War in the rice fields (28/12/2007)

[nosmokes]

What I found so outrageous at the time of US rice contamination with Bayer's LL601 was that it wasn't even approved by the USDA.Instead of jumping all over Bayer's rear-end, which we *know* Bayer would have done had some poor farmer unkowingly planted any of their proprietary seeds with the full backing and support of the government, the USDA almost broke it's back bending over backwards to post-date approval of LL601. Of course any pretense of thorough testing is a farce as the only criteria was to shield Bayer from as much liability as possible.
LL601 has now been found in long grain rice on every continent. The exact extent of the contamination is impossible to know. It's clear that the irresponsible corporate practices of the AgBiotech industry and the collusion of the US regulatory agencies whose mandate is to oversee and ride herd on them to keep the public safe are out of control and their only concern is the bottom line for the quarterly report. Because with business practices like these it's certain that there is no long range vision for sustainability.
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original-gmwatch

War in the rice fields (28/12/2007)

NOTE: One of the great campaigns of this last year was the 'Save our Rice Campaign' of Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific (PAN AP). Here's their wide-ranging RICE NEWSLETTER.

Good to see the theme for their Week of Rice Action (WORA) 2008 (2 - 8 April) is to be 'No to GE Rice in Asia', promoting 8 April as International No GE Day.

EXTRACT: As of 31 October, 1,124,304 peasant farmers, agricultural workers, rural women, activists and consumers in 13 countries in Asia had signed the petition... launched as part of the Week of Rice Action (WORA) 2007. WORA was a mass mobilization of over a million people... organised by PAN AP with its network partners in 13 countries in Asia...

The Statement states... 'Agri-business has paved the way for hybrid rice and genetically-engineered (GE) rice such as Golden Rice, Bt Rice and Liberty Link Rice, causing not only the loss of strong and unique local and traditional rice varieties but their contamination as well. Although GE is touted as the solution to world hunger, in reality, it will only make the problem of world hunger worse.'

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RICE NEWSLETTER, DECEMBER 2007

Bulletin by the Save our Rice Campaign, PAN AP

*LANDMARK COURT RULING VS. GMOs

*WAR IN RICE FIELDS: TO GM OR NOT TO GM

*U.S. GMO RICE CAUSED USD1.2 BLN IN DAMAGES *FARMERS AND SCIENTISTS DECRY RICE ROBBERY *U.S GMO RICE FOUND IN CHINA SUPERMARKETS *ONE MILLION VOICES FOR RICE!

*SAVE OUR RICE CAMPAIGN FORGES INTO THE FUTURE *RICE FARMERS HONORED BY PAN ...

LANDMARK COURT RULING VS. GMOs

QUEZON CITY: It may not have landed on the front page, but a ruling issued recently by Branch 101 of the Regional Trial Court in Quezon City was a landmark decision nonetheless.

Following up on a temporary restraining order she issued earlier, RTC Judge Evangeline Marigomen stopped the Department of Agriculture from approving a rice strain derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs), which a multinational company was poised to commercially propagate in the Philippines.

Judge Marigomen's preliminary injunction order was the latest development in an ongoing court case filed by the environmental group, Greenpeace and the non-governmental organization, SEARICE.

The anti-GMO plaintiffs questioned the constitutionality of DA Administrative Order No. 8-2002, the government's system for GMO approvals. The environment advocates have repeatedly asserted that the system is 'hopelessly flawed' and violates basic constitutional rights.

Greenpeace and SEARICE helped file the court plea against the government’s policy on GMOs last August. The petition sought a permanent injunction on the approval of Bayer Cropscience Corporation’s genetically modified rice Liberty Link 62 whose application is being reviewed by the DA, through its Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI).

Bayer's LL62 rice has been approved for commercial distribution only in the United States.

In her injunction order, Judge Marigomen said, 'A sampling of the petitioners' evidence shows that there is a violation of the constitutionally guaranteed rights 1) to information of public concern, 2) protection and promotion of health, and 3) a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature.'

Judge Marigomen’s injunction order is the first major ruling on GMOs in the Philippines since 2002 when the government allowed the entry of genetically altered crops.

Source: Manila Times, 24 September 2007

WAR IN RICE FIELDS: TO GM OR NOT TO GM

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complete article including links to the original sources here

[truedelphi]

1. This is tremendously disheartening and scary

I have been buying pretty much ONLY short grained rice. Mark always insists on getting "organic" long rain varieties as he likes the taste better. So we buy it but try to use it sparingly.

We cannot regulate pollination. With GMO crops being allowed in millions of farm acres across the country, the "organic" food movement is being dealt a dath blow.

Meanwhile, cancer patients hear their doctors say, "Your tumors are growing by leaps and bounds." The medical personnel shake their heads in amazement at how fast tumors are growing these days.

But is it any wonder? With our grains containing intra-cellular pesticides, with Monsanto's favorite, RoundUp, being used at above maximum allowable levels on RoundUp ready corn, how can aperson whohas cancer beat the disease?