26/January/21

 

The recently launched Consultation on the Regulation of Genetic Technologies provides an opportunity for members of the public to air their views on whether plants and animals created using new experimental genetic engineering technologies (commonly referred to as gene-edited or genome edited) should be deregulated. Deregulation means the removal of vital safety checks and possibly no GMO (genetically modified organism) labelling. Beyond GM and GM Freeze has now published guidance for the public on how to respond. GMWatch provided input. GMWatch

 

 

A new litigation front has opened up for beleaguered Bayer – Agent Orange lawsuits. On January 25 Tran To Nga, a former Franco-Vietnamese journalist and resistance fighter in the Vietnam war, took fourteen American companies involved in the production and sale of Agent Orange to court for causing grievous harm to her and others. The companies include Bayer (formerly Monsanto) and Dow Chemical, the principal manufacturers for the US military of this toxic herbicide. GMWatch

 

 

A gene-edited tomato that is intended to have a biological effect on consumers has been approved in Japan for commercial sale – without safety checks or GMO labelling. The tomato is genetically engineered to contain higher than usual amounts of GABA, a substance that is said to have the ability to lower blood pressure. Bio Journal; Consumers Union of Japan, No! GMO Campaign; GMWatch comment

 

 

US President Joe Biden has nominated Tom Vilsack as Agriculture Secretary. The Organic Consumers Association explains why this is bad news. There's also an International Take Action to tell the US Senate to vote No on Mr Monsanto (Vilsack) for Ag Secretary. GMWatch

 

 

Genetic engineering techniques designed to make insects "sterile" for disease vector or pest control, have been tested in field releases by the company Oxitec, including in Malaysia, the Cayman Islands and Brazil. However, these genetic switches are known to be not fool-proof, with some larvae managing to survive in the wild, and cannot thus be accurately described as "sterile". Now a new study has revealed another chink in the molecular armour of these types of genetic switches, whereby "sterile" insects revert back to being fertile, resulting in resistant GM populations persisting in the environment. Third World Network via GMWatch