Here is something the BCC is not involved in. But it is in me mind that us
who is affected init?
SP

>From: owner-realfood@...
>To: realfood@...
>Subject: REALFOOD: Real Food News September 2004
>Date: Wed, 29 Sep 2004 12:40:05 +0100 (BST)
>
>Real Food News September 2004
>
>In a nutshell
>
>European member states again gave the thumbs down for a GM approval,
>failing to support a proposal to import a controversial GM maize (see 20
>September 2004). But earlier in the month the European Commission decided
>to add 17 GM maize varieties to the 'European Common Catalogue', making
>them available to any farmers in the EU that wish to grow them (see 6 and 8
>September 2004). However, they are unlikely to be grown in the UK as they
>are modified to be resistant to insects that are not a particular problem
>in Britain. Such crops would also be extremely unpopular: a new survey by
>the Consumer Association demonstrated that opposition to GM crops and food
>in the UK has increased further over the last two years (see 2 September
>2004).
>
>Ask your MP to support new laws to prevent GM contamination at:
>http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/real_food/press_for_change/gm_bill/index.html
>
>Pesticide residues are still causing problems in lettuces and farmed fish,
>according to the latest Government results (see 15 September 2004). One
>lettuce sample from Spain was found to contain a pesticide at levels 13.7
>times higher than the safety limit for 4-6 year olds, and farmed fish
>contained a variety of persistent chemicals.
>
>Ask your MP to help reduce children's exposure to pesticides at
>http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/real_food/press_for_change/mp/index.html
>
>Thank you for your support and help with our campaigns
>
>Liz Wright
>Real Food & Farming Campaign Assistant
>______________________________________
>
>20 September 2004
>
>Europe halts controversial GM maize
>
>European member states today failed to support a proposal by the European
>Commission to import a controversial genetically modified (GM) maize. The
>maize, made by US biotech giant Monsanto, failed to get the required
>qualified majority from representatives of the member states in an
>indicative vote.
>
>The maize, which has been genetically modified to resist certain insects by
>producing a toxin in the plant, has been heavily criticised by scientists
>from a number of countries, particularly France. The French Commission for
>Genetic Engineering (CGB) was alarmed by the results of a feeding study of
>the GM maize on rats. This showed significantly different levels of white
>blood cells, kidney weights and kidney structure, as well as lower
>albumin/globulin rates in the rats fed the GM maize. The Director of the
>French national research body, INRA, who is a member of CGB, stated, "I
>hear the argument of natural variability, but what struck me in this file
>is the number of anomalies. There are too many elements here where
>significant variations are observed. I never saw that in another file."
>The confidential minutes of the CGB meeting (in French) are available from
>Friends of the Earth.
>
>Last Thursday an alliance of environmental, farming and civil society
>organisations wrote to the European Union's executive Commission accusing
>them of "caving in" to pressure by the United States and the World Trade
>Organisation (WTO), to accept GM foods. The United States, Canada and
>Argentina started proceedings last year in the WTO over Europe's position
>on GM foods.
>
>Today's indicative vote by a European regulatory committee is the eighth
>failed attempt by the Commission to win support for a GM product. The
>Commission must now decide whether to send the Monsanto application to a
>vote by Ministers. If there is no agreement from Ministers the Commission
>will make a decision itself. In May this year the Commission approved a GM
>maize even though there was insufficient support from member states.
>
>"The European Commission seems determined to force genetically modified
>foods down consumers' throats even when there are serious questions marks
>about their long term safety", said Friends of the Earth Europe GM
>campaigner Adrian Bebb. "Their actions are undemocratic. People in Europe
>have made it consistently clear that they do not want to eat genetically
>foods. It's time the Commission listened and took action to keep Europe
>GM-free".
>______________________________________
>
>15 September 2004
>
>Lettuces found to exceed pesticide safety limits
>
>The latest Government pesticide results have revealed continuing problems
>with pesticide residues in lettuces. Farmed fish were also found to contain
>almost uniform contamination with persistent pesticides such as DDT.
>
>A UK lettuce sample was found to contain inorganic bromide at 5.4 times the
>safety limit for 4-6 year olds. Inorganic bromide is formed by using methyl
>bromide - a chemical that destroys the ozone layer, and is due to be phased
>out for most uses in the developed world by 2005. However, the UK has
>requested exemptions for some crops where it is claimed there are no
>suitable alternatives. The European Commission recently sent a warning to
>nine countries, including the UK, which have failed to inform the
>Commission about action to limit the use of methyl bromide.
>
>Another lettuce sample from Spain was found to contain two pesticides above
>legal limits. One of these was methamidophos, which was found to be 13.7
>times higher than the safety limit for 4-6 year olds. Adverse effects
>include sweating, excess saliva production or stomach upsets. The Food
>Standards Agency was informed about this exceedence due to the high level
>found.
>
>Pre-packed salads also contained a range of pesticides - one sample from
>Asda contained six different pesticides, including acephate, cypermethrin,
>iprodione and procymidone, possible carcinogens, and methamidophos, a
>highly toxic insecticide. Other pre-packed salad samples were found to
>contain vinclozolin - a hormone-disrupting chemical.
>
>Farmed fish, including trout and salmon, were found to contain a range of
>persistent chemicals - all samples except one were found to contain DDT - a
>persistent pollutant that can accumulate in fatty tissues. DDT has not been
>used in the UK since the early 1980s, but it is such a persistent chemical
>that it is still found in meat and fish with high fat/oil content.
>
>A sample of Heinz baby food was also found to contain a pesticide residue
>above legal levels.
>
>"Consumers will be alarmed by these latest findings", said Friends of the
>Earth Pesticide Campaigner Liz Wright. "The Government must take action to
>ensure healthy foods such as salads do not contain cocktails of pesticides
>and ensure that safety limits are not breached. There should be no delay in
>helping growers find alternatives to risky chemicals such as methyl bromide
>as soon as possible."
>______________________________________
>
>8 September 2004
>
>UK farmers to grow GM maize?
>
>Friends of the Earth has condemned today's decision by the European
>Commission to allow farmers across Europe to commercially grow 17 different
>varieties of a GM maize. The environmental campaign group is calling on the
>UK Government to take steps to prevent farmers growing the crops in
>Britain.
>
>At today's meeting the outgoing European Commission decided to add the GM
>maize varieties to Europe's Common Catalogue of seeds. These are the first
>GM seeds to be added to the catalogue, making them commercially available
>to farmers across Europe. Although the GM maize varieties are unlikely to
>be attractive to UK farmers, because the crops are modified to be resistant
>to insects that are not a particular problem in Britain, there is nothing
>to stop farmers in Britain growing them. This is why the Government must
>take steps to ensure it cannot be grown here.
>
>Friends of the Earth is opposed to the GM maize being commercially grown
>because
>
> - of the threat posed to our food, farming and environment. Last week a
>new survey by Which magazine showed that public opposition to GM food and
>crops has grown with 61 per cent concerned about the use of GM in food
>production.
>
> - the UK does not have any rules on `coexistence' (between GM and
>conventional crops) or liability. The Government has only just started its
>consultation process and will not have rules in place in time for the 2005
>growing season.
>
> - Even if the crop is not grown in the UK, we import from Europe much of
>the maize destined for our food - this will now be at greater risk from GM
>contamination.
>
>"This European decision is a recipe for disaster", said Friends of the
>Earth GM-free Britain Campaigner Clare Oxborrow. "The majority of British
>consumers do not want GM food or crops, especially as there are no rules in
>place to prevent GM contamination. The UK Government must act now to
>protect our food, farming and environment and prevent this GM maize from
>being grown here."
>
>The European Commission also postponed from its agenda a decision on
>proposals to legalise the widespread GM contamination of conventional
>seeds.
>______________________________________
>
>6 September 2004
>
>EU to allow GM crops through back door
>
>Friends of the Earth is calling on the European Commission to halt
>proposals that would allow farmers to commercially grow up to 17 different
>types of genetically modified (GM) maize seeds in fields across the whole
>of Europe. The Commission, which is meeting in Brussels on WEDNESDAY 8
>SEPTEMBER, also wants to legalise the widespread GM contamination of
>conventional crops.
>
>Friends of the Earth, Europe's largest grassroots environmental network,
>believes the proposals will threaten Europe's food and farming and take
>away consumers right to avoid GM food.
>
>At Wednesday's meeting the outgoing European Commission is expected to
>decide whether to allow:
>
> - The commercial growing of 17 different varieties of genetically
>modified (GM) maize The Commission proposes to add 17 varieties of a GM
>maize made by Monsanto to Europe's Common Catalogue of seeds. This would be
>the first time that a GM seed has been added to the common catalogue and
>would make the seeds commercially available to farmers across the whole EU.
>Only one country - Denmark - has so far put in place "co-existence"
>measures aimed at preventing the uncontrolled spread of GM in the food
>chain and the environment. Without coexistence rules the widespread
>contamination of conventional crops is highly likely, posing a massive
>threat to Europe's food, farming and environment.
>
> - The contamination of conventional oilseed rape and maize seeds with GM
>varieties. The EC is also proposing that GM-contaminated seed will only
>have to be labelled if it exceeds a 0.3 per cent threshold. Such a move
>could see thousands of GM oilseed rape seeds being planted per hectare
>without the farmer knowing. Official wildlife experts in the UK have said
>that these contamination levels "could result in adverse impacts on
>farmland biodiversity".
>
>"These proposals by the European Commission are a recipe for disaster",
>said Friends of the Earth Europe GM Campaign Co-ordinator Geert Ritsema.
>"Allowing the widespread growing of GM crops before countries have had the
>chance to put measures in place to protect consumers and the environment is
>a reckless move that could lead to the widespread contamination of Europe's
>food, farming and environment and take away people's ability to avoid GM.
>These ill-judged plans must be abandoned."
>
>The Commission's plan to allow GM-contaminated seed contradicts a
>resolution adopted by the European Parliament in December 2003. The
>Parliament called on the Commission and Member States "not to proceed with
>the approval of the release of any further genetically modified varieties
>of plants until such time as binding rules on coexistence, backed up by a
>system of liability based firmly on the 'polluter pays' principle, have
>been agreed and implemented."
>
>If the Commission pushes ahead with its plans, Friends of the Earth will
>call on the EU Member States to impose national bans on the registered
>seeds. According to a leaked Communication from Commissioner David Byrne
>"any Member State may object to the marketing on their territory of any
>such GM variety if they consider there is a risk for human health, the
>environment or agronomic reasons."
>______________________________________
>
>2 September 2004
>
>GM opposition grows - new survey
>
>Friends of the Earth has welcomed a new survey published today which shows
>that public opposition to GM food and crops has grown since 2002. The mood
>contrasts sharply with UK Government views, with Ministers currently
>considering plans to allow widespread GM contamination of non-GM crops.
>
>The UK Government is currently consulting on plans to allow significant
>levels of GM contamination of non-GM crops. The consultation on
>`coexistence' (between conventional and GM crops), is the latest stage in a
>process that would allow GM crops to be commercially grown in the UK.
>Despite consumer opposition to GM, the Government has refused to broaden
>the consultation to look at what measures (such as separation distances)
>would be needed to ensure that crops and food are kept completely GM free.
>
>"Public opposition to GM food and crops is growing, yet the Government is
>planning to allow widespread GM contamination of non-GM crops", said
>Friends of the Earth GM Campaigner Clare Oxborrow. "If this happens people
>will find it increasingly difficult to avoid GM food. The Government must
>listen to the public and introduce tough new rules to keep our food,
>farming and environment GM-free."
>
>
>
>
>http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/food_and_biotechnology
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