Re: BUSH ADMINISTRATION SIDES WITH GE FOOD COMPANIES

[Guest guest]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: ph Mendelson, CFS

August 2, 2002 (202) 547-9359

Matt Rand, NET

(202) 887-8841

BUSH ADMINISTRATION SIDES WITH GE FOOD COMPANIES OVER

U.S. AND WORLD CONSUMERS

Consumer, Environmental Advocates Vow Legal Challenge

WASHINGTON, DC A coalition of consumer and

environmental groups today blasted a new Bush

Administration proposal on genetically engineered (GE)

crops, and vowed to file a legal petition

demanding an immediate moratorium on dangerous field

tests of GE foods. The action came in response

to an Administration plan to give a pass to food

products that contain contamination from GE crops that

are still in the experimental and testing phase.

We are seeking a moratorium on all field tests of GE

foods, until the government has safeguards in place

that prevent unknown GE test products from being eaten

by millions of unsuspecting American

consumers, stated ph Mendelson, legal director of

the Center for Food Safety (CFS).

Published in today & #8217;s Federal Register, the White

House Office of Science and Technology Policy & #8217;s

proposal admits that there is an increasing likelihood

of genetic pollution cross-pollination between

conventional crops and genetically engineered crops

being grown on test plots:

As the number and diversity of field test increases,

the likelihood that cross-pollination

due to pollen drift from field test to commercial

fields and commingling of seeds

produced under field tests with commercial seeds or

grain may also increase. This could

result in intermittent, low levels of

biotechnology-derived genes, and genes products

occurring in commerce that have not gone through all

applicable regulatory reviews.

Federal Register, August 2, 2002 (Volume 67, Number

149) 50577-50580.

The government has basically admitted it can & #8217;t

protect our food supply from genetic crops still in

the

testing phase, Mendelson said. Just one mistake by a

biotech company, and we & #8217;ll all be eating food

contaminated with foreign genetically engineered

material that the federal government can & #8217;t claim

is

safe.

A key provision in the proposal allows the government

to perform an abridged safety assessment of

genetic material from GE test crops. This

confidential, limited safety review would provide

legal cover

for GE crops manufacturers that let GE test crops

enter the American food supply prior to full

pre-market

oversight and safety review, insulating them from

liability. In addition, the proposal could

dramatically impact U.S. agriculture exports, since

unapproved varieties of GE crops in the U.S. grain

supply will meet with stiff resistance abroad. U.S.

grain exports are already being scrutinized by the

European Union, Japan and other countries with strict

policies over GE crops.

****This proposal allows companies to pollute our food

supply without risk of liability,said Matt Rand,

Genetic Engineering Program Director for the National

Environmental Trust (NET).****

The Bush Administration is giving biotechnology

companies a free pass to pollute our food supply and

both the world community and American consumers are

going to notice. In the long run, this policy will

hurt U.S.farmers.

___________

Human Genes are What & #8217;s for Dinner

Japanese scientists are splicing human genes into rice

that will ultimately be

grown for human consumption. While some opponents say

the concept bor-

ders on cannibalism, genetic engineers claim the new

rice has environmental

benefits. Researchers spliced a gene from a human

liver into rice to help the

plant digest pesticides, thereby allowing the crop

to be sprayed with up to

13 different pesticides without damaging the rice. The

developers of the new

human-rice admit that if this gene were to escape into

the wild, a new generation of superweeds could be

inadvertently created.

*****************No testing of the product & #8217;s

impact on human health has yet been

conducted.*****************

www.organicconsumers.org/ge/humangene042505.cfm

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