“The report from EASAC, published in June, warns of the “grave scientific, economic and social consequences of current European Union policy towards GM crops”, saying European countries should “rethink” their widespread rejection of the technology. The study came as a blow to environmentalists opposing GMOs as it received backing from the national science academies of all EU member states, plus Norway and Switzerland.”
EMAC director, Dr. Nicholas Kalaitzandonakes, participated in a conference that discussed the implications of asynchronous approvals of new biotech traits and the potential for Low Level Presence of such traits in trade flows, which took place in Bogota, Colombia.
“Scientists are striking back at activists who destroyed genetically modified (GM) “golden rice” plants in a test field in the Philippines last week. “It is an unconscionable criminal act to destroy a field trial conducted in accordance to international safety norms,” reads an online petition that has garnered nearly 2,000 signatures in the past few days.
“This issue of Current Biology addresses the biology of food. Scientific and public interest in food covers many different perspectives, but since there is no discipline of food, food research tends to be carried out separately in such areas as ecology, physiology, and the neurosciences. The integration promised by Current Biology’s multiple reviews is therefore particularly valuable.
(more…)