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The scent of GE Papaya

Greenpeace Thai activists seal off the GE papaya at the Khon Kaen agricultural research station of the Department of Agriculture. Enlarge Image

GE papaya scandal in Thailand

We warned the Thai government over a year ago not to play with genetically engineered (GE) papaya but they didn't listen. Although trials of the engineered food crop are banned, it seems they couldn't resist having a go themselves. Now they have left the whole country's papaya crop wide open to contamination.

Wheat. Enlarge Image

Farmers at losing end of GE industry

Farmers, consumers, even people in developing countries are under intense pressure to accept genetic engineering as an improvement on nature. But a new report documenting 10 years of experience by North American farmers shows that virtually every beneficial claim for GE crops has been exaggerated. Genetically engineered crops have been an economic disaster in the US and Canada. Only time will tell whether consumers will also be at the losing end of the GE takeover of our food supply.

Volunteers from Greenpeace and Green Hope, a Guangzhou environmental group, blindfold themselves while holding Nestle's Maggi Beancurd and Vegetable Soup which has been found to contain GE ingredients, symbolising the fact that Enlarge Image

The ingredients are hidden, but the companies can't hide

Genetically engineered food products will not be able to hide much longer in the largest food market in the world. Many Chinese do not even know they are being sold GE products, but a new poll shows they want a choice and some are even willing to pay more for non-GE products. Already consumers in China have turned on companies like Nestle for selling GE products not labelled. The unrest will grow as a local group and Greenpeace take to the road to promote food safety.

Greenpeace activists put pile of normal (not genetically engineered) soya in front of Unilever building. Enlarge Image

Brazil can be GE free

The commercial growing of genetically engineered (GE) crops in Brazil has been blocked by legal injunctions for several years now. Crucial decisions about these injunctions might be made in the few next weeks. Agrochemical giant Monsanto is ready to flood the Brazilian market with its GE seeds if legal approval is granted. Brazil has much to lose by allowing these crops and much to gain by keeping Monsanto out of its fields and remaining the world's major non-GE soya producer.

Glofish may be the first genetically engineered pets but with no rules to control them who knows what will happen? Enlarge Image

One fish, two fish, glofish?

The biotechnology industry has struggled for the last twenty years to come up with products that work, and propaganda to sell those products. Remember the FlavrSavr tomato, the first genetically engineered (GE) food product designed to ripen on the vine, yet stay firm all the way to market? Well, it hardly lasted the first truck ride across the country, as it really wasn't all that squash proof.

A girl carries a fish caught from the rice field. Enlarge Image

Rice at risk

Rice has been a grown around the world for over 10,000 years, it is cultivated in 113 countries and 3000 million people rely on it as a staple food. All of this is in danger as the spectre of genetic engineering creeps up on the planet's most important food crop.

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