Fwd: ACTION ALERT: Send comments on APHIS Proposed Rules

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Fri, 18 Apr 2003 03:59:50 -0700

News Update from The Campaign

ACTION ALERT: Send comments on APHIS Proposed Rules

 

News Update From The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods

----

 

Dear News Update Subscribers,

 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Inspection

Service (APHIS) has issued " Proposed Rules " to regulate the " Field

Testing of Plants Engineered To Produce Pharmaceutical and Industrial

Compounds. "

 

The regulations proposed by the APHIS are meant to keep food crops such

as corn from being contaminated by the genes of genetically engineered

crops that contain drugs and industrial chemicals. However, the

regulations as proposed would likely have the opposite effect. These

regulations would practically guarantee that America's food supply will

become contaminated.

 

Even though corn pollen can travel for miles, the APHIS is only

requiring a distance of one mile between corn grown for food and corn

that contains pharmaceutical drugs.

 

Please send an e-mail or mail our form letter to the USDA Animal and

Plant Inspection Service objecting to their Proposed Rules by May 9th:

http://www.thecampaign.org/alert-APHIS.php

 

It is the position of The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods

that the USDA Animal and Plant Inspection Service should permit plants

that are genetically engineered to produce pharmaceutical and industrial

compounds to be grown ONLY if both of the following guidelines are in

place:

 

1) These crops should be restricted to controlled indoor environments

such as greenhouses.

2) No food crops whatsoever should be used to produce pharmaceutical and

industrial compounds.

 

In a related development, the USDA has formed a new " Advisory Committee

on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture. " Unfortunately the

18-member committee is dominated with pro-biotech representatives. One

noted exception who we are pleased is on the committee is Margaret

Mellon, director of the food and environment program at the Union of

Concerned Scientists. Posted below is an article that will provide

further details.

 

Thanks for taking the time to comment on the Proposed Rules by May 9th:

http://www.thecampaign.org/alert-APHIS.php

 

Craig Winters

Executive Director

The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods

 

The Campaign

PO Box 55699

Seattle, WA 98155

Tel: 425-771-4049

Fax: 603-825-5841

E-mail: label

Web Site: http://www.thecampaign.org

 

Mission Statement: " To create a national grassroots consumer campaign

for the purpose of lobbying Congress and the President to pass

legislation that will require the labeling of genetically engineered

foods in the United States. "

 

***************************************************************

 

Food Chemical News

Monday, April 14, 2003

Volume 45, Issue 9

 

Biotech advisory committee seen lacking in diversity

 

Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman last week announced appointments to a

new Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture,

but the panel immediately drew criticism for its makeup.

 

The committee is charged with examining the long-term impacts of

biotechnology on the U.S. food and agriculture system and providing

guidance to USDA on pressing individual issues.

 

" The good news is that the Secretary wants to hear from a variety of

sources and hasn't made up her mind on some of these issues, " commented

committee appointee Margaret Mellon, director of the food and

environment program at the Union of Concerned Scientists.

" Unfortunately, the composition doesn't reflect the diversity that it

should. "

 

The 18-member committee includes representatives of the food, seed and

biotech industries, farmers, environmental and consumer organizations,

academia and international plant research centers, product shippers and

traders. Appointees will serve one- or two-year terms and may be

reappointed to serve up to six consecutive years.

 

" There are a lot more players than what one finds on the committee, "

Mellon told Food Chemical News. " You have the National Corn Growers

Association but not the [anti-biotech] American Corn Growers

Association. There is nobody from the retail sector, and no one from the

organic community. It's heavily tilted toward conventional agriculture,

agribusiness and the tech companies. I hope they expand it. I hope USDA

gets out of the groove of listening to voices they're already hearing. "

 

Joseph Mendelson, legal director at the Center for Food Safety,

criticized " a massive under-representation of folks who are looking at

biotechnology from a non-business point of view. " He cited the absence

of the National Farmers Union, individual family farmers and organic

farmers, and " scant representation " of consumer and environmental

advocates.

 

" We're going to look at whether this committee meets its legal mandate

for diversity under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, " he told FCN.

 

Katherine DiMatteo, executive director of the Organic Trade Association,

agrees with the need for balance. However, she questioned whether it

would matter in the long run. " I certainly am concerned about the makeup

of the committee, " she told FCN. " It shouldn't be weighted toward one

position or another.

 

" However, I do know from the experience of the first advisory board that

many members involved with the organic industry felt like they couldn't

make a difference. When it came time to be recommissioned, they weren't

eager to serve again. You ask yourself, 'Where do I put my energy?'

You're part of a minority on a board that came to few conclusions. I

don't think this advisory board has a mandate that requires it to be

consulted or its recommendations to be considered. "

 

Michael Schechtman, the designated federal official for the USDA panel,

defended the department's selections.

 

" We think it's a well-balanced committee, " he said, adding that the

department specifically chose to convene a smaller, more " workable "

biotech panel than its last one, whose charter expired in February 2002.

 

 

Schechtman said USDA followed FACA's rules for assembling a panel,

including soliciting nominations through the Federal Register and

subjecting applicants to a review by an interagency committee and

members of Veneman's staff.

 

Given the overlap that exists within government oversight of

biotechnology, Schechtman said he anticipates the panel will be joined

by ex officio members from agencies such as FDA and EPA.

 

In a news release issued by the National Corn Growers Association,

committee appointee Leon Corzine, an Illinois corn farmer who chairs the

NCGA's biotech work group, noted that three of the 18 committee members

are farmers, " which I think is good, since our mission has been to put

the producers' face on these important topics. "

 

Committee members listed

 

Patricia Layton, Clemson University forest scientist, will serve as

committee chair. Other members beside Mellon and Corzine include:

 

.. Daryl Buss, University of Wisconsin veterinarian

 

.. Carole Cramer, chief scientific officer, CropTech Corporation

 

.. Richard Crowder, CEO, American Seed Trade Association

 

.. Michael Dykes, vice president for government affairs, Monsanto

Company

 

.. Juan Enriquez-Cabot, director of Harvard Business School's Life

Sciences Project

 

.. Randal Giroux, staff scientist, Cargill, Inc.

 

.. Duane Grant, Idaho wheat farmer

 

.. David Hoisington, bioinfomatics director, International Maize and

Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)

 

.. Gregory Jaffe, biotechnology project co-director, Center for Science

in the Public Interest

 

.. David Magnus, bioethics professor, University of Pennsylvania

 

.. Terry Medley, vice president for global regulatory affairs, DuPont

Agriculture and Nutrition

 

.. Ronald Olson, vice president for grain operations, General Mills

 

.. Jerome Slocum, farmer and general manager, North Mississippi Grain

Company

 

.. Keith Triebwasser, manager of product safety and regulatory affairs,

Procter & Gamble Company

 

.. Lisa Zannoni, head of global regulatory affairs, BASF Plant Science.

 

 

- Stephen Clapp and Lucy Ament

 

Food Chemical News, April 14, 2003, Volume 45, Number 9

 

***************************************************************

 

If you would like to comment on this News Update, you can do so at the

forum section of our web site at: http://www.thecampaign.org/forums

 

***************************************************************

 

 

 

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News Update From The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods

---

-

 

Dear News Update Subscribers,

 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant

Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued " Proposed Rules " to regulate

the " Field Testing of Plants Engineered To Produce Pharmaceutical

and Industrial Compounds. "

 

The regulations proposed by the APHIS are meant to keep food crops

such as corn from being contaminated by the genes of genetically

engineered crops that contain drugs and industrial chemicals.

However, the regulations as proposed would likely have the opposite

effect. These regulations would practically guarantee that America's

food supply will become contaminated.

 

Even though corn pollen can travel for miles, the APHIS is only

requiring a distance of one mile between corn grown for food and corn

that contains pharmaceutical drugs.

 

Please send an e-mail or mail our form letter to the USDA Animal and

Plant Inspection Service objecting to their Proposed Rules by May

9th:

http://www.thecampaign.org/alert-APHIS.php

 

It is the position of The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered

Foods that the USDA Animal and Plant Inspection Service should

permit plants that are genetically engineered to produce

pharmaceutical and industrial compounds to be grown ONLY if both of

the following guidelines are in place:

 

1) These crops should be restricted to controlled indoor environments

such as greenhouses.

2) No food crops whatsoever should be used to produce pharmaceutical

and industrial compounds.

 

In a related development, the USDA has formed a new " Advisory

Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture. "

Unfortunately the 18-member committee is dominated with pro-biotech

representatives. One noted exception who we are pleased is on the

committee is Margaret Mellon, director of the food and environment

program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. Posted below is an

article that will provide further details.

 

Thanks for taking the time to comment on the Proposed Rules by May

9th:

http://www.thecampaign.org/alert-APHIS.php

 

Craig Winters

Executive Director

The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods

 

The Campaign

PO Box 55699

Seattle, WA 98155

Tel: 425-771-4049

Fax: 603-825-5841

E-mail: label@t...

Web Site: http://www.thecampaign.org

 

Mission Statement: " To create a national grassroots consumer campaign

for the purpose of lobbying Congress and the President to pass

legislation that will require the labeling of genetically engineered

foods in the United States. "

 

***************************************************************

 

Food Chemical News

Monday, April 14, 2003

Volume 45, Issue 9

 

Biotech advisory committee seen lacking in diversity

 

Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman last week announced appointments

to a

new Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture,

but the panel immediately drew criticism for its makeup.

 

The committee is charged with examining the long-term impacts of

biotechnology on the U.S. food and agriculture system and providing

guidance to USDA on pressing individual issues.

 

" The good news is that the Secretary wants to hear from a variety of

sources and hasn't made up her mind on some of these issues, "

commented

committee appointee Margaret Mellon, director of the food and

environment program at the Union of Concerned Scientists.

" Unfortunately, the composition doesn't reflect the diversity that it

should. "

 

The 18-member committee includes representatives of the food, seed

and

biotech industries, farmers, environmental and consumer

organizations,

academia and international plant research centers, product shippers

and

traders. Appointees will serve one- or two-year terms and may be

reappointed to serve up to six consecutive years.

 

" There are a lot more players than what one finds on the committee, "

Mellon told Food Chemical News. " You have the National Corn Growers

Association but not the [anti-biotech] American Corn Growers

Association. There is nobody from the retail sector, and no one from

the

organic community. It's heavily tilted toward conventional

agriculture,

agribusiness and the tech companies. I hope they expand it. I hope

USDA

gets out of the groove of listening to voices they're already

hearing. "

 

Joseph Mendelson, legal director at the Center for Food Safety,

criticized " a massive under-representation of folks who are looking

at

biotechnology from a non-business point of view. " He cited the

absence

of the National Farmers Union, individual family farmers and organic

farmers, and " scant representation " of consumer and environmental

advocates.

 

" We're going to look at whether this committee meets its legal

mandate

for diversity under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, " he told

FCN.

 

Katherine DiMatteo, executive director of the Organic Trade

Association,

agrees with the need for balance. However, she questioned whether it

would matter in the long run. " I certainly am concerned about the

makeup

of the committee, " she told FCN. " It shouldn't be weighted toward one

position or another.

 

" However, I do know from the experience of the first advisory board

that

many members involved with the organic industry felt like they

couldn't

make a difference. When it came time to be recommissioned, they

weren't

eager to serve again. You ask yourself, 'Where do I put my energy?'

You're part of a minority on a board that came to few conclusions. I

don't think this advisory board has a mandate that requires it to be

consulted or its recommendations to be considered. "

 

Michael Schechtman, the designated federal official for the USDA

panel,

defended the department's selections.

 

" We think it's a well-balanced committee, " he said, adding that the

department specifically chose to convene a smaller, more " workable "

biotech panel than its last one, whose charter expired in February

2002.

 

 

Schechtman said USDA followed FACA's rules for assembling a panel,

including soliciting nominations through the Federal Register and

subjecting applicants to a review by an interagency committee and

members of Veneman's staff.

 

Given the overlap that exists within government oversight of

biotechnology, Schechtman said he anticipates the panel will be

joined

by ex officio members from agencies such as FDA and EPA.

 

In a news release issued by the National Corn Growers Association,

committee appointee Leon Corzine, an Illinois corn farmer who chairs

the

NCGA's biotech work group, noted that three of the 18 committee

members

are farmers, " which I think is good, since our mission has been to

put

the producers' face on these important topics. "

 

Committee members listed

 

Patricia Layton, Clemson University forest scientist, will serve as

committee chair. Other members beside Mellon and Corzine include:

 

.. Daryl Buss, University of Wisconsin veterinarian

 

.. Carole Cramer, chief scientific officer, CropTech Corporation

 

.. Richard Crowder, CEO, American Seed Trade Association

 

.. Michael Dykes, vice president for government affairs, Monsanto

Company

 

.. Juan Enriquez-Cabot, director of Harvard Business School's Life

Sciences Project

 

.. Randal Giroux, staff scientist, Cargill, Inc.

 

.. Duane Grant, Idaho wheat farmer

 

.. David Hoisington, bioinfomatics director, International Maize and

Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)

 

.. Gregory Jaffe, biotechnology project co-director, Center for

Science

in the Public Interest

 

.. David Magnus, bioethics professor, University of Pennsylvania

 

.. Terry Medley, vice president for global regulatory affairs,

DuPont

Agriculture and Nutrition

 

.. Ronald Olson, vice president for grain operations, General Mills

 

.. Jerome Slocum, farmer and general manager, North Mississippi

Grain

Company

 

.. Keith Triebwasser, manager of product safety and regulatory

affairs,

Procter & Gamble Company

 

.. Lisa Zannoni, head of global regulatory affairs, BASF Plant

Science.

 

 

- Stephen Clapp and Lucy Ament

 

Food Chemical News, April 14, 2003, Volume 45, Number 9

 

***************************************************************

 

If you would like to comment on this News Update, you can do so at

the

forum section of our web site at: http://www.thecampaign.org/forums

 

***************************************************************

--- End forwarded message ---