RESOUR> [NetGold] AGRICULTURE: ISSUES: British Research Study Report Regarding Genetically Modified Plants and the Impact on Wildlife

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Net Happenings - From Educational CyberPlayGround
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Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2003 10:23:15 -0400 (EDT)
From: David P. Dillard <jwne@xxxxxxxxxx>
Reply-To: NetGold@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To: NetGold <NetGold@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [NetGold] AGRICULTURE: ISSUES: British Research Study Report
    Regarding Genetically Modified Plants and the Impact on Wildlife



AGRICULTURE: ISSUES: British Research Study Report Regarding Genetically
Modified Plants and the Impact on Wildlife

There has been some consideration of Genetically Modified (GM) crops and
plants upon wildlife in recent research and news coverage of the resulting
reports.

Genetically Modified Crops Get Mixed Review From British Study
By Mike Wendling
CNSNews.com London Bureau Chief
October 16, 2003
<http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewForeignBureaus.asp?Page=
%5CForeignBureaus%5Carchive%5C200310%5CFOR20031016d.html>

A shorter URL for this article:

<http://snurl.com/2pg8>

London (CNSNews.com) - A four-year, large-scale study of genetically
modified crops has found use of the plants had a mixed effect on the local
environment, according to results published by the British government on
Thursday.

Trial plantings of sugar beets and oil seed rape led to declines in local
wildlife, including birds and insects, according to the Department for the
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). But trials of GM corn
actually boosted the local environment.

The study was largest of its type ever conducted, cost $8 million, and
examined only the effects of the crops on the environment surrounding
farms. It wasn''t concerned with the potential health effects of GM food
or cross-pollination with non-GM plants.

Crops in the study, including those produced by the German company Bayer
CropScience and U.S. firm Monsanto, were genetically modified to provide
resistance to specific weed killers.

The study found that the effect on nearby insects and birds was due to
changing patterns of herbicide use rather than the actual genetic
modifications.

==========================

British tests find some GM crops encouraged wildlife, others didn't
Friday, October 17, 2003
By Jane Wardell, Associated Press
<http://www.enn.com/news/2003-10-17/s_9530.asp>

Results of the three-year research project will be used by the British
government to help decide whether to allow commercial growing of GM crops.
There are currently no commercial GM crops being grown in Britain, where
polls consistently show a majority of people are opposed to genetically
modified foods. Opponents fear that GM crop technology could lead to the
emergence of new herbicide-resistant weeds that could cause havoc in the
countryside.

"The results are clearly important to the debate about the possible
commercialization of GM crops," said Les Firbank, the head of the research
team. "But they also give us new insights that will help us conserve
biodiversity within productive farming systems."

==========================

British Study Finds Some GM Crops Are More Harmful To Wildlife
Oct. 17, 2003
<http://www.cropdecisions.com/show_story.php?id=21845>

Monsanto said it remained "absolutely committed" to introducing GM crops
in the UK, despite a decision on Wednesday to close much of its European
seed breeding headquarters in Cambridge.

The UK trials were carried out over a three-year period using only
herbicide-tolerant GM crops, not those bred to be insect-resistant. The
conclusions over GM maize may be affected by the proposed European ban on
atrazine, the weedkiller, which was used extensively in the experiment.

There are currently no GM crops being grown in the UK and none have been
cleared for commercial cultivation. Mrs Beckett said the necessary
regulatory approvals could not be granted until next spring at the
earliest and would depend on advice from the Advisory Committee on
Releases to the Environment - a statutory advisory body.

==========================

No Franken Food for Europe
<http://www.dw-world.de/english/0,3367,1446_A_999125_1_A,00.html>

The trial findings were laid out over eight lengthy scientific papers.
They will serve as a guideline for helping the UK government decide
whether or not to allow farmers to grow GM crops commercially.

Europeans want no part of Frankenstein food

More than three-quarters of German consumers are opposed to GM foods,
surveys have shown. This figure is also representative of public sentiment
in most other European countries, including France, Belgium, Italy, Spain
and Britain.

The Royal Society report has spurred fresh demands for the UK government
to keep so-called "Frankenstein" foods away from already skeptical British
shoppers. "For years, the GM corporations have been claiming that their
crops would reduce weed killer use and benefit wildlife. Now we know how
wrong they were. [British Prime Minister] Tony Blair should close the door
on GM for good," environmental group Greenpeace said in a statement.

==========================

GE crops take a double hit
Thu 16 October 2003
UNITED KINGDOM/London
GreenPeace
<http://www.greenpeace.org/international_en/news/details?item_id=328415>

Eagerly awaited scientific studies published by the UK Royal Society have
substantiated warnings that genetically engineered (GE) crops can be
harmful to the environment. The studies expose the risks of GE crops to
the environment and challenge the benefits promised by the GE industry.
Monsanto, the GE industry leader has at the same time announced a
withdrawal from Europe for "strategic reasons."

On the day of the trial announcement, the company that has tried and
failed to introduce GE crops to Europe said that it is withdrawing its
European cereal and seed business. This is a retreat in the face of GE
controversy in Europe and means that GE wheat and barley is unlikely to be
grown in Europe for the foreseeable future.

Monsanto also faces strong opposition to its GE wheat elsewhere. In North
America both farmers and the wheat industry worry about their markets.
Meanwhile, the Canadian Wheat Board has threatened to sue Monsanto in
Canada if the company does not drop its plans to introduce GE wheat.
Numerous farmers' organizations and wheat producers have put ads in
Canadian newspapers in which they clearly state: "We are not ready for
Roundup Ready wheat". Roundup Ready is Monsanto's trade name for its
genetically modified wheat.

==========================


GM Crop Trials are Largest Ever Undertaken
By Tim Ross, PA News
<http://www.news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=2059133>

The crops tested were spring-sown oilseed rape, beet and maize.

GM and conventional varieties were sown in 60-70 sites for each crop.

Each field was split in half and planted with 50% GM and 50% conventional
crops.

Joe Perry, one of the reports authors, described the farm-scale
evaluations of herbicide-tolerant GM crops as a really fantastic piece of
work.

We counted half a million seeds, one-and-a-half million invertebrates, we
made 4,000 visits to fields covering the length and breadth of England and
Scotland, he said.

Today is a really good news day for ecology because we have learnt more
about farmland wildlife on a large spatial scale than we have for the last
50 years.

The report said: These trials were the largest and most thorough of their
kind in the world.

As never before, they have allowed researchers to observe how changing
farm practices are affecting wildlife across the country.

The study involved 273 trial fields across England and Scotland.

Studies on a fourth crop variety  winter oilseed rape  have yet to be
completed.

==========================

Blair must ban GM crops - green group
Oct 16 2003
<http://icberkshire.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/nationalnews/
content_objectid=13521990_method=full_siteid=50102_headline
=-Blair-must-ban-GM-crops---green-group-name_page.html>

A shorter URL for the above:

<http://snurl.com/2pgm>

Friends of the Earth said the Government-backed study showed that
genetically modified crops could do long-term damage to biodiversity.

"The impact of GM crops on wildlife is very dramatic," said Tony Juniper,
the group`s director.

But the results of the controversial report are mixed.
October 17, 2003
Modified Thinking
Mother Jones
<http://www.motherjones.com/news/dailymojo/2003/42/we_591_05b.html>

A three-year British study on the ecological impact of genetically
modified crops, the biggest ever of its kind, has just reported that GM is
both good and bad, but mostly bad, for the environment, heating up an
already lively debate in Europe. But don't expect that kind of discussion
in the United States, where the study was widely ignored by the media.

This is nothing new. Americans are amazingly uninformed about genetically
modification. A poll conducted by Harris Interactive in 2000 fournd that
only 15% of the public had seen, read or heard "a lot" about genetically
engineered foods in general. But the same poll showed that Americans are
overwhelmingly (83%) in favor of government-mandated labeling of GM foods
and that a majority, 56 percent, believes it likely that GM crops will
"upset the balance of nature and damage the environment." They might find
the British studies findings interesting, if they ever hear about them.

==========================

The full articles may be read at the accompanying URLs.  The above content
certainly provides much food for thought.


Sincerely,
David Dillard
Temple University
(215) 204 - 4584
jwne@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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