Monsanto.co.uk
"Sanctimonious greens" care more about being politically correct than helping the world eat well, The Yorkshire Post's Bill Carmichael charges.

Kirk Report Refuses To Rule Out GM Crops
24 April 2002 The Scotsman
A Kirk committee report on sustainable agriculture recommends more encouragement for organic methods, but, according to this story, does not rule out genetically modified crops or intensive farming.

Monsanto Reports First-Quarter 2002 Earnings Per Share (EPS) Of 33 Cents
23 April 2002 Monsanto Co.
Monsanto Company reported sales and earnings for the first quarter of 2002.

World Grains Expert Urges Use Of GMOs
22 April 2002 Life Sciences Network
Australia will need to double its grain growing capacity in the next 10 years to provide for a rapidly increasing world population, according to international grains expert Professor Timothy Reeves.

What GM Crops Can Do Today
22 April 2002 Gordon Couger
Looking at what Round Up Ready and BT crops can do today for the environment is substantial.

Record GM Crop Plantings In US/Canada
22 April 2002 ABC Rural News Online
Farmers in the United States and Canada are embracing genetically modified soybeans and canola, with plantings expected to jump again this year.

Alliance For Better Foods Applauds National Biotechnology Week
22 April 2002 Alliance For Better Foods
The Alliance for Better Foods welcomed Congressional designation of National Biotechnology Week and said the action demonstrates the growing recognition of the benefits that biotech can bring in combating world hunger and in the development of more nutritious foods.

Kenya: Tree Biotech Project Benefits Kenyan Farmers
22 April 2002 Crop Biotech Update
Farmers from Kenya are now benefiting from a tree biotechnology project to develop genetically superior Eucalyptus.

Third World Held Back By Sanctimonious Greens
19 April 2002 Yorkshire Post
At the risk of being beaten senseless with rolled up copies of the Ecologist Magazine, may I put in a good word for genetic engineering?

Apprehensions About GM Crops: China Shows The Way
19 April 2002 Deccan Herald
Recently, the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) of the Department of Environment gave conditional approval for large-scale trial of Bt cotton by Mahyco in collaboration with Monsanto. In this context, it is of interest to consider the situation in China.

University Of Waikato Study On Innovation In Biotechnology
19 April 2002 Biotenz News Update
Waikato Management School has launched the next stage of a nationwide study of innovation in biotechnology. Questionnaires have been sent to 150 organisations that may be involved in biotechnology, including businesses, CRIs, universities and other research organisations.

UK Tide Turning At Last?
18 April 2002 DEFRA
At a Parish Meeting in a village near Bristol, England on Monday 15 April there were presentations about the UK government's 3 year programme for Farm Scale Evaluations (GM crop trials) from DEFRA and from Monsanto.

Benefits Of GM Foods Far Outweigh The Risks
18 April 2002 Canberra Times
Biotechnology already offers benefits to the Australian people, the environment, and the economy through better and safer medicines and diagnostic testing, reduced chemical usage, rehabilitated degraded land, and the creation of a world-renowned bio- industry.

Farming The Genetic Frontier
17 April 2002 Council on Foreign Relations
Today, new scientific techniques are making it possible to design crops with far greater precision and effect than ever before.

Europe: Consumers Not Really Worried About Avoiding GM, Says Study
17 April 2002 just-food.com
While previous studies have found that 80% to 90% of Europeans don't want GM foods, manufacturers who sell both GM and conventional products have noticed that the two versions sell about the same.

Monsanto Company To Share Technologies With Donald Danforth Plant Science Center To Support Global Cassava Research
16 April 2002 Monsanto Co.
Monsanto Company announced it is supporting a global effort to increase production and quality of cassava by granting the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center a royalty-free license to enabling technologies commonly used in agricultural biotechnology.

Omnibus Survey
16 April 2002 Life Sciences Network
The results of UMR research's April Omnibus survey are out. New Zealanders' concern about genetic modification remains low.

Review Of Insect Resistance To Bt
15 April 2002 Life Sciences Network
We have reviewed the current knowledge on the biochemical mechanisms and genetics of resistance to Bt products and insecticidal crystal proteins.

World Agbiotech Expert To Address Aust Seminar
15 April 2002 Life Sciences Network
Professor Douglas Powell, the internationally recognised and respected expert on agricultural technology and food will be in Melbourne on April 19 to address a seminar on co-existence in Australian farming.

Expert Endorses Bt Cotton Decision
12 April 2002 Monsanto India
Eminent biotechnologist and advisory committee member of the department of biotechnology CS Prakash has endorsed the Union government's decision to allow Bt cotton in India, according to Business Standard.

We Can Feed The World
12 April 2002 Monsanto.co.uk
The curse of famine could be wiped out for ever thanks to a miracle breakthrough in genetic engineering, reported The Sun.

To Farm GM Or Not To Farm GM
12 April 2002 Life Sciences Network
Victorian farmers will make up their own minds about the type of agricultural technology, or combination of technologies most appropriate to their individual needs, the Chairman of the Life Sciences Network, Dr William Rolleston, said.

China - Chinese Consume 20M Tons Of Genetically Modified Food.
11 April 2002 China Online
Experts estimate that the Chinese have so far consumed more than 20 million tons of genetically modified food.

Biotech Is Science, Not Street Violence
11 April 2002 Spokane Spokesman Review
Starved for attention, anti-biotech ideologues have started posing with Yasser Arafat. Dennis Avery recommends ignoring these clowns, and looking to real science instead.

High Yield Agriculture Key To Meeting Global Food Demand
11 April 2002 Farmscape.ca
The US based Center for Global Food Issues says efficient use of the existing agricultural land base and new technology is key to meeting the growing demand for high quality food.

Chinese Tried Rice
11 April 2002 Times of India
China pipped her neighbours to the post this week by becoming the first Asian country to decipher the rice genome, a project it embarked upon barely three months ago. This is in keeping with China’s vigorous pursuit of biotechnology.

Focus on Biotechnology
10 April 2002 New Scientist Jobs
No wonder Carl Feldbaum thinks biotechnology is wonderful. It saved his life. "I'm a survivor myself of prostate cancer," he says.

Focus on Biotechnology – Roger Beachy
10 April 2002 New Scientist Jobs
No prizes for guessing which area of biotechnology wins the wooden spoon. Despite the relentless carping of environmentalists, GM crops might yet produce the goods if given half a chance, says Roger Beachy.

New Technology Could Change Agriculture Forever, Scientist Says
09 April 2002 Northern Illinois University
Although the word is dangerously close to the titles of cheesy science fiction movies from the 1950s, "bioplants" may bring about a new tech boom in the 21st century, and a leader in the industry recently brought his knowledge to Northern Illinois University.

Time to Bury Prejudices
09 April 2002 Monsanto.co.uk
Daily Telegraph reported the heart-warming story of a young child successfully treated by gene therapy for a life-threatening disease. It is an appropriate time for the public to reassess their attitudes towards biotechnology and genetic modification.

WA Farmers Releases GMO Policy
09 April 2002 Western Australian Farmers Federation
The Western Australian Farmers Federation (WAFarmers) have released their policy on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO`s)following a full day workshop on April 5.

Study Didn't Prove Anything, Altered DNA Did or Didn't Contaminate Mexican Corn
07 April 2002 Omaha World Herald
Part of the foundation supporting the argument that genetically engineered corn is hazardous to the environment has crumbled.

USTR Says GMO Grain Talks With China 'On Right Track'
07 April 2002 Dow Jones
Negotiations over China's treatment of U.S. grain imports under new regulations on genetically modified products are "on the right track" for the moment and likely won't take up a lot of the discussions on his visit there this week, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick said.

A Research Hoax British Science Journal Admits Publishing Phony Report About Biotech Corn In Mexico
05 April 2002 Agbioworld
Dennis T. Avery writes that after a five-month holdout, the besieged British journal Nature has raised the white flag of surrender admitting that it published as fact a report that turned out to be merely the latest in a series of biotech hoaxes.

Genetic Maps of 2 Rice Types 99% Complete
05 April 2002 Monsanto Co.
Two teams of scientists unveil the genetic maps, or genomes, of two important types of rice, a feat researchers predict will bring increased productivity from a grain that already feeds more than half the world.

Most UK Adults Expect The Impossible From Science
04 April 2002 Life Sciences Network
A new public opinion poll in the UK from Market and Opinion Research International (MORI) shows that over 60% of British adults expect the impossible from science.

US Farmers Plant More Biotech Crops This Year
03 April 2002 Life Sciences Network
The U.S. Agriculture Department's annual spring survey of farmers' planting intentions was cited as predicting that farmers will sharply boost their plantings of genetically engineered crops this year.

Monsanto and Ceres Announce Important Product Discovery and Development Collaboration
03 April 2002 Dow Jones
Monsanto Co. and Ceres Inc. formed a product discovery and development collaboration focused on applying genomics technologies to provide improvements in certain agricultural crops.

Monsanto Cotton Could Improve India’s Crop
03 April 2002 St Louis Post - Dispatch
Indian agriculture officials are hailing the decision last week by a regulatory agency, saying the new genetically engineered varieties will allow their nation's farmers to compete more effectively in world markets and will reduce the use of pesticides.

DuPont and Monsanto Reach Agreement that Brings New Technologies to Farmers Worldwide
02 April 2002 Monsanto Co.
DuPont and its subsidiary, Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc., and Monsanto Company and its affiliates announced a broad- reaching business agreement that will ensure farmers worldwide have greater access to the new agricultural technologies they want

Biotech Boosts Small Farms
01 April 2002 Monsanto.co.uk
Family farms benefit from genetic improvement technologies, Reuters reports. Iowa corn grower Bill Horan of the National Corn Growers Association says that biotech is "a potential lifeline for smaller farmers" since "new 'niche' crops designed for specific uses in medicine or industry" will soon emerge.

The Tide Is Turning For Biotechnology
01 April 2002 Farm Journal
New views. Attitudes are changing, as evidenced by consumer surveys done by the Council for Biotechnology Information (CBI), since it was created in 2000 by biotech firms to promote the benefits of biotech.

International Rice Genome Project Progressing Ahead of Schedule
01 April 2002 Monsanto Co.
On April 4, 2000, Monsanto Company announced a major breakthrough in decoding the genetic make-up of rice, and the company's commitment to sharing its data with the International Rice Genome Sequencing Project (IRGSP).

Biotech Branches Out: A Look at the Opportunities and Impacts of Forest Biotechnology
01 April 2002 Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology
With the advent of biotechnology, forestry scientists are now working on ways to harness this technology to engineer trees for a variety of purposes.

American Farm Bureau Viewpoint: Activist Causes Affect Farming And Ignore The Facts
01 April 2002 Farm Bureau
We have help this time around from noted public and private sector scientists, behaviorists, nutritionists and numerous other specialists.

Cottoning On An Excellent Government Decision
30 March 2002 Asia Intelligence Wire
The environment ministry's clearance for Bt cotton should hopefully be a precursor to an enlightened government policy on genetically modified (GM) crops and food.

ABE Feed - Food Issue Paper N° 1 : Crop Biotechnology : An Overview
29 March 2002 Agricultural Biotechnology in Europe
This report is the first in a series to be issued by Agricultural Biotechnology in Europe (ABE).

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) : The Significance Of Gene Flow Through Pollen Transfer
29 March 2002 European Environment Agency
A review and interpretation of published literature and recent/current research from the ESF "Assessing the impact of GM Plants" (AIGM) programme for the European Science Foundation and the European Environment Agency.

USDA Report: Biotech Corn, Soybean Acreage To Rise Again In '02
28 March 2002 Dow Jones
GMOs to account for almost 1/3 of U.S. corn, 3/4 of U.S. soy acres. Potential increase in European corn borers led more farmers to Bt corn.

Biotech Crop Use Expected To Increase
28 March 2002 St Louis Business Journal
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said it expects acreage of genetically modified plants to "sharply increase" for the sixth consecutive year, which would mean good news for Monsanto.

Indian Government Approves GM Cotton
28 March 2002 Monsanto UK
John Humphrys from BBC Radio 4 interviewed Dr Vandana Shiva, one of the leading campaigners, and Tony Combes who’s director of corporate affairs for Monsanto UK.

Geneticists Unveil New Maize genome Map; Resource Will Be used To help Improve Corn, Cereal Crop Production Worldwide
28 March 2002 University of Missouri
For members of the Maize Mapping Project, the proverbial harvest time has arrived.

India Mahyco Welcomes License For GMO Cotton Seed Output
27 March 2002 Dow Jones
India 's Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company Ltd. or Mahyco, said that it welcomed a license from the government for the production and marketing of genetically modified BT cotton seed.

Monsanto Partner Gets Go-Ahead For Biotech Cotton In India
27 March 2002 St Louis Business Journal
India has allowed sowing of three genetically modified cotton plants tested by a Monsanto partner company.

Indian Government Clears Use of Bt Cotton
26 March 2002 Times of India
In a significant decision, the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee cleared the release of Bt Cotton for commercial use on certain conditions.

Bt Cotton Should Be Formally Approved: Interview/ C. S. Prakash
26 March 2002 Economic Times India
Biotechnology is a fast growing area filled with controversy. Is it the answer to Malthusianism? Or is it a Frankenstein's monster? To get answers to these questions, Sauvik Chakraverti spoke to Professor C S Prakash, who teaches plant biotechnology at Tuskegee University.

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) : The Significance Of Gene Flow Through Pollen Transfer
25 March 2002 European Environment Agency
Environmental issue report No 28 is written for the EEA by experts from the European Science Foundation.

Biotechnology And Food
25 March 2002 Alberni Valley Times
Alan McHughen, a professor at the University of California and the author of Biotechnology & Food for Canadians, writes in this opinion piece that biotechnology is a set of modern tools that has given Canadians life saving medicines.

GE: 'The Golden Apple' Solution
25 March 2002 Life Sciences Network
Genetic engineering is as safe, or safer, than conventional plant breeding, says visiting British scientist and chaos theory pioneer Lord Robert May.

GM Vital For Hungry World
25 March 2002 Life Sciences Network
Hokianga-born Tim Radford, who is here for a British Council media seminar, believes that genetic research will be needed to improve plant productivity to help a deteriorating environment.

WA Grains Delegates Give Conditional Nod To GMOs
25 March 2002 Life Sciences Network
WAFarmers grains delegates have voted to give conditional support for genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

U.S. Outreach Regarding The Benefits Of Agricultural Biotechnology
23 March 2002 Agbioworld
The reluctance among some nations to embrace agricultural biotechnology is considered as much a product of the absence of definable output traits, or benefits that can be easily appreciated by consumers in our country and in the developing world, as it is the questions many have about the technology itself.

China Poised To Become Biotech Hub
22 March 2002 The Straits Time
The potential: China stands as the next biotechnology hub. The evidence: the huge pool of Chinese engineering graduates and an influx of young returning scientists.

NZ Will Not Miss The Biotech Bus
22 March 2002 Life Sciences Network
Speaking at an Auckland pharmaceutical R&D conference, Science Minister Pete Hodgson has promised better outcomes for the biotechnology industry than has been the case in the ICT sector

Sir Gustav Nossal Adds Support To GM Movement
21 March 2002 ABC Rural
The country's most celebrated scientist has spoken in depth and publicly for the first time of his support for genetically modified crops.

More Spending On GM Research Urged
20 March 2002 Belfast News Letter
Government trials of genetically-modified crops have been backed by a Labour former Agriculture Minister who called for more public funding for the research.

Biotechnolgy Provides Better And Safer Products To Consumers
20 March 2002 Canada NewsWire
Modern biotechnology is being used in agriculture and food production to provide more abundant, better, and safer products, according to a new book Biotechnology and Food for Canadians, released by The Fraser Institute.

More GM Cotton Proposed For Katherine
20 March 2002 ABC Rural
The Katherine Research Station in the Northern Territory wants to more than double the area it has planted in genetically engineered cotton.

New Council To Advise On Australian Biotechnology
20 March 2002 Australian Biotechnology Advisory Council
The Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources and Chair of the Commonwealth Biotechnology Ministerial Council, Ian Macfarlane, announced the establishment of the Australian Biotechnology Advisory Council to advise the Government on priority issues in biotechnology.

Food For Thought At Expo 2002
20 March 2002 The Scotsman
Scottish food and drink companies are still punching above their weight in terms of promoting their products, said Ross Finnie, the Scottish rural affairs minister.

Butterfly Kills From Bt Corn Debunked By Researchers
20 March 2002 Delta Farm Press
how many millions of people saw stories on TV and in the major newspapers that scientists have conclusively established that risk to the butterflies is "insignificant"?

Biotechnology Has Been Great For Farmers, Environment
19 March 2002 Spokane Spokesman - Review
The new biotechnology applied to agriculture is a success. More than one-fourth of U.S. cropland, about 85 million acres, was planted in 2001 to crops genetically modified for resistance to insect pests, the herbicide Roundup or both.

Monsanto's Pledge To Put Farmers First
17 March 2002 Champaign-Urbana News Gazette
Jim Zimmer, marketing director for St. Louis agribusiness giant Monsanto Inc., was cited as saying "We're working very hard to provide value to farmers, and we have processes in place to conduct ourselves in a proactive way to meet their needs."

Summit Leaders Give Biotech Go Ahead At Barcelona
16 March 2002 EuropaBio
EU leaders gave full backing to the European Commission life sciences and biotechnology strategy at the Barcelona Summit.

Public Have More To Fear From Mistruths Than GM
15 March 2002 Rural Business Magazine
In recent weeks much media coverage in Australia has, according to this story, been directed at debate about the safety and labelling of genetically modified food.

The Safety Of Foods Produced Through Biotechnology
14 March 2002 Society of Toxicology
There is no reason to suppose that the process of food production through biotechnology leads to risks of a different nature than those already familiar to toxicologists or that cannot also be created by conventional breeding practices.."

Pharming Into The Future: Becoming A Player In The Biotech Revolution
14 March 2002 Truth About Trade and Tech
I've been a farmer for decades--but now I'm in the process of becoming a pharmer. On the surface, there isn't much difference between the two. Both live primarily in rural America and grow crops. But where farmers want to feed the world, pharmers hope to heal it.

Confidence In Biotech Rises
14 March 2002 Council for Biotechnology Information
According to a recent survey conducted by the Council for Biotechnology Information, a majority of U.S. consumers, who are aware of agricultural biotech and genetically modified foods, are supportive of the technology.

GM Foods Indecision Costs Jobs
13 March 2002 Life Sciences Network
A scientist working on genetically modified crops tells BBC thousands of jobs and millions of pounds are being lost as Britain prevaricates about GM produce.

GMOs - Guiding Meaningful Opinions: Gene Technology Booklet Launched At WAFF AGM
13 March 2002 Agrifood Awareness Australia
A new booklet addressing key gene technology issues will be launched today, Wednesday 13 March, at the Western Australian Farmers' Federation (WAFF) Annual General Meeting in Perth.

Genetically Altered Crops Focus Of Speech
13 March 2002 Iowa State Daily
With wide acceptance of genetically altered crops farmers could apply fewer expensive chemicals to their fields, reducing the cost of products purchased by the consumer.

Brazilian Congress Committee Approves GMO Draft Bill
12 March 2002 Dow Jones
A Brazilian congressional committee on bio-engineered foods passed a bill that could lead the way to the planting and sale of genetically-modified organisms.

Biotechnology To Determine Agriculture Future
11 March 2002 Life Sciences Network
Biotechnology has a key task to develop crops for the changing world economy and environment, Benitec Australia Director, Ken Reed, told delegates at the OUTLOOK 2002 conference in Canberra.

Those Who Are In Favor Of Transgenics Have The Word
10 March 2002 Estado de Sao Paulo
They hold PhDs, would give these products to their children and are suspicious about organic products

Enough Is Enough
10 March 2002 The Sunday Times
I was deeply disappointed that you chose to exploit the article quoted below as a vehicle to propagate, yet again, biased alarmist misinformation and prejudiced activist group propaganda against thoroughly regulated, monitored and legal large-scale ecological field trials of safe genetically enhanced crops.

Genetically Altered Traits in Crop/Food Products and Ingredients
08 March 2002 BCC Research
The potential benefits derived from agricultural biotechnology are plentiful and sometimes staggering. In addition to feeding an increasingly hungry world, agbiotech products can add nutritional benefits, provide a new alternative to pharmaceutical deliveries and become an important source of renewable resources.

Biotechnology To Determine Agriculture Future
08 March 2002 Life Sciences Network
Biotechnology has a key task to develop crops for the changing world economy and environment, Benitec Australia Director, Ken Reed, told delegates at the OUTLOOK 2002 conference in Canberra.

Australian Biotech Centre Of Excellence Nearer
06 March 2002 life sciences network
The Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources, Mr Ian Macfarlane, and the Minister for Education, Science and Training, Dr Brendan Nelson, welcomed the broad range of applications submitted to develop Australia’s multi-million dollar world class biotechnology facility.

European Acceptance Of Modified Foods Inevitable, But Not For Another Decade
05 March 2002 AgBioView
Ingrained cultural resistance to agricultural biotechnology is likely to delay acceptance of bioengineered foods in Europe for at least another 10 years, but that would probably be too long for the United States to accept, according to participants in a panel discussion Feb. 21 sponsored by the U.S. Agriculture Department.

Call For More Debate On GM
04 March 2002 Monsanto.co.uk
According to the Financial Times, the public is demanding more information about genetically modified foods, a new organisation set up by the biotech industry said.

British Scientist Makes Case For GE Food Crops
04 March 2002 Royal Society Of New Zealand
Britain's top scientist says the world needs a genetically modified, health-giving "golden apple" to win the case for the new genetic technology.

WTO Negotiations And Changes In Agricultural And Trade Policies: Consequences For Developing Countries
04 March 2002 Danish Research Institute Of Food Economics
In Western Europe where food supplies are abundant and in-comes are high, people can afford to be critical about the introduction of new agricultural technologies and production processes. In developing economies, by contrast, the benefit/ cost ratio is very different.

To Publish or Patent? EU Study Addresses Scientists' Dilemma
04 March 2002 Europa
A survey published by the European Commission has found that academia favours the protection of scientific results when they are first published, before a patent has been granted, whereas industry is against such an initiative and SMEs remain divided on the issue.

Time For The Greens To Join Us In The Real World
04 March 2002 The Scotsman
The "green" card is being used unscrupulously in Scotland to play upon the guilt and fears of the population, the intention being to panic them into approving policies which are frequently foolish and sometimes dangerous.

Foods From Genetically Modified Crops
01 March 2002 San Diego Center for Molecular Agriculture
The San Diego Center for Molecular Agriculture (SDCMA), an alliance of scientists who work at public research institutions in San Diego, has published the brochure "Foods From Genetically Modified Crops".

Feeding The World
28 February 2002 USDA/ARS Agricultural Research
Borlaug is a distinguished professor with many involvements. Through the Carter Center's Global 2000 program, Borlaug and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter work together to help more than an estimated 4 million small-scale farmers in 11 sub-Saharan countries improve food production. After all these years, his work is still creciendo (growing).

Survey Shows More Australian Would Eat GM Food Despite Concerns
26 February 2002 Biotechnology Australia
A recent survey shows a majority of Australian consumers are willing to eat genetically modified foods although they are still concerned about them. This is one of the findings of a survey into community attitudes towards biotechnology, conducted for the Commonwealth Government Agency Biotechnology Australia, in January 2002.

Nobel Winner: Without Technology, Millions Starve
26 February 2002 Aganswers
Advances in agricultural technology, from chemical fertilizers to genetically modified crops, are the keys to feeding more than 6 billion people worldwide while preserving vast expanses of uncultivated land for other purposes, a renowned geneticist says.

Biotech Soybeans Help Soil Quality, Industry Says
25 February 2002 Planet Ark
Genetically modified soybeans are promoting soil conservation by allowing farmers to plough less, a biotechnology industry group said.

Brazilian Court Considers Biotech Regulatory Process
25 February 2002 Monsanto Co.
A Brazilian appellate court recessed prior to reaching a decision regarding injunctions that prevent the Brazilian government from granting commercial approval of agricultural biotechnology crops.

Survey: Roundup Ultramax Satisfaction Nears 100 Percent
25 February 2002 Wallaces Farmer
A recent survey of 650 farmers says that 97% of them are satisfied with Roundup UltraMAX herbicide in terms of weed control. And 98% were satisfied with the crop safety of the herbicide when used over the top of Roundup Ready crops.

Why Greenpeace Should See Green On GM Food
24 February 2002 Birmingham News
Once upon a time, I thought that Greenpeace was an honorable organization, that organic food surpassed genetically-modified food in nutrition and safety, and that genetically-modified crops --such as Bt corn -- posed substantial risks to the environment. Two years of research changed my views, making me older and wiser.

Unites States Makes Push For Global GM Food Production
22 February 2002 Green Nature
Agricultural biotechnology is one of the most important opportunities of this century, a top State Department official says.

Association Keeps Agriculture On High-Tech Edge
22 February 2002 AgAnswers
As technology plays a larger role in agriculture and natural resources, farmers and industry leaders must remain on top of issues, developments and research that could impact the way they do their jobs.

GM Crops Make Ethical Sense, Says Pence
21 February 2002 www.agbiotech.net
A progressive approach using GM crops "will play a goodly part in a milestone in human history: eliminating mass starvation". So argues Gregory Pence, bioethicist in the Philosophy Department at the University of Birmingham, in a new book.

BIO Statement Regarding NAS Report On Transgenic Plants
21 February 2002 Biotechnology Industry Organization
Dr. Michael J. Phillips, executive director for food and agriculture of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) issued the following statement in response to today's National Academy of Sciences' report titled "Environmental Effects of Transgenic Plants: The Scope and Adequacy of Regulation."

Researchers Hope GM Wheat Could Help Prevent Disease
21 February 2002 Ananova
Researchers are trying to produce wheat they hope could become even more helpful in preventing colon cancer. The whole grain contains antioxidants which are good at fighting the body`s harmful free radicals.

Science Council Dismisses GMO Concerns
19 February 2002 The Irish Times
An advisory body on science has dismissed as unwarranted concerns about foods and drugs produced by genetic engineering. It argues however for a "comprehensive information centre" for the public and a "fully independent biotechnology ethics committee".

Bt Corn Not A Threat To Monarchs
18 February 2002 ARS
ARS organized a series of workshops that encouraged butterfly biologists, corn researchers, ecologists, entomologists, and other experts to work together to determine if Bt Corn can be a threat to Monarchs.

Fears That Europe Is Being Left Behind As The World Takes To GM Crops
18 February 2002 Yorkshire Post
Fears that Europe will become an "island" of old farming practices in a world full of designer crops are growing after recent reports on the spread of GM technology.

GM Myth Lives On Despite Facts
18 February 2002 Life Sciences Network
It’s amazing how GM myths refuse to die even in the face of overwhelming facts. In this letter to the editor of The Australian Dr David Straton raises the old L-Tryptophan argument. This was one of the myths busted in evidence presented to the Royal Commission.

We Need Wisdom And Foresight
17 February 2002 News & Observer
We are in the early stages of a scientific revolution that will impact every aspect of our society and the natural world. Over the last few decades, scientists have made great progress toward understanding the blueprint of life contained in DNA.

U.K. - Trials Show Some GM Crops Benefit Wildlife
17 February 2002 The Sunday Times
Leaked results from the trials of genetically modified crops being conducted throughout Britain will further polarise opinion on the controversial technology, with some varieties found to damage the environment and others found to improve it.

FSA Says GM Concern Is Fading
16 February 2002 The Grocer
Public anxiety over GM foods is waning, according to the latest survey into attitudes towards food commissioned by the Food Standards Agency.

Aussies Say 'No Worries' About Biotech Foods
15 February 2002 www.meatingplace.com
The Australia-New Zealand Food Authority is supporting the safety of genetically modified foods, saying they are as wholesome as their natural counterparts and free of danger, according to the Australian Associated Press.

Missouri Scientist Studies Britons' Aversion To Gene-Altered Foods
14 February 2002 Knight-Ridder
The European aversion to Frankenfood, as some British consumers call genetically modified food, remains strong, said Maury Bredahl. But some of those products might win acceptance if they have qualities that Europeans value, such as improved health characteristics or even better taste.

New Book: "Seeds Of contention"
13 February 2002 International Food Policy Research Institute
In Seeds of Contention: World Hunger and the Global Controversy over GM Crops development specialists Per Pinstrup-Andersen and Ebbe Schiøler focus attention on the less discussed issues of the potential benefits and costs of genetically modified crops for developing countries.

Environmentalist Biofraud?
12 February 2002 Reason
'A new report challenges research published in the respected journal, Nature.'

Right Direction On GM Foods
11 February 2002 The Scotsman
Are we getting any clarity in the great GM foods debate? Yes, thanks to the report from the highly respected Royal Society, the first real independent "think tank" on matters scientific.

The Fate Of Antibiotic Resistance Marker Genes In Transgenic Plant Feed Material Fed To Chickens
11 February 2002 Journal Of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy
The authors examined the fate of an antibiotic resistance marker, incorporated into transgenic maize when fed to chicks.

New Approvals and Increased Acreage of Monsanto Traits in 2001 Demonstrate Growing Acceptance of Biotech; Pre-Commercial Field Trials Taking Place in 25 Countries
11 February 2002 Monsanto Co.
Regulatory approvals, renewals, and increased acreage of Monsanto Company’s agricultural biotechnology traits in 2001 signal a growing acceptance of the technology and a broader recognition of its benefits, Monsanto’s Chief Technology Officer, Robert T. Fraley, Ph.D., said.

Some Question Traditional Farming Methods
10 February 2002 St Louis Post - Dispatch
In a recent debate with environmentalists, several scientists asserted that biotech crops do less harm to the environment than organic crops that require heavier use of pesticides.

A Challenge To Greenpeace On Their Anti-GM Policy
08 February 2002 Agbioworld
It was instructive to read the transcript of a recent BBC interview with Greenpeace's Chief Scientist, Doug Parr (AgBioView, Feb 7). If that's the best "science" Greenpeace can offer to defend their "zero-tolerance" position on GM crops they should either give up their anti-GM crusade or get some better arguments.

GM Foods 'OK To Eat'
07 February 2002 The Daily Telegraph
Australia's food safety watchdog has given preliminary approval to plans by two multinational firms to release GM foods.

GE Foods Get The Official Green Light
07 February 2002 The Mercury
Australia's food safety watchdog backed genetically engineered foods, saying they were as good as their natural counterparts and free of danger.

Bt Corn Poses “No Significant Risk” To Monarchs
06 February 2002 USDA
A consortium of federal, university and industry scientists led by the Agricultural Research Service has completed two years of research to answer the question: Does Bt corn pose a threat to monarch butterflies? The answer, supported by science, is that there is no significant risk.

Report Proves Public Wants To Know More
05 February 2002 Agricultural Biotechnology Council
A major survey from a new industry group has shown for the first time the true extent of public demand for more information about GM foods.

GMO Labelling Might Decrease Global Food Safety
05 February 2002 Crop Biotech Update
Kim Nill, the biotechnology and technical director of the American Soybean Association (ASA), fears that mandatory GMO labelling would have adverse impacts on global food safety.

Safety Checks For GM Foods Must Be Better, Says Royal Society
04 February 2002 Royal Society
Safety assessments should be improved before a greater variety of foods made from genetically modified plants are declared fit for human consumption, a Royal Society report warns today (4 February 2002).

Seeds Of Doubt: Farmers Embrace Genetics, Despite Fears
04 February 2002 Barrons
Despite the furor among environmental and consumer groups, more than 5.5 million farmers in 13 nations planted genetically modified crops last year. About 99% of the crops are grown in the U.S., Argentina, Canada and China.

A Crop Of Security
31 January 2002 Farm Journal
"Farmers have great opportunities to address both their own and their country's energy needs," said Douglas Faulkner. These range from growing the raw material feedstock for bio-power and bio-based products, to improved efficiency in operation of equipment.

Growing Partnerships For Food And Health
31 January 2002 Monsanto Co.
Monsanto initiated its Small Holder Program to facilitate the sharing and transfer of technologies needed by resource poor small holder farmers in Africa and Indonesia.

Spring-Sown GM Crop Trial Sites Announced
31 January 2002 SCIMAC
Detailed locations of spring-sown sites of GM oilseed rape and beet within the Government's Farm-Scale Evaluation programme are announced today, 31 January 2002.

GM Food Safest Ever - Australian Scientist
30 January 2002 Life Sciences Network
“Genetically modified crops are going to be the safest new foods that we've ever introduced into the human diet”, according to Dr Phil Larkin of CSIRO Plant Industries in Canberra.

Agricultural Superhero Keeps Mother Nature Pround: Agricultural Biotechnology Solves Environmental Problems And Relieves Agricultural Pressures
30 January 2002 Technion Institute of Management
The ever-growing need to sustain increasing populations means that we must cope with demands for food while making sure that the environment is not compromised. Agricultural biotechnology addresses this challenge by using modern science and knowledge to improve crop varieties and produce better crop yield.

Life Sciences And Biotechnology: A Strategy For
Europe
29 January 2002 Institute of Plant Sciences
Klaus Ammann from the Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, reported about the communication from the EU-Commission towards a strategic vision of life sciences and biotechnology.

European GM Crops, Slow Progress
28 January 2002 David Walker
While the popularity of genetically modified crops elsewhere in the world almost certainly means they will eventually be accepted in Europe, nobody expects the process to be either smooth or swift.

Submission By Monsanto UK To The Policy Commission On The Future Of Food And Farming – October 2001
28 January 2002 Monsanto.co.uk
Monsanto welcomes this opportunity to make a submission to Policy Commission on the Future of Food and Farming. Monsanto’s connections with British agriculture go back to its first UK commercial partnership in 1919.

Brazil To Reinforce Pro-GMO Stance, Push Liberation
28 January 2002 Dow jones
The Brazilian government will officially reinforce its position in favor of the planting and sale of genetically modified organisms.

China Is Already A Biotech Giant
26 January 2002 Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
Scientists reported that China has over the past four years set itself the target of establishing the "largest biotechnological capacity" outside the North America in this field.

Biotech's Battle Against Famine
25 January 2002 Globe and Mail
Two very different solutions have been put forward to answer the inevitable increase demand for food. One proposed answer is to grow everything organically, while other people argue to embrace food biotechnology.

Barcelona European Council: Commission Launches Proposal For Comprehensive Biotechnology Policy
24 January 2002 Europa
The European Commission adopted a major policy initiative for the development of life sciences and biotechnology in Europe. This is one of the main building blocks of the Commission's contribution to the Barcelona European Council in March 2002.

European Commission To Announce Biotech Strategy; A New Beginning For Biotech In Europe?
23 January 2002 Europabio
The European Commission is expected to set out a strategy for European life sciences and biotechnology. EuropaBio, the European association for bioindustries, welcomes this effort to acknowledge biotechnology as a major source of innovation for a very wide range of products.

European Commission Outlines Plan To Encourage Rise Of Biotechnology
21 January 2002 Dow Jones Newswires
The European Commission says in a strategy paper that Europe's fears about biotechnology are costing it in terms of jobs, growth and prosperity.

US Launches Drive To Free World Trade In Genetically Modified Farm Produce
21 January 2002 AFP
The United States wants to convince the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) 143 other members to open their markets to genetically modified farm products, US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick said.

Two Nobel Prize Winners Urge Food Abundance
19 January 2002 Dennis T. Avery
As the world tries to celebrate peace despite another strife-torn holiday season, two Nobel Peace Prize winners are pleading for high-yield food production to help relieve Third World poverty and land shortages.

The Great GM Debate
19 January 2002 The Christchurch Press
The big question: can New Zealand afford not to have GM? Two-thirds of our exports still come from the land. Prices slope down. The Green Revolution, itself a product of science, means food output has grown faster than human populations.

GM Crop Trials To Be Announced
18 January 2002 PA
More genetically modified crops are to be planted nationwide this spring as part of the Government's farm scale trials, it is being announced. It is the last year of a three year programme, with the final round of trials to take place in the autumn.

Closed Minds Are A Threat To The Greater Crop Of Knowledge
17 January 2002 Daily News
The destruction of genetically engineered potatoes in a Christchurch greenhouse laboratory is a blaring statement of ignorance. Worse, it is a statement of some vandalising individuals' insistence that everyone else should remain as ignorant as them.

Unilever Boss Calls For Fresh Start On GM Crops
16 January 2002 Liverpool Daily Post
The head of the giant Unilever group entered the debate over genetically modified crops by encouraging more honesty with consumers.

U.S. Pressures Europe To Drop GMO Labeling Rules
16 January 2002 ENS
The U.S. government argues that the European Union proposal is "unworkable and not enforceable," and that labeling will actually erode rather than bolster consumer confidence.

Biotechnology: Leave Science To The Scientists
14 January 2002 Truth About Trade and Technology
The Trader Joe's plan has absolutely nothing to do with science, and that's because it can't have anything to do with science. There isn't a single shred of scientific evidence suggesting that genetically modified food poses a health risk to anybody. Instead, there is a mountain of proof showing that it's perfectly safe to eat.

Monsanto UK Responds To Breakfast Cereal
Speculation
10 January 2002 Monsanto UK
A number of stories appeared in UK newspapers and on radio, yesterday Sunday 6 January as well as today, about the possibility of Monsanto developing breakfast cereals which retain a crisp texture when mixed with milk.

Global GM Crop Area Continues To Grow And Exceeds 50 Million Hectares For First Time In 2001
10 January 2002 ISAAA
The Annual Global Review of Commercialized Transgenic (GM) Crops, conducted by Dr Clive James, Chairman of the ISAAA Board of Directors, features comprehensive information on transgenic crops grown globally in 2001.

Reuters Survey: US Bio-Corn Plantings To Soar In 2002
10 January 2002 Monsanto Co.
A Reuters survey of more than 300 growers, conducted at the American Farm Bureau Federation's annual meeting, was cited as finding that American farmers will shrug off European and Asian concerns about genetically modified food and boost U.S. biotech corn plantings by more than 13 percent this year.

Doubts Linger Over Mexican Corn Analysis
09 January 2002 Nature Biotechnology
Research at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT; El Batan, Mexico) has cast some doubt on controversial earlier reports that DNA from genetically modified maize has been transferred to local varieties in Mexico.

Food and Agriculture Committee Sees Potential In Biotechnology
09 January 2002 npa
The National Policy Association's Food and Agriculture Committee (FAC) released its policy recommendations on biotechnology.

Agriculture Leads The Way In Biotechnology Revolution
08 January 2002 Intertec Publishing Corporation
For an industry that routinely is accused of resisting change, agriculture has been at the forefront in recent years in embracing new technology and promptly applying it to the farm. The genetic revolution -- still a theoretical concept to many -- is being carried out on a daily basis in fields throughout the rural Southeast.

Biotech Grain Offers No Financial Boost For Farmers, Study Says But Farmers Tout Other benefits
08 January 2002 Dow Jones
Michael Duffy, associate director for Iowa State's Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, has found that genetically altered crops offer no significant difference in financial returns for Iowa farmers compared with traditional crops, based on interviews with 350 Iowa farmers.

US, EU Officials Target March Meet For GMO Progress
08 January 2002 Monsanto.co.uk
According to Reuters, U.S. and EU officials said they hope a March meeting of European Union leaders will succeed in expediting Europe's approval of genetically-modified products hanging in limbo since 1998 amid objections, notably from France.

Gene-Altered Crops Costly, But Farmers Deem Them Valuable
07 January 2002 Monsanto Co.
Genetically modified crops, which have caused considerable consumer opposition in Europe, have been gaining popularity among U.S. farmers, but not for economic reasons.

Getting Out Of The Lab And Into The World - The Effort To Bring Genetically Engineered Crop To Developing Countries Takes A Tangled Path
07 January 2002 The Newark Star-Ledger
Ingo Potrykus Professor of plant sciences at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology invented golden rice to prevent blindness in poor children and is advocating its introduction throughout the developing world.

A Grain Of Hope For The Starving - Opponents Fear The Consequences Of Genetically Engineered Hybrid
06 January 2002 The Newark Star-Ledger
At the foot of an ancient volcano, deep within a sweltering jungle, scientists at an experimental agricultural station are developing a strange yellow grain never before seen in nature. Known as "golden rice" for its buttery hue, this revolutionary strain has been genetically engineered to contain vitamin A.

The Discovery By French Scientists That Cotton Plants Produce A Kind Of 'Plant Aspirin' In Response To Bacterial Infection Could Lead To New Ways Of Fighting Crop Diseases
05 January 2002 SciDev.Net
Researchers led by the French Institute of Research for Development (IRD) were cited as finding that salicylic acid - which has a chemical structure very similar to that of aspirin - and jasmonate acid are both released by cotton plants in response to infection by the bacterium Xanthomonas.

New Booklet Outlines Benefits Of Biotechnology: CropLife Canada Explains Regulatory Process
05 January 2002 Journal Pioneer
"Biotechnology is one of the most misunderstood yet most valuable technologies being used in food production today," says Denise Dewar, executive director of plant biotechnology for CropLife Canada (formerly the Crop Protection Institute of Canada).

Effective Legislation Or A Barrier To Trade Agra Europe Conference On Traceability
Brussels, November 27, 2001

02 January 2002 United Soybean Board
Good morning and its a pleasure to be in Brussels and at this conference. I am a farmer from Mississippi and I also have a grain purchasing company, North Mississippi Grain.