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October 2000

Potato, The New Vaccine?
30/10/2000, The Hindu
A group in the United States has taken the first steps towards creating a genetically-modified (GM) potato, which can act as a vaccine against the virus that infects millions of people each year and threatens them with a potentially-fatal liver disease.

Blair Attacks 'Dogma' Of The Greens
22/10/2000, The Knowledge Centre
Tony Blair accused environmentalists for putting "dogma and prejudice" before science and will encourage the Government to press further with trials of GM crops. Blair's rebuke reflects the growing irritation that "green groups are never satisfied, constantly criticizing the Government but failing to support it when it adopts environmentally friendly policies."

Genetic Engineering May Be A Slice Of Life Or 'Frankenfood'
22/10/2000, The Knowledge Centre
Scientists are now envisioning the full potential of genetic engineering. The technology has been helping farmers to ward off pests, control weeds, and prevent rot - but now scientists are aiming to make drugs more affordable, medicines easier to dispense, and food more nutritious.

Comments Of Steve L. Taylor, Ph.D. On Starlink Bt Corn
20/10/2000, Council for Agricultural Science and Technology
"Was the public at risk because of this incident? I believe it was not. In order for people to become allergic to a protein they must be exposed to it multiple times over an extended period until they become sensitized. The protein must also be present as a relatively high percentage of total protein content. Most allergenic proteins are present at levels of 1 to 40 percent. Aventis indicates that the Cry9C protein is present in corn grain at 0.013 percent, but any taco shells would contain far less due to the presence of other varieties of corn and the use of other ingredients."

GM Foods Will Find Their Niche
20/10/2000, Australian Financial Review
Consumers would benefit from cheaper food as a result of genetically modified crops, delegates to the Australia Japan Joint Business Conference in Brisbane were told this week.

Firm Claims Weed-Control Benefits Of GM Sugar Beet
10/10/2000, The Irish Times
Irish crop trials on genetically modified sugar beet have shown that pesticide usage could be reduced by 40 per cent on the GM variety because of its weed-control benefits, according to the biotechnology company, Monsanto.

All Things Bright And Beautiful
7/10/2000, The Knowledge Centre
As organic food sales are rising at a rate of 40 per cent each year, so are the "big-time professionals in the gentle art of consumer deception. Eco-activists have managed to convince millions of people that organic food is healthy and good, just as assuredly as genetically modified foods must be dangerous and undesirable."

Eek! Attack of the Perfectly Harmless Tacos!
4/10/2000, The Knowledge Centre
Publicity has been created over a single protein called Cry9C which has been on the market for three years and approved for animal feed and ethanol. The original charge made against Kraft comes from John Fagan, an outspoken opponent of biotech who has capitalized on the public's fear by starting his own company that tests for GE varieties in the food supply.

Sir Gustav Warns Against Total GM Ban
2/10/2000, ABC News Online
Scientist Sir Gustav Nossal has warned against Tasmania completely banning genetically modified crops and foods: "In the longer term, these genetically modified foods can have so many benefits that I would not wish you to turn your face against them in the long term," he said."

Ending World Hunger: "The Promise Of Biotechnology And The Threat Of Antiscience Zealotry"
01/10/2000, Plant Physiology
So far, biotechnology has had the greatest impact in medicine and public health. However, there are a number of fascinating developments that are approaching commercial applications in agriculture.