Jolly Gene Giants
I have increasingly numerous enquiries for non GE (genetically engineered)
seed - for species that I would never imagine would be engineered, although
thinking about it - one could argue that all hybridisation, and any kind of
seed selection is engineering.
Below is a compilation of recent GE postings.
Best wishes,
Matthew Sleigh
B & T World Seeds
Paguignan
34210 Olonzac
France
fax:00 33 4 68 91 30 39
ph: 00 33 4 68 91 29 63
m@b-and-t-world-seeds.com
http://b-and-t-world-seeds.com/
Monsanto surrenders 'suicide seeds'
but continues work on other Traitor Technologies
With biotech's Silver Bullet firmly imbedded in its own foot, Monsanto is
dropping its guns, abandoning the Terminator, and telling farmers that it
wants to play nice. Not so fast, hombre!
Following 18 months of controversy and intense popular opposition around
the world, Monsanto CEO Robert B. Shapiro has advised Gordon Conway,
President of the Rockefeller Foundation that Monsanto has decided to
abandon plans to commercialize Terminator Technology (causing crop seed to
become sterile at harvest time). Monsanto's open letter to Rockefeller is
available on the company's web site at:
http:/www.monsanto.com/monsanto/gurt/default.htm
However, the company says it will continue to pursue closely-related
research targets that could allow Monsanto to switch on - or off - other
genetic traits vital to a crop's productivity. Commonly known as "Traitor"
technology.
Limping from a Silver Bullet:
Monsanto is the second major "Gene Giant" to back away from Terminator
Technology. In June of this year, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity
received a letter from UK-based AstraZeneca announcing that it would
not commercialize seed sterility technologies. In all, more than a
dozen companies and public institutes have at least 31 patents that
include claims involving seed sterilization. Monsanto was
the big gun, however, and Terminator became a public relations disaster
for the company when it made a bid to acquire Delta & Pine Land Seed
Company in May, 1998. Delta & Pine Land co-owns the "prototype"
Terminator patent with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) --
US patent number 5,723,765. In addition, Monsanto
holds a second patent, WO 9744465, published 27 November 1997.
Terminator Turn-Around:
Even though Monsanto's public commitment to abandon Terminator is not
questioned, it is to be noted that market and technical realities may
eventually force a different outcome. In a letter dated 24 February 1999
AstraZeneca categorically stated that it abandoned the development of its
Terminator-type technology for the purpose of seed sterilization in 1992. It
was discovered that ExSeed, an AstraZeneca joint venture with Iowa State
University, won a new seed sterilization patent on 11 August 1997, based on
a claim made in 1995 - three years after AstraZeneca's research was to have
been abandoned.
All the Gene Giants are pursing R&D on Terminator and Traitor technology.
Companies, including Monsanto, are working to control important
genetic traits of plants with external chemical catalysts. Once perfected,
a seed's genetic trait(s) could be turned on or off with the application of
a
proprietary chemical, such as an herbicide or fertilizer, for example.
"Companies tell us that trait control will mean more options for farmers,
but chemically-dependent seeds will more likely lead to bioserfdom.
USDA Stands Alone:
When will USDA follow suit? USDA is now in the shameful position
of supporting and defending a genetic technology that the world's 2nd
largest seed corporation has clearly rejected due to public opposition. At
a meeting with civil society organizations in June, Under-Secretary of
Agriculture Richard Rominger stated that the USDA refuses to abandon
the patent it co-owns with Delta & Pine Land (a Mississippi-based seed
company in the process of being acquired by Monsanto) because it wants
to see the technology widely licensed.
Monsanto CEO Robert Shapiro's letter says that Monsanto made the
decision to reject Terminator, in part, because it was responding to the
views of its "very important grower constituency."
USDA is increasingly marginalized in its support of Terminator, it should
immediately cease negotiations with Delta & Pine Land, abandon the
patent, and develop a strict policy prohibiting the use of taxpayer funds
for the development of genetic seed sterilization.
Governments Need to Pull the Plug on Terminator:
Monsanto has taken a positive step, but let's not forget that farmers can
never depend on the charity and good will of the Gene Giants to reject
immoral technologies. Without government action to firmly reject Terminator
and Traitor technology, these technologies will be commercialized
within a few years with potentially disastrous consequences.
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