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Agnet April 14/04
Consumer choice and GM products - Is the EU now open for business?
SCRI chief says it is wrong to write off benefits of GM
German GM wheat trials continue: Activists have destroyed several field trial sites, but Syngenta is determined to press on
Standard procedure provides guidance to EPA’s pesticide product reviewers
Boscalid; pesticide tolerance
Pesticide products: Registration approval
Pesticide product: Registration applications
Thifensulfuron-methyl: Withdrawal of tolerance actions
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Consumer choice and GM products - Is the EU now open for business?
April 14, 2004
EuropaBio
http://www.europabio.org
Brussels: On April 18th 04, the most comprehensive labelling and traceability system for GM products in the world comes into effect. These rules were established by the EU Commission, the Parliament and the Council after extensive consultation with consumer and environmental groups as well as industry. "While GM labelling rules have been in existence in the European Union since 1998, rules on traceability and the criteria for labelling will change significantly on 18 April. Lowering the threshold to 0.9% and extending the mandatory labelling to countless human food products as well as requiring the labelling of animal feed products for the first time ever, will build on the most extensive system of consumer choice in the world. This legislation means that all food and feed products which contain more than 0.9% of safe and approved GM products will be labelled as containing or made from genetically modified organisms," says Simon Barber, Director of the Plant Biotechnology Unit at EuropaBio - the European association for bioindustries.
"Consumer and environmental groups, Member State governments and European politicians made these rules a political pre-requisite for the approval of new GM products and the lifting of the moratorium. EuropaBio looks forward to the re-establishment of science-based, transparent assessments and approvals of safe GM products. This, together with the establishment of reasonable and practicable rules on the co-existence of different types of agriculture, will allow farmers and consumers to make a clear choice between GM, non-GM and organic products." In the words of Commission President Prodi, "It is only logical that this safe system continues to be applied in practice and that the EU moves with pending authorisations." (1) "Seven million farmers around the world are now growing GM crops because they offer new solutions to common agricultural problems, they can boost yields and rural incomes, increase product variety and quality and are friendly on the environment - a truly sustainable option for agriculture. European farmers and consumers should be allowed to reap these benefits as well." (2)
(1) Commission takes stock of progress
http://europa.eu.int/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_action.gettxtgt&docIP/0
4/118|0|RAPID&lgEN&display
(2) What are the benefits of GM crops and what can they do?
http://www.europabio.org/pages/ne_140404_benefits.asp
A full set of background information on GM crops can be downloaded from
http://www.europabio.org/pages/ne_140404.asp
SCRI chief says it is wrong to write off benefits of GM
April 14, 2004
The Scotsman
Fordyce Maxwell
http://www.scotsman.com/
Professor John Hillman, the director of the Scottish Crop Research Institute, was cited as saying that he believes that conventional agriculture has done a good job of feeding most of the world’s population, and that given the chance, it will continue to do so, a contribution that cannot be replaced by organic farming, while rejecting the potential benefits of genetically modified crops is a mistake, adding, "[Conventional] agriculture is relatively important and becoming more so. Underestimate it at your peril."
Hillman was further cited as saying that of organic farming, its claims for health-enhancing qualities cannot be validated, it is low productivity compared with conventional and biotech agriculture, and has a high dependence on poisonous copper salts (to control pests).
Organic production also means: blemished crops, the risk of mycotoxins and reduced vitamin C levels, reliance on faecal fertilisers, raising concerns about food-poisoning micro-organisms, eggs of parasitic nematodes and pollution of water-courses; with reliance on tilling leading to soil structure damage and release of greenhouse gases.
Organic marketing, he adds, is often based on criticism, sometimes scaremongering, about conventional and biotech agriculture. Furthermore, the system has high production costs and can not meet the increasing demand of global food supply without encroaching on natural habitats.
Genetically modified production has potentially more to offer. GM crops, he says, encompass strategies to control pests, weeds and diseases; by, for example, eliminating allergens and anti-nutritional factors they can modify shape, colour, size, aroma, texture, taste and yield; can generate, at low capital cost, pathogen-free, high-value, nutraceuticals, vaccines, antibiotics, enzymes and growth factors; engineer plants to treat wastes and contaminated land; produce industrial feedstocks from specialist proteins; and create renewable sources of energy.
German GM wheat trials continue: Activists have destroyed several field trial sites, but Syngenta is determined to press on
April 13, 2004
The Scientist
Ned Stafford
http://www.biomedcentral.com/news/20040413/03
Global agribusiness firm Syngenta has, according to this story, replanted genetically modified (GM) wheat in a test field in Germany that was recently damaged by environmental activists, with the firm now vowing to protect the freshly sown field until harvest later this summer.
Rainer Linneweber, spokesman for Syngenta's German subsidiary, Syngenta Agro, was cited as telling The Scientist that the prime reason for conducting the GM wheat test in Germany was to gather scientific data, adding, "Also, it is a possible signal to the rest of the world: Look, GM trial fields are possible, even in Germany."
Linneweber was further cited as saying that the company moved to test fields in Saxony-Anhalt because of strong support from the state government.
Henning Strodthoff, gene technology expert at Greenpeace in Hamburg, was cited as telling The Scientist that Greenpeace was particularly worried about the introduction of GM wheat into the food chain because of the crop's importance as a world food staple. Canadian regulators have also triggered fierce opposition by considering whether to approved GM wheat developed by Monsanto.
Standard procedure provides guidance to EPA’s pesticide product reviewers
April 13, 2004
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
http://www.epa.gov/oppfead1/cb/csb_page/updates/sopproduct.htm
EPA's Pesticide Program has issued guidance for its reviewers of product properties data, labels and confidential statements of formula for conventional chemical pesticide registration and reregistration. The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) comprehensively covers all aspects of reviews that are necessary for identifying and characterizing each pesticide ingredient. The SOP applies to four Pesticide Program Divisions: Registration, Antimicrobials, Special Review and Reregistration, and Health Effects. Biopesticides – biochemical and microbial pesticides, and plant-incorporated protectants – are reviewed under a separate guidance. The SOP identifies guidelines for specific data and information the Agency requires in order to make regulatory judgments about the risks and benefits of various kinds of pesticide products. The product properties SOP is available on EPA's Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/oppfead1/guidance/product-sop.htm. You may submit comments about this SOP through an open docket, # OPP-2004-0114, using one of the methods listed below:
At EDOCKET: http://cascade.epa.gov/RightSite/dk_public_home.htm
E-mail your comments to opp-docket@.... Be sure to include the docket number, OPP-2004-0114, in the subject line.
You may mail your comments (disk or CD-ROM in WordPerfect or ascii please) to:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Public Information and Records Integrity Branch (7502C) ATTN: Docket ID No. OPP-2004-0114 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20460-0001
You may also submit written comments in person or via courier at the Office of Pesticide Programs’ Public Information and Records Integrity Branch, Room. 119, Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Arlington, VA, during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. The docket telephone number is (703) 305-5805.
Boscalid; pesticide tolerance
April 14, 2004
Federal Register: (Volume 69, Number 72)
[Page 19767-19774]
[DOCID:fr14ap04-11]
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPP-2004-0075; FRL-7353-1]
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Final rule.
SUMMARY: This regulation establishes a tolerance for residues of boscalid, 3-pyridinecarboxamide, 2-chloro-N-(4'-chloro[1,1'-biphenyl]-2-yl) in or on certain commodies and establishes a tolerance for the residues of boscalid in or on pome fruit crop group, group 11 at 3.0 ppm, apple pomace, wet at 10.0 ppm, hops cones, dried at 35.0 ppm, soybean, vegetable at 2.0 ppm, soybean seed at 0.1 ppm, soybean hulls at 0.2 ppm and aspirated grain fractions at 3.0 [[Page 19768]] ppm. BASF Corporation requested this tolerance under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), as amended by the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA).
DATES: This regulation is effective April 14, 2004. Objections and requests for hearings, identified by docket ID number OPP-2004-0075, must be received on or before June 14, 2004.ADDRESSES: Written objections and hearing requests may be submitted electronically, by mail, or through hand delivery/courier. Follow the detailed instructions as provided in Unit VI. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia Giles-Parker, Registration Division (7505C), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 305-7740; e-mail address: giles-parker.cynthia@....
Pesticide products: Registration approval
April 14, 2004
Federal Register: (Volume 69, Number 72)
[Page 19844-19845]
[DOCID:fr14ap04-76]
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPP-2003-0405; FRL-7352-4]
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
SUMMARY: This notice announces Agency approval of applications to register the pesticide products VWX-42 Technology Glycerol Monocaprylate, VWX-42 Technology Glycerol Monocaprate, VWX-42 Technology Glycerol Monolaurate, VWX-42 Technology Propylene Glycol Monocaprylate, VWX-42 Technology Propylene Glycol Monocaprate and VWX-42 Technology Propylene Glycol Monolaurate containing active ingredients not included in any previously registered product pursuant to the provisions of section 3©(5) of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), as amended. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carol E. Frazer, Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division (7511C), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 308-8810; e-mail address:frazer.carol@....
Pesticide product: Registration applications
April 14, 2004
Federal Register: (Volume 69, Number 72)
[Page 19845-19847]
[DOCID:fr14ap04-77]
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPP-2004-0059; FRL-7352-7]
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
SUMMARY: This notice announces receipt of applications to register pesticide products containing new active ingredients not included in any previously registered products pursuant to the provisions of section 3©(4) of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), as amended.
DATES: Written comments, identified by the docket ID number OPP-2004-0059, must be received on or before May 14, 2004. ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted electronically, by mail, or through hand delivery/courier. Follow the detailed instructions as provided in Unit I. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shanaz Bacchus, Regulatory Action
Leader, Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division (7511C), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number:
(703) 308-8097; e-mail address: bacchus.shanaz@....
Thifensulfuron-methyl: Withdrawal of tolerance actions
April 14, 2004
Federal Register: (Volume 69, Number 72)
[Page 19767]
[DOCID:fr14ap04-10]
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPP-2004-0083; FRL-7351-9]
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Withdrawal of direct final rule.
SUMMARY: Because EPA received relevant adverse comment, the Agency is withdrawing the direct final rule for the reinstatement of corn tolerances for the herbicide thifensulfuron-methyl. EPA published the direct final rule on February 13, 2004 which would have reinstated corn tolerances for the herbicide thifensulfuron-methyl that were previously established but inadvertently removed shortly thereafter. EPA stated in that direct final rule that if relevant adverse comment were received by April 13, 2004, the Agency would publish a timely withdrawal in the Federal Register. EPA subsequently received relevant adverse comment on that direct final rule. EPA will therefore publish a notice of proposed rulemaking in a future edition of the Federal Register. The Agency will address the comments on the direct final rule as part of that proposed rulemaking.
DATES: As of April 14, 2004, EPA withdraws the direct final rule published at 69 FR 7161, on February 13, 2004.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph Nevola, Special Review and
Reregistration Division (7508C), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 308-8037; e-mail address:nevola.joseph@....
Agnet is produced by the Food Safety Network at the University of Guelph and is sponsored by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Plants Program at the University of Guelph, Agricultural Adaptation Council (CanAdapt Program), AGCare, Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors, ConAgra Foods Inc., Meat Livestock Australia, Pioneer Hi-Bred Limited (Canada), Monsanto Canada, National Pork Board, Syngenta Seeds, Inc. USA, JIFSAN, CropLife Canada, Canadian Animal Health Institute, Burger King Corporation, Southern Crop Protection Association, Ag-West Biotech Inc., Ontario Agri-Food Technologies, Syngenta Crop Protection, Feedlot Health Management Services, Institute of Environmental Science Research Limited , National Food Processors Association, Tactix Government Consulting, Inc., CanAmera Foods, Global Public Affairs, and Agri Business Group, Inc.
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