26/April/21

 

Despite a decade of community opposition, the experimental release of GM mosquitoes begins today in the Florida Keys. British biotech corporation Oxitec, in collaboration with the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District, plans to release up to a billion GM mosquitoes in two phases. GMO Free USA and the Coalition Against GMO Mosquitoes condemn the uncontrolled release and are airing radio spots to educate Florida Keys residents about the health and environmental risks. 3BL CSR Wire

 

 

In 2020, consumers in Germany spent around 12.6 billion euros on products with the "Ohne GenTechnik" (Non-GMO) label, an increase of more than 12 percent. The market share in food is thus around 5.4 percent. To secure this success in the long term, new GMOs must also remain regulated as GMOs, says the German non-GMO industry association VLOG. After the publication of the EU study on the topic next week, the debate is likely to gain steam. GMWatch

 

 

Bayer AG’s strategy to get a favourable ruling in its Roundup litigation is a manufactured “pay-to-appeal scheme” that will erode the US system of justice if it’s permitted, plaintiffs’ lawyers said in a letter to a court. Lawyers who are helping lead the nationwide litigation over allegations that the weed killer causes cancer responded Thursday to a deal Bayer entered into that essentially pays a Georgia man to keep fighting the company in court. “The court should reject this brazen manipulation of our judicial system,” according to the letter addressed to the Atlanta-based US Court of Appeals. Bloomberg

 

 

Despite claims that GM crops have reduced the use of pesticides, herbicide application has increased in quantity and in the number of substances needed. As weeds resistant to glyphosate have spread, farmers have turned to substitute herbicides such as paraquat. Cases of people being harmed by exposure to paraquat have become more frequent. Some, including people suffering from Parkinson's disease, have resorted to filing a toxic exposure claim against the manufacturers, as Jonathan Sharp, Director of Claims of the Environmental Litigation Group, P.C., reports. GMWatch