Archived News

April 2000

Biotech Battles
25 April 2000 Journal of Commerce
Washington and Brussels recently launched a regular exchange of scientific information and views on biotechnology. Over time, this could help to persuade the EU and member states that biotechnology should be regulated like any other industry -- with an eye on the facts and not on baseless fears.

Global Warming May Make GM Food A Necessity
15 April 2000 The Journal
Professor Tony Trewavas told the Edinburgh Science Festival there was real danger that global warming would bring about dramatic and rapid changes in Europe's climate with devastating impact on our agriculture and ability to feed ourselves. GM crops could then become essential because new plants could be created within a couple of years to survive the much colder climate and ensure a home-grown food supply.

Smith Releases Report On Genetically-Modified Plants
13 April 2000 U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science
Committee on Science Subcommittee on Basic Research Chairman Nick Smith (R-MI) today released a report assessing the benefits and risks of genetically-modified plants and plant-derived foods, and recommending changes in federal regulation. The report, Seeds of Opportunity, concludes that there is no significant difference between plant varieties created using agricultural biotechnology and similar plants created using traditional crossbreeding.

Liability Vote On GMOs Fails
13 April 2000 The Journal
Efforts to make producers of genetically modified foods legally liable for the results failed yesterday. Euro MPs rejected calls to impose responsibility on the makers for any damage done by genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to human health or the environment.

Europe Says Yes To Biotech
12 April 2000 EuropaBio
EuropaBio, the European Association for Bioindustries, welcomes today's vote by the European Parliament of the Revision of EU-Directive 90-220 on the deliberate release of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) into the environment.

G8 Summit To Ponder Plan For World Forum On Transgenic Food
11 April 2000 Agence France Presse
The Group of Eight (G8) summit in Japan in July will, according to this story, be asked to set up a global forum to help assess the safety and impact of genetically-modified foods. The proposal was announced Friday by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which has been asked by the G8 to help clarify the debate on transgenic foods.

In Biotech, The European Tail Must Not Wag The American Dog
11 April 2000 ProBiotech
Europeans are not aware of many new developments in biotechnology being developed in the United States. Exciting opportunities are produced with care and attention for both human nutrition and the environment that will revolutionize the food industry and greatly enhanced the production of crops.

Cancer Expert Says GM Crops Can Be Healthier (summary)
10 April 2000 The Knowledge Centre
According to an article in the Independent, Sir Walter Bodmer, principal of Hertford College and one of Britain's leading geneticists, attacked Lord Melchett, the executive director of Greenpeace, for demanding that genetically modified crops be proven absolutely safe.

Rice Crop Research Agreement Is Major Scientific Milestone
06 April 2000 Eastern Daily Press
Scientists at Norwich Research Park have been given a major boost to undestand the genetic make-up of one of the world's key food crops. Scientists will be able to make faster progress in understanding the rice crop, which helps to provide almost half the world's food needs.

Terminology Key To GM Acceptance
05 April 2000 Farm Gate
Agribusiness must choose its words carefully when stepping into the fray over biofoods. "The treminology has been over looked - it really is important to consumers how we refer to this."