From The Civil Abolitionist  Winter 2000-2001
   
The Vancouver Sun August 2, 2000 reported that "Modified foods gain greater approval."  The paper was relaying information from a survey by the US-based International Food Information Council which claimed that 54% of consumers were somewhat more likely to buy GE foods modified to "taste better or fresher: and to require less insect spray, a question slanted toward an affirmative answer if ever there was one.

A full page devoted to "biotech news" reported by Richard Wolfson, PhD in the August issue of Alive #214 told a different story, however.  It reported that an Environics poll found 95% of Canadians think consumers should be able to buy non-GE foods and that GE foods should be labeled as such; 75% worry about the safety of GE foods; and 56% worry about the government's ability to protect their health and safety regarding GE foods.

There was a mix-up of GE and non-GE canola seeds exported to Europe. Swiss farmers have been ordered to destroy 4,400 acres of canola crops as a result.  Advanta Seeds, the supplier, says the seeds were contaminated by accident, perhaps through cross pollination.  In the UK, 1350 acres were affected.  Europe requires that GE crops be segregated and labeled.

Bowing to consumer concerns, Canada has abandoned plans for herbicide tolerant wheat.

In response to fears of organic growers, British Columbia has decided not to manipulate apples

University of Nebraska agronomists have found Roundup Ready soy beans to be from 6 to 11 percent lower yielding than unaltered soy beans.

Monsanto has closed its plant at Crystal, ME where it  was working on potatoes containing a toxin to kill in secconds.  The reason: consumer resistance.

Iowa farmers are unable to sell their corn because the 1% that was  Starlink GE corn contaminated 50% of the crop in the fields which  was mixed with pure corn in the grain elevators so that the entire crop is now contaminated.  All because the biotech companies interfered. with nature.

Genetic Engineering index      Winter 2000-01 CivAb