Find below: Recent Developments ... Hot Topics ... Local Interest ... Website changes
Recent Developments (selected)
For more on Recent Developments, refer to Learning Links and LABB News Archive
For breaking news: GM Watch or GM-Free Ireland.
25/7/05 Herbicide-resistant charlock weed found by Government scientists following field trials of GM oilseed rape. DEFRA report available [258K].
18/11/05 Australian scientists find GM peas cause inflammation in lungs of mice. More details here.
14/6/07 Study by French research institute of tests on Monsanto GM maize NK603 (approved for human consumption) reveals what "could be warning signs of toxicity". Greenpeace demands its withdrawal and a regulatory review. (cf. Archive 13/3/07)
1/8/07 Walls / Unilever now have permission to use a genetically engineered protein in low-calorie ice cream. (see Archive 24/6/06)
8/10/07 US study shows a common variety of GM Bt corn has potential to harm aquatic ecosystems.
8/2/08 US research finds that a significant pest, the bollworm moth, has evolved resistance to the toxin in GM Bt cotton.
9/8/08 Scientists at the University of Southampton have asked the Forestry Commission for permission to plant GM trees.
12/9/08 Scottish Government orders destruction of oilseed rape plants and seeds, undergoing a quality trial, found to be contaminated with unauthorised GM material. Scottish Ministers subsequently call on the UK Government to end its support for GM crops.
26/10/08 Confidential documents obtained by the Independent on Sunday disclose secret government plans to expedite the introduction of GM food and crops and counter public opposition. (see Archive 28/10/07)
11/11/08 Austrian government study shows the fertility of mice is impaired by the consumption of GM maize (NK603xMON810). Dr Mae Wan Ho explains the research.
16/11/08 Italian government study shows significant disturbances in the immune system of mice fed on GM maize (MON810).
19/12/08 It is revealed that a crop of oilseed rape (canola) harvested on a Somerset farm was contaminated by a GM variety, Monsanto GT73, not authorised for cultivation. The same seed was involved in the Scottish contamination incident (see 12/9/08) but DEFRA is now (4/3/09) refusing to divulge the Somerset location.
11/2/09 Chief Executive Terry Leahy indicates Tesco is willing to back GM foods. GM products seen in Tesco: cooking oils, chocolate bars.
25/3/09 European Parliament approves first stage of a new Regulation on Novel Foods, to include labelling of food from animals fed on GM feed; and calls for a ban on food products from cloned animals. See draft of Regulation.
18/5/09 Irish health officials have destroyed unauthorised Bt63 GM rice imports from China. (See Archive 16/7/08)
12/6/09 Irish Doctors Environmental Association states support for immediate moratorium on GM foods.
22/6/09 Decision by EU farm ministers to allow meat from cloned animals to enter the "novel food" regulatory process - but this will need the approval of the European Parliament. (See 25/3/09 & Archive 16/12/08.)
30/6/09 Welsh Assembly Government opens public consultation on strict proposals for coexistence of GM and conventional crops.
20/7/09 Report by GM Freeze criticises over-emphasis by UK Government on GM technology for poorer countries and for pledging £140 million of DFID support.
27/7/09 It is revealed that a trial of GM potatoes near Tadcaster, Yorkshire, has been surreptitiously restarted. (See Archive 5/6/08)
29/7/09 Scientific analysis reveals "serious mistakes and omissions" in the assessment of MON810 GM maize prepared by EFSA (European Food Safety Authority). The ten year licence for the maize is up for renewal. (See Archive 14/4/09 etc)
6/8/09 Imports to the European Union of US soy rejected due to contamination by prohibited GM corn.
13/8/09 A UK Government report (by DEFRA and FSA), on supply of non-GM animal feed, is strongly criticised for pro-GM bias.
8/9/09 Canadian flax (linseed) exports to Europe found to be contaminated with an illegal GM variety FP967 known as Triffid, barred from sale in 2001.
16/9/09 UK Food Standards Agency sets up an "independent" group to advise them in discussing GM with consumers. (See 23/9/09, 13/8/09 etc)
23/9/09 Following earlier letters of concern, GM Freeze again criticises the Food Standards Agency for failing to alert the UK on the flax contamination, now believed to affect ten EU countries. (See 8/9/09) (To date [5/10/09] the FSA website carried no information whatever on the contamination.)
5/10/09 Canadian flax contaminated with the unapproved GM variety Triffid has now affected 28 countries worldwide. (See 8/9/09, 23/9/09)
10/10/09 In Ireland, new government programme specifies a ban on GM plant cultivation and a voluntary 'GM-free' logo [354K] to endorse products from animals fed GM-free. GM-free Ireland comments. (See also Archive 5/9/08)
15/10/09 Petition with 180,000 signatures against the introduction of GM rice handed to EU Commissioner for Health in Brussels.
15/10/09 France's supreme court rules Monsanto falsely advertised its Roundup(tm) weedkiller as "biodegradable", and imposes a fine of 15,000 euros.
21/10/09 UK Royal Society report [1911K] calls for £2 billion research programme "to help feed the world". Commenting, Genewatch cautions on the use of biotechnology, warning against a "clique of scientists who have failed to deliver".
3/11/09 Three new varieties of GM maize are approved by the European Commission, for import and use in food and feed: Monsanto's MON88017 and MON89034, and Pioneer's 59122xNK603. The decision was made by default, since agriculture ministers failed to reach a 'qualified majority' decision. The French research group CRIIGEN denounces the "scandalous approval" [51K] of the Pioneer maize.
Hot Topics
This section provides brief introductions to some important aspects of GM at the present time. If you have further suggestions for suitable topics, please let us know.
DNA & Genes Breeding v GM Coexistence Gene Escape GM Food Safety Tests
GM animal feed Biofuels Scotland's Food & Drink Policy
Of Interest in Lothians locality
At this point in time consumers need to be on their guard - suppliers need to be reminded that "the customer is always right".
{1009} It is unwise to rely on the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to alert you promptly to contamination of the food supply by illegal GM content. There is ample evidence on this website, going back as far as 2005, that the FSA has been very lax in this respect - refer to past news items, particularly 23/9/09. Since the FSA is appointed and financed by government you may wish to raise this issue with your MP or MSP.
Otherwise, the main concern at present is the predominance of products from animals fed on GM feed. These products, such as meat, poultry, eggs and milk, are not required to be labelled as GM.
There is also a small number of labelled GM products, on sale now in supermarkets. These may not be immediately obvious to the average shopper, and GM Freeze is keen to get reports on where they are being sold.
Finally, anyone who eats in a cafe, or other food outlet, could quite possibly be consuming GM material unknowingly, since the management may not be aware of the labelling laws.
To find out more about these issues, and what action you can take, please refer to Things to Do
Changes to this website
7/10/09 Added/updated Recent Developments. New Learning Links here.
5/11/09 Added/updated Recent Developments and Resources list. New Learning Link here.
We aim to keep this site fairly up to date, and pages are checked
frequently for validity - your feedback is welcome. To view the change date
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to significantly outdated information will be removed. Recent changes are marked in red, thus: {0109} denotes a change in January 2009.