ISSUE 1585 Monday 27 September 1999

Monsanto in talks with 'greens' over GM crops THE American bio-technology company Monsanto is in talks with environmental groups over genetic modification, it confirmed yesterday.

The firm was in discussions with organisations such as the Soil Association and hoped further talks would take place, it said. Monsanto issued a statement as it was reported that it was looking at ways to meet the concerns of environmentalists over GM food.

It is said to have offered its vast databases to help plant breeders to create new varieties of crops using traditional methods. The company hopes that by combining traditional techniques with its knowledge of plant DNA it can reverse the opposition to biotechnology that is sweeping Britain and Europe.

Monsanto's president, Hendrik Verfaillie, is said to have presented the plan to Patrick Holden of the Soil Association, asking if it would meet environmental and consumer concerns. Mr Holden described the meeting as "hugely significant" and said it represented a change in policy for the Missouri-based company.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), September 27, 1999

Answers

This from the same company that is poisoning people with the chemical ASPARTAME, now used as an artificial sweetener in everything that says "diet" on it, and in the product "Equal"...and who have attacked Dr. Mary Stoddard, author of the book on Aspartame entitled "Deadly Deception," and whose e-mail address is marystod@airmail.net.

-- Elaine Seavey (Gods1sheep@aol.com), September 27, 1999.

"Monsanto issued a statement as it was reported that it was looking at ways to meet the concerns of environmentalists over GM food."

There is only one way ....NO GM FOODS!!!

-- matt (matt@somewhere.nz), September 27, 1999.

OG,

Thanks for posting this, I didn't quite understand what publication it came from. Could you help me?

-- flora (***@__._), September 27, 1999.

Well, well, I see Monsanto is now in the "Greenwashing" business. I'm sure they'll come up with some new GM lies to placate people's fears. This is the company who sues whistle blowers. Beware!

-- gilda (jess@listbot.com), September 27, 1999.

Flora, the article came from the Electronic Telegraph, to which you have to subscribe. I've been subscribed for a few years, never had a problem with spam from them. Here's the URL to the front page--it should say you're not a subscriber and tell you how to sign up (quick and easy).

http://www.telegraph.co.uk:80/et?ac=000154642417163&rtmo=qsJsqxd9&atmo =qsJsqxd9&pg=/et/home.html

The main problem that Brits (and probably Europeans) seem to have with GM foods is that they are so far not given a choice, i.e., via labeling, unless a certain entity (supermarket, restaurant chain) decides not to carry or use GM foods. Monsanto had fought labeling so far, with good reason. I don't think they'll go for labeling, except as a very last resort. They'll probably allow some access to their tests. However, I don't think opponents of GM foods will agree to drop their protests for such a hollow concession--there have already been too many documented instances of lies and deception about tests, test sites, buffers, etc. Brits have long fought overly processed foods and GM foods are perceived as being the most dangerous of these, especially since the dead insect reports have come out.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), September 27, 1999.

I had an interesting conversation last week with a geneticist. I asked him if he thought that 'Terminator Strains' technology could cause famine as the anti-gm's say it can. He said he wasn't sure, it was too early to tell. Then he went on to say that there is an interesting case of a farmer who took his grain to the grain pool, who found genetic markers in it. Monsanto is suing him for using their grain without buying it from them. The farmer states that he did not use their grain and is counter-suing because his neighbor did, and the cross-pollination of his crop affected his seed. The guy who was telling me this didn't say anything about where he'd heard this, so I can't give you confirmation; I suppose I could see if Alberta Report has anything, they have a "who's suing who" column.

-- T the C (tricia_canuck@hotmail.com), September 27, 1999.

Thanks Y'all,

Some of you may know that I truly believe the plant situtaion bears watching{to put it mildly}, it is the foundation of the food chain for thee & me & many others. I'm hesitant to have a knee jerk reaction, envisioning participants only in white or black hats. Again,thanks for the updates.

-- flora (***@__._), September 27, 1999.