Agnet Dec

Agnet Dec. 15/03 -- II

FDA nears decision on safety of biotech wheat

Biotech taking a new twist

OECD - Biotechnology statistics

Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety – Documents

E-mail conference on marker assisted selection

Foods derived from GM animals, including fish

ICGEB biosafety -data

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FDA nears decision on safety of biotech wheat
December 15, 2003
Yahoo News
FDA Commissioner Mark McClellan was cited as saying that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was close to completing its review on the safety of Monsanto's genetically engineered wheat for human and animal consumption, adding, "We are conducting a very careful review particularly focusing on the safety of wheat from a food standpoint and a feed standpoint.”
McClellan was further cited as saying the review would be complete "probably not within the next few weeks, but soon."

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Biotech taking a new twist
December 15, 2003
Guelph Mercury
A4
Owen Roberts
After more than a decade of taking on weighty battles against anti- technology advocates, trying to win media support and stretching its resources to the max, Canada's biotechnology industry is about to embark on a different approach to communications.
In 2004, you'll continue to hear a lot about biotechnology. There are all kinds of developments pending, particularly enhanced rice for developing countries, that will make headlines and raise eyebrows.
But you're likely to see and hear less from biotechnology companies and the organizations representing them.
For example, fewer paid advertisements -- like those ones extolling the virtues of high-tech bananas, canola and tomatoes -- will be placed by the Council for Biotechnology Information (CBI), the organization representing leading biotechnology companies.
These ads will still appear, but in select venues -- television on airplanes, trade journals, or industry-specific publications, among them.
It's part of the industry's strategy to channel its resources into battles it can win, and reach audiences that will listen to its messages.
Rather than trying to convince everyone biotechnology has something to offer, the industry will concentrate on those who are at least neutral when it comes to new technology.
Watch for regional initiatives and spokespeople to be developed -- people like dietitians, who are a part of the health-care system -- local sources who'll stand up, be counted and say they believe in a science-based regulatory system, in a variety of forums.
These people won't pound the table for biotechnology per se. Instead, they'll be mobilized to talk about supporting access to the best tools available to grow crops, make medicine, implement health strategies and improve life in general.
Biotechnology will be one of the tools they mention. This approach is very much in keeping with product introductions.
When a company launches something with a certain benefit, it's not the science that created it that gets highlighted, it's the benefit to users. That's where biotechnology is headed.
Does that mean it will be hidden? Hopefully not.
A test case for this approach's effectiveness was seen in the fall when the CBI brought forward Dr. Florence Wambugu, a Kenyan biologist, to explain to North American audiences her take on why Africa wants and needs biotechnology.
She was a big hit on the speaking circuit, because she represented a region North Americans heard a lot about, but very little from.
And she had a strong message: Don't hold back technology that can help.
She was more concerned about helping ease starvation than she was about academic discussions concerning drought-tolerant crops developed through biotechnology.
"I want access to anything I can get," she said, over and over. "Do not remove a tool for us to feed ourselves."
So, in this case, biotechnology was indeed being communicated ... by someone other than a company or a self-interest group.
The debate about biotechnology has become too polarized for much to be gained by either side, trying to convince the converted.
But the issues persist, and industry needs to somehow stay in the public eye.
If it doesn't, it's open to a lot of criticism.
One of the big reasons biotechnology has the stigma it does today is because the industry was so ill-advised in its infancy, told to remain quiet because the public would be scared by technology.
That backfired, and it can't afford to retreat now. It needs avenues to inform the truly curious.
And it needs to wade into battle with those who challenge it. People have a democratic right to voice opinions about their society, and mainly through the agri-food system, biotechnology is becoming a bigger part of it. The industry must remain above ground and visible.
Owen Roberts teaches agricultural communications at the University of Guelph. His column normally appears Mondays.

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OECD - Biotechnology statistics
December 14, 2003
FAO – Biotech News
http://www.fao.org/biotech/index.asp
As part of its STI Working Paper series, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Directorate for Science, Technology and Industry (STI) has just published "An overview of biotechnology statistics in selected countries" by A. Devlin. The 74-page report provides an update of the current state of the biotechnology industry based on primarily official statistical sources. It includes data on publicly funded biotechnology R&D, the numbers of biotechnology firms (and the biotechnologies in which they are involved), biotechnology patents, biotechnology venture capital, genetically modified crops and, finally, biotechnology profiles of 26 OECD member and selected observer countries, plus the European Union. See http://www.olis.oecd.org/olis/2003doc.nsf/linkto/dsti-doc(2003)13 or or contact dsti.contact@oecd.org for more information.

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Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety – Documents
December 14, 2003
FAO – Biotech News
http://www.fao.org/biotech/index.asp
A series of documents have been released on the web in preparation for the 1st meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (COP/MOP-1) that takes place on 23-27 February 2004 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The meeting will deal with the following issues, among others: information sharing including the Biosafety Clearing-House; capacity-building; liability and redress; compliance; and handling, transport, packaging and identification of living modified organisms. Most of the 22 official documents and 4 information documents are available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. See http://www.biodiv.org/meetings/mop-01/docs.aspx or contact secretariat@biodiv.org for more information.

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E-mail conference on marker assisted selection
December 14, 2003
FAO – Biotech News
http://www.fao.org/biotech/index.asp
The FAO e-mail conference entitled "Molecular marker assisted selection as a potential tool for genetic improvement of crops, forest trees, livestock and fish in developing countries" began on 17 November and finished on 14 December 2003. Roughly 630 people registered for this moderated conference, and a total of 85 messages were posted, providing excellent considerations on issues such as economic comparisons of marker assisted selection (MAS) and conventional breeding, the appropriateness of applying MAS in developing countries, the role of research collaborations between developing and developing countries and the factors that can enable successful use of MAS in developing countries. Messages came from participants in 26 different countries, with highest numbers coming from people in India, Australia, United States, United Kingdom and Peru. 59% of messages came from people living in developing countries. The messages are available at http://www.fao.org/biotech/logs/c10logs.htm or can be requested as a single e-mail (size 128 KB) from biotech-admin@fao.org.

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Foods derived from GM animals, including fish
December 14, 2003
FAO - Biotech News
http://www.fao.org/biotech/index.asp
The six working papers from a joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation on the
"Safety assessment of foods derived from genetically modified animals, including fish", held on 17-21 November 2003 in Rome, Italy, have just been published on the web. They are "Generation and use of genetically modified farm animals" by L.M. Houdebine; "Status of genetically modified (transgenic) fish: Research and application" by R.A. Dunham; "Hazards associated with transgenesis methods" by E.M. Hallerman; "The food safety risk assessment of GM animals" by E.J. Kok and W. Jones; "Environmental impacts of genetically modified animals" by T.J. Benfey and, finally,
"Ethical issues surrounding the GM-animals/GM-fish production" by M. Kaiser. See http://www.fao.org/es/ESN/food/risk_biotech_animal_en.stm or contact food-quality@fao.org for more information.

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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., Pioneer Hi-Bred Limited (Canada), Ag-West Biotech, Inc., Monsanto Canada, Meat and Livestock Australia, National Pork Board, Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology, Syngenta Seeds, Inc., Council for Biotechnology Information, Canadian Animal Health Institute, Croplife Canada, Syngenta Seeds Canada, Inc., Canadian Food Information Council, Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization, JIFSAN, National Cattlemen's Beef Association, National Food Processors Association, Ontario Agri-Food Technologies, Institute of Environmental Science and Research, Ltd., BC Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Feedlot Health Management Services, Syngenta Crop Protection, Ontario Corn Producers' Association, DuPont Canada, Inc., Office of Consumer Affairs, Burger King, Sobeys Ontario, McCain Produce Inc., Canadian Institute for Food Inspection and Regulation, Canadian Wheat Board, National Meat Association, Seminis Vegetable Seeds, Ontario Soybean Growers, Bunge, Ltd., UC Davis Biotechnology Program, Consumer Federation of America Foundation, Optibrand, University of Idaho Department of Microbiology, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Tactix Government Consulting, Inc., Plant Bioscience Ltd., CanAmera Foods, Hospitality Institute of Technology and Management, Inc., Hartono and Company, Agri Business Group, Inc., and Global Public Affairs.

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