| Argentina: GMO wheat banned in the province of Buenos Aires Bioceres – the “Argentine Monsanto” – is racing to get its GMO HB4 wheat accepted by regulators around the world. It has already got food approval in Australia and partial approval in the US – from the FDA but not yet the USDA. But while Bioceres is rushing to create markets for its GMO wheat abroad, within Argentina itself its commercialisation is facing widespread resistance. And it appears to have received a major setback in the province of Buenos Aires, the very heart of agribusiness in Argentina. A judge in Mar del Plata has issued a precautionary ruling that suspends the use and release of GMO HB4 wheat in Buenos Aires until a commission is formed to evaluate its effects. GMWatch Why we cannot blame the Sri Lankan crisis on organic farming As Sri Lanka faces fuel shortages, a foreign exchange crisis, high debt, fertiliser import restrictions and the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, pesticide advocates are blaming its worst ever food crisis on organics. But Thilak Kariyawasam, president of the Lanka Organic Agriculture Movement, says this is a false narrative spread by pesticide lobbyists. The food crisis was fuelled over many years by a financial crisis and dependence on importing food and chemical inputs which got more and more expensive. She says the then president announced a sudden transition to organic in order to cut spending, the organic sector was taken aback by the suddenness of the move, since "It is clear that a more strategic plan is needed to ensure Sri Lankan farmers can wean their lands of chemical inputs and start growing food in a more sustainable way." Organic Without Boundaries Sri Lanka: A non-simplistic reading Before the Sri Lankan food crisis, the country was already heading into a debt crisis by borrowing heavily to build selective infrastructure — ports, power plants, highways and resorts, writes Vandana Shiva. The food crisis was intensified by climate havoc, which affected South Asia most severely. The few months' stop in the import of chemical fertilisers beginning in April 2021 was an attempt to ameliorate the debt crisis. However, Dr Shiva writes, "A ban on imports of chemical fertilisers does not automatically translate into policies for food sovereignty. Food sovereignty requires a considered transition to ecological agriculture, in practice, research and the policy. Cuba managed the fuel and fertiliser crisis triggered by the collapse of the Soviet Union through a transition to organic agriculture supported by policy and research." Deccan Herald How GMO research has damaged Hawaii's agriculture The ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have sent shock waves through the global industrialised food system. Island communities in Hawaii, which rely on imports for 85-90% of their food supply, have been particularly shaken. Not only did the global pandemic exacerbate the island state's food insecurity issues, but it brought more attention to the locals' struggle for self-sufficiency. Autumn Ness of the non-profit Beyond Pesticides said, "What's stopping Hawaii feeding its own people is not lack of knowledge or skills, it's the power structure." Industrial agriculture and foreign capital's dominance have left traditional Hawaiian farmers with strangled access to land and water. What was once a state of subtropical biodiversity, diverse ecosystems, and distinct microclimates cared for through indigenous farming practices, has become the GMO research capital of the world. Uncoincidentally, Hawaii is known amongst researchers as the "extinction capital of the world," as the home to a third of the species on the endangered species list. Tasting Table "Disturbing": Weedkiller ingredient tied to cancer found in 80% of US urine samples More than 80% of urine samples drawn from children and adults in a US health study contained glyphosate, a weedkilling chemical linked to cancer, a finding scientists have called “disturbing” and “concerning”. The report by a unit of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that out of 2,310 urine samples, taken from a group of Americans intended to be representative of the US population, 1,885 were laced with detectable traces of glyphosate. This is the active ingredient in herbicides sold around the world, including the widely used Roundup brand. Almost a third of the participants were children ranging from six to 18. The Guardian EU bans pesticides in parks, playgrounds, and playing fields The European Commission (EC) introduced on 22 June new rules that ban all pesticides in “public parks or gardens, playgrounds, recreation or sports grounds, public paths, as well as ecologically sensitive areas.” In agriculture, the policy adopts strategies for achieving the pesticide reduction goals of its Farm to Fork initiative. The EC — the European Union’s (EU’s) executive arm — proffered new rules that are binding on all EU Member States. Those states must, in turn, adopt their own binding targets to help meet the overall EU targets — a 50% reduction in use and risk of chemical pesticides, and a 50% reduction in use of more-hazardous pesticides, by 2030. Beyond Pesticides France extends its pesticide bans France has extended its ban on non-agricultural pesticide use. First came a ban on sales to private individuals. Now professional horticulturists cannot use pesticides in private gardens, campsites, amusement parks, hotels, shopping areas, car parks, commercial zones, and some sports grounds. Les Enterprises du Paysage (French language article) We hope you’ve enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible by readers’ donations. Please support our work with a one-off or regular donation. Thank you! __________________________________________________________ Website: http://www.gmwatch.org
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