| Expert: Blaming Greenpeace for blocking Golden Rice is “sleazy sleight of hand” With the recent Philippines court decision blocking the further planting of GM Golden Rice in the country, pro-GMO advocates have renewed their attacks on Greenpeace, which, with the farmer-scientist network MASIPAG and others, brought the lawsuit. The Observer’s science editor Robin McKie has published an article accusing Greenpeace of causing “a catastrophe” by its role in the court case. GM Golden Rice is engineered to contain the vitamin A precursor beta-carotene and is targeted at poor people, especially children, suffering from vitamin A deficiency (VAD). The Observer also chimed in with an editorial headlined, “When modified rice could save thousands of lives, it is wrong to oppose it”, and subtitled, “The green movement’s attempts to block the cultivation of a grain enhanced with vitamin A is misguided”. However, experts on Golden Rice have roundly debunked the claims, with one pointing out that blaming Greenpeace for blocking the GM crop is “a sleazy sleight of hand to hide the fact that after 30 years of development, Golden Rice is still not ready”. Glenn Davis Stone, Research Professor of Environmental Science at Sweet Briar College, also points out that there is no evidence that Golden Rice can actually improve vitamin levels in its target population and that farmers may not be prepared to even plant it without special inducements to do so. GMWatch Where is the proof of the safety of GMOs? In Bangladesh, Bt brinjal (eggplant) was approved for commercial field cultivation in 2013, while GM Golden Rice is awaiting approval from the National Committee on Biosafety (NCB) of the Ministry of Environment. A press conference organised by UBINIG and other groups raised concerns about the biosafety of GMO crops. The context of the press conferences was prompted by the recent Philippine Court of Appeals' cease-and-desist order on the commercial propagation of two genetically modified crops—golden rice and Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) eggplant. The court, acting to safeguard the citizens from the potential harms of GMOs, was explicit in its juridical intent. The court stated that there is clearly a lack of "full scientific certainty" on the impact of GM food products. The concern is over the inadequacy of the scientific evidence about the safety of GMOs. The Business Standard ADM in Germany wants to replace Ukrainian soybeans with local ones Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) is looking for suppliers of non-GMO soybeans for its oil extraction plant in Mainz. Currently, soybeans remain a niche crop in Germany – last year soybeans were grown on 45 thousand hectares in the country, which is half as much as the area under vineyards. At the same time, ADM sees a growing demand for non-GMO soybeans grown in Europe. That is why the company has expanded its oil mill in Mainz – new bins and systems have been in operation since April. As ADM dealer Daniel Afonso Andre explained, in the future, the non-GMO soybeans will be processed into soybean meal and soybean oil at this facility. Currently, most of the raw materials are supplied by Ukrainian farmers, but ADM is actively looking for new soybean growers in Germany to utilise its facilities. UkrAgroConsult The US-Mexico tortilla war Do nations have the right to determine their own food policies? If sovereignty means anything, the answer to these questions is yes. Defending food supplies is an ancient cornerstone of the social contract, one enshrined in 21st century trade pacts including the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the successor to NAFTA. In December 2023, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador invoked this right when he banned GM corn for human consumption and phased out the use of glyphosate, GM corn’s signature herbicide, which the World Health Organization calls “probably carcinogenic to humans”. The measure, said López Obrador, was necessary to guarantee Mexicans’ “rights to health and a healthy environment, native corn, [and] ensure a nutritious, sufficient, and quality diet.” If GM corn and glyphosate pose health risks to humans, as suggested by a growing body of research, then those risks are magnified in Mexico, where the national diet revolves around minimally processed white corn. Corn meal accounts for more than 60 percent of the average Mexican’s daily calories and protein, which is roughly 10 times the US average and puts Mexicans at 10 times the risk. But Mexico’s assertion of food sovereignty was not welcomed in Washington, where the Biden administration joined industry in crying foul. The Fern New report: Agroecological Intelligence – Establishing Criteria for Agroecologically Appropriate Technology Agroecological farmers and growers are not anti-technology, but they are suspicious of top-down, developer-driven technology which is often removed from their interests and a distraction from the wider reforms needed for a more sustainable, fair and resilient food system. They are, however, enthusiastic about agri-innovations which have been designed and developed with them, their values and needs in mind. These are some of the findings from the 18-month Agroecological Intelligence Project from A Bigger Conversation which draws on extensive and in-depth workshops with UK agroecological farmers and growers. The final report has just been published and includes a guide to help practitioners assess agricultural technologies for their compatibility with agroecology as well as recommendations for significant changes in the way agritech is developed, regulated, financed and promoted. [GMW: This is a badly needed and important report that gives a voice to the people best placed to make judgments on appropriate technology for agroecological systems – agroecological farmers themselves.] A Bigger Conversation 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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