Greenpeace obvinilo Monsanto z "bio-piratstvi"

Greenpeace attacks Monsanto’s Biopiracy Plans Bonn/London, 22 October 2001: Greenpeace is accusing agribusiness giant Monsanto of seeking to monopolise one of the world’s main food crops, soya (wild and cultivated varieties), which originates from China. China is regarded as the centre of diversity for soya with more 6000 existing wild varieties. At the start of the United Nations (UN) Conference on Biodiversity this week in Bonn, Germany, Greenpeace revealed Monsanto’s application for a patent, which would grant the company an exclusive right on soy plants, their seeds and progeny with high yield traits. Monsanto claims rights to a natural gene sequence discovered in wild plants originating from China. This sequence is directly linked to yield characteristics of the soybeans. The patent application (1) was filed simultaneously in over a hundred countries, including the US and countries in Europe. "Monsanto is a ruthless biopirate. The company tries to hijack the genetic resources of a major food crop - basing their claim on a discovery of a gene sequence found in nature. Once this gene sequence is identified even in wild plant, Monsanto has an exclusive right to profit from it," said Sze Ping Lo, Genetic Engineering campaigner for Greenpeace China. “As 90 percent of the world’s wild soya is growing in China, the patent would have large scale consequences. Chinese scientists were shocked when Greenpeace informed them of the applications.” The patent, blocking both farmers and researchers from freely accessing the soy with the high yield trait, has not yet been approved. The European Patent Office in Munich has raised doubts about the patent in its initial evaluation. However, both in Europe and in the USA numerous patents, regarded as cases of biopiracy by Greenpeace, have been granted. "This case demonstrates how corporations like Monsanto are plundering nature," said Christoph Then, Greenpeace expert on patents. "Patent law is privatising the foundations of life on this planet. As soon as genes are identified and described they can be declared 'inventions' by the companies. We are urging the delegates of the UN Conference to send a clear signal opposing industry-controlled monopolies on biodiversity.” The UN Conference participants are aiming to agree on a system of fair access and benefit sharing arrangements regarding the use of biological diversity. Participating delegations represent more than 180 member countries of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, one of the main achievements of the UN Earth Summit of 1992 in Rio de Janeiro. (1) Patent WO 00/18963 was registered in 1999 with the Patent Cooperation Treaty in Geneva

Vazne geneticke zamoreni kukurice v Mexiku

SERIOUS GENETIC CONTAMINATION REVEALED IN MEXICAN MAIZE, 27 September 2001, London/Mexico City/Nairobi - Greenpeace today called on Mexico to adopt emergency measures to combat the first serious outbreak of genetic pollution in the centre of diversity of maize, located in several communities in the state of Oaxaca. Testing of maize varieties from 22 communities in the area have revealed genetic contamination in 15 of them: 13 samples showed up to 10% levels of contamination, in two others the contamination level is known to be even higher, but no details have been published yet. The contamination originates from genetically engineered (GE) maize grains imported from the United States to Mexico to be used for food. Greenpeace urged the Mexican government to unequivocally acknowledge the magnitude of the problem and as a first step eliminate the source of contamination by banning all GE and GE contaminated maize imports to the country recognised as the centre of diversity for maize. The environmental organisation also appealed to the governments participating in the next week's meeting on the Biosafety Protocol in Nairobi, Kenya, to assist Mexico to protect one of the world's most important food crops as well as to speed up the ratification and implementation of the protocol. "The world is at risk of losing unique diversity of maize to genetic pollution. Mexico is the steward of the global maize diversity. It is Mexico's responsibility to take all necessary measures to protect this crop," said Raul Benet, Executive Director of Greenpeace Mexico. "This diversity ensures global food security now and in the future. As Jack Harlan (3), the pioneering American botanist and plant breeder has stated, genetic diversity 'stands between us and catastrophic starvation on a scale we cannot imagine'. We cannot afford any more delays. " Last week Greenpeace warned that Mexican traditional maize is already contaminated. The Mexican government has confirmed the contamination of at least in 15 communities in Central Mexico but has taken no action to eliminate the source or to implement any other emergency measures to control the damage to the environment and food chain. Even a low level of genetic contamination is highly significant in a centre of diversity and origin: The genetic contamination is likely to multiply through pollen flow and spread further to other traditional varieties and wild relatives growing in the area. Crop diversity is essential in the continuing pursuit of food crop varieties resistant to new pests, diseases, changing climatic and environmental conditions. The tests on Mexican maize from Oaxaca have shown at least the presence of genetically engineered Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) genes. The contaminated varieties may now produce this Bt toxin, potentially affecting beneficial insects; the contaminated varieties have great potential to spread their foreign genes to traditional varieties with unpredictable consequences. "This contamination will not disappear by itself but spread further. It is likely to be only the tip of the iceberg of contamination in traditional varieties, as the plants in other parts of Mexico have not yet been investigated, " said Dr Doreen Stabinsky from Greenpeace USA. "Mexico may need support to set up an infrastructure for testing plants. All maize affected by genetic contamination, including wild plants, needs to be identified. It also goes without saying that the source of contamination needs to be sealed by banning all imports of GE and GE contaminated maize to the centre of diversity." The UN Biosafety Protocol recognises the crucial importance to humankind of centres of diversity but is still ineffective, as the ratification process has been at a standstill for almost two years halting real progress in implementation. "The international community must now agree on immediate preventative measures to avoid further outbreaks of contamination into other centres of diversity by banning all imports and releases of genetically modified organisms into these areas," added Stabinsky.

Zestavi Evropska unie dovoz manipulovane soji od Monsanta?

GREENPEACE URGES THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO STOP IMPORT OF MONSANTO'S GENETICALLY MODIFIED "RR" SOYA, 6 September 2001, Brussels - Greenpeace today urged the European Commission to recognise that Monsanto's genetically modified soya,currently imported and sold under the commercial name "Roundup Ready" (RR), has never received an EU approval and should, herefore, be withdrawn from the market. The demand is contained in a letter addressed to Environment commissioner, Margot Wallström, and Health and Consumer Protection commissioner, David Byrne. According to a peer-reviewed study, recently published by a team of Belgian scientists, the genome of Monsanto's "RR" soya currently marketed in the EU contains "unknown DNA". Therefore, it does not correspond to the genetic map of the RR soya for which an EU authorisation was granted in April 1996. The paper reports "…a DNA segment of 534 bp (base pairs) DNA for which no sequence homology could be detected". The scientists conclude that "…during integration of the insert DNA rearrangements or a large deletion may have occurred". These latest findings follow the discovery of two other unexpected gene fragments in the RR soya by the same team last year. This "unknown" DNA could influence the regulation and/or functioning of neighbouring genes, or possibly code for an unknown protein. If it is rearranged DNA, it could have been part of, or a regulatory element for, one or more plant genes, leading to malfunctioning of these genes. "According to the EU rules - said Brigid Gavin, Greenpeace European Unit - the accurate description of the inserted DNA and its expected functions is fundamental in the risk assessment required for GMO approvals, which are always granted on a case by case basis. From a legal point of view, therefore, the only adequate reaction from the European and national authorities would be to suspend the current approval and re-evaluate the environmental and health impact of the genetically modified 'RR' soya". In a separate move, Greenpeace Netherlands today has taken the first step towards legal action by formally requesting the Dutch Health Minister to halt imports of Monsanto's "Roundup Ready" soya. Greenpeace has warned the Minister that it will present the case to a national judge if its request does not receive a satisfactory answer within four weeks. Greenpeace is also drawing attention to other scientific studies, published after the introduction of Monsanto's genetically modified soya, which highlight unexpected and unexplained effects, potentially related to either the inserted gene or the insertion process. In particular, a peer reviewed report (published in March /April 2001) following fields trials with genetically modified soya in the US shows a 5% yield suppression, compared to conventional crops. Scientists conclude that the yield suppression appears to be associated with the Roundup Ready gene or its insertion process, rather than with the type of soya variety used or the application of the Roundup herbicide (glyphosate) on the crops. Further studies on RR Soya include Lappé et al. (1998/1999) on alteration in clinical important phytoestrogens, King et al. (2001) on nitrogenase activity in response to glyphosate application, Coghlan, A. (1999) on increased lignin content, which made RR soya plants brittle in hot temperatures. All these studies clearly demonstrate the need and urgency of a thorough scientific reassessment of the RR soya.

Neznama DNA v manipulovene soje od Monsanta

NEW STUDY REVEALS UNKNOWN DNA IN MONSANTO'S "ROUNDUP READY" SOYA, Amsterdam/Berlin 15 August, 2001: The environmental group,Greenpeace, today sounded the alarm about new information published by a team of Belgian scientists in the European Journal of Food Research Technology. The peer reviewed study shows "unknown DNA" in genetically engineered (GE) "Roundup Ready" (RR) soya patented and sold by US multinational Monsanto. "The findings clearly establish that the GE soybean that has been approved based on Monsanto's own description of the genetic alterations is not identical to the GE soya sold by the company since 1996 world-wide," said Lindsay Keenan of Greenpeace International. “Monsanto have again been shown to not even know the basic genetic information about what is in their GE soya”. Greenpeace demands immediate steps to be taken by the competent authorities in Europe and other countries, where the GMO has been approved based on the inaccurate submissions of Monsanto. "From a legal point of view, the only adequate reaction is to suspend the approval and to re-evaluate the environmental and health impacts of the GE soya,” said Keenan. "This is fundamental: the accurate description of the inserted DNA and the genetic alterations of the GE soya is the very basis of any further risk-assessment." The paper reports “…a DNA segment of 534 bp DNA for which no sequence homology could be detected”. The scientists conclude that "…during integration of the insert DNA rearrangements or a large deletion may have occurred". This is the second time the team of researchers observed embarrassing inaccuracies in Monsanto's description of its best selling Genetically modified Organism (GMO). Greenpeace note that it cannot be ruled out that the unknown DNA is of foreign origin, e.g. from another organism used in the genetic engineering process. In Europe, the UK Government Advisory Committee on Novel Food & Processes (ACNFP) was the authority who initially assessed Monsanto`s GE soya and suggested to approve its import into Europe. Hence the ACNFP is also the responsible authority in Europe for further action regarding this soya. In January 2001, the Committee agreed there was still uncertainty regarding the origin of the DNA and asked Monsanto to provide data demonstrating that this DNA is "silent" and does not result in the production of a novel protein. "To ask the company who did not inform the relevant authorities about this DNA in the first place to now confirm it is not significant is certainly not what you would call a sound scientific approach," commented Keenan, "and it is certainly not what consumers would call appropriate measures to protect their safety." To date the ACNFP has not published (nor probably obtained) any further information regarding the origin and possible function of these 534 base pairs of unknown DNA. "At this point we expect the European Commission, who is responsible for the accurate and timely evaluation of any new scientific evidence about approved GMOs, to intervene and to immediately take precautionary measures," said Keenan. This is the first time a peer reviewed scientific journal publishes an independent scientific analysis of pivotal data submitted by a company for GMO approval. In most cases government authorities neither have the means nor the ambition to counter-check the accuracy of the GMO descriptions and rely entirely on the data submitted by the companies themselves. "If Monsanto did not even get this most basic information right, what should we then think about the validity of all their safety tests and experiments, which are based upon these data?" asked Lindsay Keenan. In past years some "side effects" of RR soya have been observed but never explained conclusively. These include phytoestrogen levels different from the levels of natural soya, increased lignin content which made RR soya plants brittle in hot temperatures and reduced yields. As the size of the newly revealed "unknown DNA" would allow the sequence to code for a new protein or exert other functions within the DNA and because its origin and function appears to be unknown both to Monsanto and the competent authorities, Greenpeace published today the sequence on its web-site and invites the international scientific community to help identify its nature and possible consequences.

Proc mame byt pokusnymi kraliky Americanu?

Proc? Ja nechciiiiiiiiiii !!!!!! At si manipulovanou psenici zerou sami a nam daji pokoj. Howgh!

Lze Monsanto nebo ministerstvo

Podle informaci z ministerstva zivotniho prostredi by gemneticky manipulovna psenice, kterou hodla Monsanto v CR testovat obsahovat pouze gen rezistence vuci herbicidu Roud-Up vyrabene take chemickym koncernem Monsanto: Dle vyjadreni pani Kusandove vsak ma byt manipulovana psenice odolnejsi vuci suchu atd. Kdo mluvi pravdu? Monsanto nebo MZP?