RR Alfalfa gets non reg status

[wd9]

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27, 2011 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) today announced its decision to grant non-regulated status for alfalfa that has been genetically engineered to be resistant to the herbicide commercially known as Roundup.

"After conducting a thorough and transparent examination of alfalfa through a multi-alternative environmental impact statement (EIS) and several public comment opportunities, APHIS has determined that Roundup Ready alfalfa is as safe as traditionally bred alfalfa," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. "All of the alfalfa production stakeholders involved in this issue have stressed their willingness to work together to find solutions. We greatly appreciate and value the work they've done so far and will continue to provide support to the wide variety of sectors that make American agriculture successful."

After releasing a final EIS in December 2010, USDA took another step to ensure that this issue received the broadest examination before making its final decision. USDA brought together a diverse group of stakeholders to discuss feasible strategies for coexistence between genetically engineered (GE), organic, and other non-GE stakeholders. The stakeholders helped to identify areas of consensus; issues where the group disagreed and opportunities for further dialogue exist; and areas where USDA could – or should – play an important and helpful role.

In response to the request for support from its stakeholders, USDA is taking a number of steps, including:

•Reestablishing two important USDA advisory committees - Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture, and the National Genetic Resources Advisory Committee. These two committees will tackle a broad range of issues, from ensuring the availability of high quality seed, to helping ensure that growers have access to the best tools available to support their production choices, to whether risk management and indemnification options can play a role;
•Conducting research into areas such as ensuring the genetic integrity, production and preservation of alfalfa seeds entrusted to the germplasm system;
•Refining and extending current models of gene flow in alfalfa;
•Requesting proposals through the Small Business Innovation Research program to improve handling of forage seeds and detection of transgenes in alfalfa seeds and hay; and,
•Providing voluntary, third-party audits and verification of industry-led stewardship initiatives.
More information on these areas of support USDA will provide outside of the regulatory arena is available online .

APHIS' deregulation of Roundup ready alfalfa will become effective upon publication of the Agency's determination of nonregulated status in the Federal Register. USDA's Record of Decision on RR alfalfa is available to the public at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/

Certainly paves the way for wheat. Wonder where Canada is gonna settle out on this.

[parsley]

"Scientist working to grow meat in lab

Washington, Feb 1 (ANI): A scientist at the Medical University of South Carolina has been working for the past 10 years to grow meat.

Vladimir Mironov, one of only a few scientists worldwide involved in bioengineering “cultured” meat, believes that the product could help solve future global food crises resulting from shrinking amounts of land available for growing meat the old-fashioned way.

He envisions football field-sized buildings filled with large bioreactors, or bioreactors the size of a coffee machine in grocery stores, to manufacture what he calls ‘charlem’-'Charleston engineered meat.’

“It will be functional, natural, designed food. How do you want it to taste? You want a little bit of fat, you want pork, you want lamb? We design exactly what you want. We can design texture." UNQUOTE



Don't you just love scienced food ?

Wouldn't it would be better, though, if the meat grown has a dual purpose?

...First, grow out the meat as a pet. A house pet for six months. The kids can feed it GM alfapha every day, by hand!

..Second give it a name before you grind it. er, Personalize your grind.

Good potential for a company's ads.

"Look mommy, let's eat Alfie for dinner"

"Dead or alive, dear?"

"Alive today. I like the wiggling when I swallow."

"It's called steak tartare, and it doesn't wiggle, dear, it 'quivers'

""Qivers. That sounds good to eat."

"GM mustard on top?"

"Just one squirt, Mommy. But I want the kind with the Vitamin B12 in it cause its' got the bottle-blue fly gene along with it for the bluecolors. I like the shiny colors"

"Ask your Dad. You've eaten a lot of those blueflies this week, already, dear."

"I'll ask him. I love you mommy. Could I have some of those doggie gummy bears for dessert."

"The real doggy or the old-fashioned gelatine doggie?"

""The real doggie.I like real doggie-breath gummy bears."

"You got it, darling. I love you too."

See? Even I am getting progressive.Pars

[parsley]

Now here's a clear cut case of compulsory funding being necessary, you argue? (tic)

<p></p>
<p><strong>[URL="http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110130/sc_nm/us_food_meat_laboratory_feature"](Hannibal, darling, but how do you get that juicy, meaty quality?...without funding?)[/URL]</strong></p>

[parsley]

"New ISO standard gauges nano-toxicity risks
Post a commentBy Rory Harrington, 31-Jan-2011

New guidelines from the International Organisation for Standardization (ISO) have been published in a bid to help key industry players assess the possible risks presented by the burgeoning growth of nano-based products.

The Swiss body said the speedy growth of nanotechnology in the food, cosmetics, IT and medical sectors has led to increasing concern from researchers, manufacturers, regulators and consumers over their potential impact on the environment and on workers exposed to them.

Nanotechnology refers to controlling matter at an atomic or molecular scale measured in nanometers, or millionths of millimeters. In the food industry, the technology could have a variety of uses including detecting bacteria in packaging, nano-coating processing equipment to stay cleaner for longer or producing stronger flavours and colourings.

Inhalation toxicity

While huge potential gains are driving burgeoning investment, the technology itself s relatively new and scientists still have much to learn about nanoparticles. The ISO said its new standard is designed further that understanding and in particular help support inhalation toxicity testing of nanoparticles.

“With the rapid expansion of nanotechnology applications comes a growing risk of exposure to potentially toxic substances, especially for workers in nanotechnology-based industries,” said Dr Peter Hatto, chair of the standard committee. “Moreover, if airborne nanoparticles were liberated from products, the general public could also be affected. Ensuring the safety of these particles is therefore paramount for the well-being of workers and consumers.”

The new standard, ISO 10808:2010, Nanotechnologies – Characterization of nanoparticles in inhalation exposure chambers for inhalation toxicity testing - helps ensure that the results of analysis used to establish inhalation toxicity of airborne nanoparticles are reliable and harmonized worldwide.

Non-traditional methods

Dr Hatto added that to test inhalation toxicity it had been necessary to monitor concentration, size and size-distribution of nanoscale particles in an inhalation chamber.

“Traditional methods used in other areas are considered insufficient for testing nanoparticles since parameters specific to them like particle surface area or number, might be crucial determinants of toxicity,” he said. “ISO 10808 takes into account the particular characteristics and potential risks of nanoparticles, and is thus an important asset to the industry.”

The techniques used include differential mobility analysing system (DMAS), for determining particle number, size, size-distribution, surface area and estimated mass dose, as well as morphological examination using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) or scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray analyser (EDXA) for chemical composition.

Earlier this month, the European Food Safety Authority published its first ever risk assessment guidance on the use of nanotechnology in food

http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/Quality-Safety/EFSA-publishes-draft-guidance-on-nano-risk-assessment "
Pars

[cottonpicken]

We are going to have to hide the guns from Pars if
they ever invent a genetically modified muslim.

[grassfarmer]

I guess that just screwed up US beef exports to the EU - who want all GMO products labeled. Can't put the cat back in the bag either - once this crap gets on the market it will pollute Canadian crops and we will suffer the same fate. Zero benefit to producers - huge benefit to Monsanto. Shame about the bees too, it was quite nice when we could get honey.

[wd9]

"APHIS has determined that Roundup Ready alfalfa is as safe as traditionally bred alfalfa"

The rest is marketing, politics, and emotion with a smattering of loom burning.

[parsley]

<p></p>
<p><strong>[URL="http://www.google.ca/#hl=en&biw=1135&bih=578&q=roundup chemical %2B fetus&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=roundup chemical %2B fetus&fp=b2469ead12f1d3bf"](Close your eyes. Never ask questions. Science has spoken.)[/URL]</strong></p>

[parsley]

wd,
<p></p>
<p><strong>[URL="http://www.chem-tox.com/pesticides/"](After you have finished scrolling down, sigh, roll your eyes, but then check your family jewels.)[/URL]</strong></p>

[brian99]

Wow, about a light year from RR alfalfa.

[brian99]

The talk is that they're going to split Canada in half. RR alfalfa in the east, non RR in the west. I'm sure someone will bring it in under the radar, but it might save the purity in the seed stands for a few years.

[wd9]

If just before building a house on some land and i do happen to spill 100 gallons of 24,D on the ground i can thank you parsely for informing me that it might be bad.

But if i spray it over a couple of sections of land and build a house on it would it be ok? Rhetorical BTW.

Non peer reviewed along with chicken little. Your point is what? RR alfalfa is identical to alfalfa? Got proof to the contrary? Or just fear mongering by telling us what we already know, DEET is bad for you.

[grassfarmer]

Here is some reading material for those prepared to open their eyes and minds.

http://www.i-sis.org.uk/glyphosatePoisonsCrops.php

Goes to prove that we shouldn't be soaking everything in Roundup to start with. Can't believe how many farmers are fooled by the supposed science of GMOs and the "benefits" they bring.

[parsley]

Peer reviewed? By climate change scientist calibre types? Few jewels there.

When that flesh you're growing in petrie dishes reaches butchering weight, surely we can look forward to two exclamation marks.

In the meantime, check BOTH of them. Pars

[parsley]

grassy, I opine for the days when men were men and swaggered to the bar and chewed up entire bottles of beer with their teeth for show and class, bottle after bottle, blood running, teeth enamel cracking, gums cut, tongue bleeding, and swearing up and down it was good for them. Sigh.

And you too, wd, some future day, will lament for the good old days when men were men and ate raw ground species' flesh they grew in their own pantry, nourished daily with prepared custom feed made from grain and hay flush with stacked genes (that you are so wary of, grassfarmer); pelleted and granular, and selling as hot as ipads; appetizing feed, liquorice and lemon and sour raspberry all stacked together, named 'bursts'; ...roundup in alphalfa with a dabba iron and a pillar of calcium; chromium and selenium rooted in the feeds' ground lentils and don't forget the 'trio snort' of pesticide/insecticide/weedkiller in lupins and feed barley; and altogether, a total of 200 stacked genes in hundreds of varieties of feed wheats...and all for the common good...to nourish the livestock fleshtock that makes us gro. Supergenes for what's in your jeans, so to speak.

Novel idea.

Oops, I forgot the chaser gene...you know...the progesterone squirt for the boldness required to re-inforce the chattering geniuses. I'm not neo-negative. Or fear-mongering. This is the kind of stuff I'm just dying to eat in my lab-meat. This is progressive news!

I agree, grassy, this 'enriched' kind of feed will be selling well until the EU tests show GM tolerances have exceeded the limits. Oh dear. Another farm product that goes the way of hula hoops. Even though they are safe! Those stupid Italians and Frenchmen.

Hindsight. Isn't it exciting to mull and plan for hindsight?

Farmers like me are truly experiencing spurts of progressiveness in 30 below weather. I believe it may be that extra oxygen has settled to surround the potatoes on the couch causing it to sprout ideas.. LOL Pars