Articles

Basically saying “¡No más!” to foreign seed companies, on October 13, Mexico’s Supreme Court authorized a court order banning genetically modified corn seeds. The court reasoned that such orders are precautionary measures needed to protect biodiversity from irreparable damage caused by genetically modified organisms (GMOs). News of the ruling was met with widespread approval from the public, suggesting there is some hope for sustainable farming across in Mexico.

Gritos (cries) tell Mexico’s history far better than history books do. They illustrate how Mexicans challenge global forces. In the 1800s, imperial powers exploited new colonies worldwide for sugar. One local consequence was the widespread taking of ejidos (communal farmlands) in Morelos and other Mexican states. Tired of this, Emiliano Zapata, born and raised in Morelos, cried “¡Tierra y libertad!” demanding land and, more important, liberty for campesinos, something only enjoyed by the wealthy hacendados (plantation owners) and their foreign investors.

In an “Inception Impact Assessment” published on the 24th September, the European Commission informs the public and interested parties about its intention to prepare new legislation that would waive the standard risk assessment and labelling requirements for genetically modified organisms on “plants obtained by targeted mutagenesis and cisgenesis”. With these new terms the Commission describes results of the new genetic engineering technologies CRISPR/Cas and other “gene editing” techniques which effect either the single or multiple alteration of short DNA strands or the transfer of strands which already exist in an organisms DNA, but may not be activated or located in a different context. Cisgenesis describes genetic engineering that does not introduce new DNA from another organism (transgenesis) but alters and “rewrites” existing DNA.

The Commission invites the public to comment on its plan, goals and assumptions before October 22nd.

Europe is currently faced with a situation in which hundreds of patents on seeds might be granted in the near future. The patents on ‘New Genetic Engineering’ (e.g. CRISPR/Cas) are also an increasing threat to breeders who want to avoid genetic engineering. No Patents on Seeds! is, therefore, holding a protest against these developments at the European Patent Office (EPO) in Munich today, where they will hand over 38 empty beer bottles. Each empty bottle will contain a flag of one of the 38 contracting states of the EPO represented in the Administrative Council meeting.

The FDA has sent shockwaves through the off-the-shelf CAR-T space, slapping a clinical hold on all of Allogene Therapeutics’ AlloCAR T clinical trials in response to an abnormality that could theoretically cause cancer.

At this stage, there are a lot of unknowns, and the range of possible outcomes run from a short delay to Allogene’s programs right up to a more intractable problem for the entire off-the-shelf cell therapy space. Analysts at Jefferies expect the clinical hold to be resolved, albeit after many months of work, but at this stage it is impossible to rule out other scenarios.

For the first time, Mexico’s health safety regulator Cofepris has rejected a new variety of GMO corn, the head of the country’s National Farm Council (CNA) told Reuters. While Mexico has never permitted commercial cultivation of GMO corn, it has for decades allowed imports of such varieties that are largely used for feed. Mexico is a major market for U.S. exports of the corn, importing more than 16 MMT of primarily GMO corn from the U.S. in 2020.

Mexican President Lopez Obrador issued a decree late last year that would ban use of both glyphosate and GMO corn for human consumption by 2024, and there’s still a lot of uncertainty as to whether the GMO ban would also apply to livestock feed.

GeneWatch UK, September 2021

Genome editing encompasses new forms of genetic engineering techniques being increasingly applied to the development of agricultural and biomedical technologies, by ‘editing’ the DNA of living organisms (i.e. their ‘genome’), including plants, animals and human cells. The genome editing process involves the use of biological molecules (enzymes) which cut the DNA and various mechanisms which then repair it. Arguments over the safety and efficacy of genome editing techniques at the molecular level often hinge on aspects of their ‘precision’ in targeting DNA sequences of interest, and the ‘indistinguishability’ of engineered traits from mutations that may arise naturally.

Longtime GMO critic Geoffrey Lean draws attention to troubling research findings on gene editing

The article below on the Westminster government's intention to deregulate gene editing is by Geoffrey Lean – Britain’s longest-serving environmental correspondent, who has written regularly for the Telegraph, the Yorkshire Post, the Observer and the Independent on Sunday, among other publications.

The agro-chemical industry is looking to sneak in new GMOs in Europe, untested and unlabeled. Tell the European Commission it must apply the EU’s GMO regulations to all GMOs, including new GMOs such as those produced with CRISPR/Cas.

We have until October 22nd to give feedback to the European Commission about its plans to deregulate new GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms). To stop new GMOs from coming to our fields and plates, make your voice heard.

THE Africa Technology Assessment Platform (AfriTAP) has stated that it is wrong to use the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) crisis to cynically push pro-Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) agenda.

It insisted that anti-GMO activists were not conspiracy theorists and that the deliberate attempts to re-colonise, control and exploit Africa and the African people must be resisted.

National Council must report on coexistence and liability in the event of GMO contamination within four years

The Swiss National Council (lower house of the Swiss Federal Assembly, the parliament of Switzerland) has extended the moratorium on the cultivation of genetically modified plants in agriculture by another four years until the end of 2025. The vote to extend the moratorium was carried by 144 votes to 27, with 19 abstentions.

Applications from some members of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) and Green Liberal Party (GLP) to exempt gene editing technologies from the moratorium were rejected.