ACTION ALERT: Contact Tillamook + Mexico approves GE crops

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" News Update from The Campaign " <newsupdate

 

 

ACTION ALERT: Contact Tillamook + Mexico approves GE crops

 

 

 

Thu, 24 Feb 2005 21:34:40 -0800

 

News Update From The Campaign

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Dear News Update Subscribers,

 

There are two significant developments to discuss. Plus, we will give

you an

update on the U.S. labeling legislation.

 

TILLAMOOK GOES rBGH-FREE!

 

This first announcement is good news, but we need to protect this

victory

against the wrath of Monsanto. So we are calling an ACTION ALERT.

 

Tillamook, the nation's second largest maker of chunk cheese, has

decided to

halt the use of the genetically engineered growth hormone, rBST

(recombinant

Bovine Somatotropin hormone), in their products. Apparently the

decision of

the Tillamook Creamery Association's Board was unanimously to require

all

147 member dairy farmers to sign an affidavit before a notary public

swearing they do not use rBGH (recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone).

 

The first article posted below from Associated Press is titled

" Creamery

group bans Monsanto's growth hormone. " It will provide further details

about

the recent decision.

 

Monsanto is apparently fighting back and appears to have organized some

dairies to object to the board's decision. There is now going to be a

special membership meeting this Monday where the 147 member dairy

farmers

will vote on the board's decision. So we want to let Tillamook know

that we

applaud their decision to go rBGH-free and object to Monsanto's

attempts to

manipulate their internal affairs.

 

To participate in the ACTION ALERT and send an instant e-mail to

Tillamook,

go to the following web page:

http://www.thecampaign.org/tillamook.php

 

The second item posted below is the text of our ACTION ALERT to

Tillamook.

However, when sending the ACTION ALERT e-mail you may edit the text to

add

your own comments.

 

If you want to call Tillamook's headquarters and thank them for their

decision to go rBGH-free, their phone number is 503-815-1300. Or you

can fax

them at 503-815-1305.

 

Special thanks to Rick North of Oregon Physicians for Social

Responsibility

for all the work he has done on this project. A primary reason that

Tillamook made this decision to go rBGH-free is that there has been an

organized postcard, phone call and e-mail campaign to the company for

about

six months. Tillamook's management has paid attention to their

customers.

But that would not have happened without the efforts of Rick North of

Oregon

Physicians for Social Responsibility. Great job, Rick!

 

MEXICO APPROVES THE PLANTING AND SALE OF GE CROPS

 

In a disappointing and controversial decision, last week the government

of

Mexico approved the growing and sale of genetically engineered crops.

 

Mexico's lower house, the Chamber of Deputies, voted approval in 2004.

And

then last week, the upper house of congress, the Senate voted by a

large

majority to approve the legislation. There were 87 votes in favor, 16

against and 6 abstentions.

 

While we view this approval to be a significant disappointment, there

may be

one positive aspect about the decision. Apparently the new law states

that

genetically engineered foods will need to be labeled. This may make it

easier for us to make our case for labeling in the United States and

Canada

if it is required in Mexico.

 

On the other hand, we would not be surprised if the United States tries

to

get Mexico to remove the labeling requirement. The United States,

Canada and

Mexico are all parties of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

 

The third item below is an article from SciDev.Net titled " Mexico

approves

planting and sale of GM crops. "

 

GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOOD RIGHT TO KNOW ACT UPDATE

 

Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) plans to soon re-introduce the

Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act before the U.S. House of

Representatives. We just updated all the House of Representative

letters on

our web site to reflect this upcoming event. The form letters can be

found

at:

http://www.thecampaign.org/letters_house.php

 

Representative Kucinich has asked us to help gather support for the

legislation in advance of the introduction. Next week we will launch a

comprehensive ACTION ALERT on this matter. Please stay tuned...

 

Thanks for your activism and support!

 

Craig Winters

President

The Campaign

PO Box 55699

Seattle, WA 98155

Tel: 425-771-4049

E-mail: label

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

 

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Creamery group bans Monsanto's growth hormone

 

Published Monday, February 21, 2005

 

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The No. 2 maker of chunk cheese in the nation has

banned a genetically engineered growth hormone made by Monsanto Co. for

dairy cows after consumer complaints.

 

The Tillamook County Creamery Association said Friday that it has asked

all

of its 147 member farmers to halt use of the recombinant bovine

somatotropin

hormone, or rBST, despite pressure from Monsanto.

 

" After a nearly two-year process of developing and implementing a

policy

requiring our dairy suppliers to forgo the use of artificial bovine

growth

hormone, Tillamook County Creamery Association is facing an aggressive

intrusion by Monsanto into the association's decision-making process, "

the

association said in a prepared release.

 

The rBST hormone, sold under the brand name Posilac, is used to boost

milk

production in dairy cows.

 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the hormone in 1993,

allowing

one of the first major biotechnology-related products to enter the

nation's

food supply.

 

But demand for milk and dairy products labeled rBST-free has continued

to

grow, said Rick North, spokesman for Oregon Physicians for Social

Responsibility. " We're really very appreciative they're taking this

step, "

he said of Tillamook.

 

The medical group estimates that about 10 percent to 15 percent of

dairy

farmers are using the hormone on their herds nationally, and the figure

is

about the same in Oregon.

 

Christie Lincoln, spokeswoman for Tillamook, said Friday that the

decision

to ban the hormone was driven by consumers.

 

" Consumers of Tillamook dairy products expect Tillamook to do the right

thing, " she said. " They're asking us to remove the recombinant bovine

hormone from our product, and we're just responding to that. "

 

In its statement, the creamery association said, " Monsanto has been

especially vigorous in trying to dissuade " the dairy cooperative from

banning the hormone and accused the company of trying " to drive a

wedge "

between the association and its members.

 

" In November, Consuelo Madere, president of Monsanto Dairy Business,

took

the extraordinary step of sending a letter directly to " Tillamook

" members

questioning the policy and seeking its reversal, " the association said.

 

" The letter's intrusion into the co-op's internal affairs pales in

comparison to Monsanto's unprecedented effort in the past two weeks to

divide Tillamook's dairy farmers over the issue, " the association said.

 

The dairy cooperative said that Monsanto sent an attorney from the

Washington, D.C., law firm of King & Spalding to Oregon to meet with

more

than a dozen co-op members. The attorney, James Dabney Miller, has

represented Monsanto on rBST issues, including its FDA approval, the

association said.

 

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

 

TEXT OF FORM LETTER TO TILLAMOOK:

 

Dear Tillamook County Creamery Association,

 

I read in a recent Associated Press article that you have asked all of

your

147 member farmers to halt use of the recombinant bovine somatotropin

hormone. Thank you!

 

After reading up on recombinant bovine somatotropin hormone, otherwise

known

as rBST or rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone), I am not convinced

that

this product is necessary or safe. Some experts are concerned that

injecting

cows with rBGH may raise levels of IGF-1 (Insulin-like growth factor-1)

in

the milk that these cows produce. As you may be aware, there are

studies

that associate increased levels of IGF-1 with increased risks of

prostate,

breast and lung cancer in humans.

 

If you read the chapter called " Spilled Milk " in the book " Seeds of

Deception " by Jeffrey M. Smith, you will learn that the U.S. Food and

Drug

Administration (FDA) apparently has ignored the evidence that rBGH may

cause

health problems. Some people feel the FDA has been acting in the best

interest of Monsanto and not the American public.

 

I want as much as possible to reduce the odds that I will get cancer,

and I

believe I can help accomplish this by avoiding dairy products that come

from

cows injected with rBST. Further, I understand that the cows treated

with

rBST run the risk of infected udders that produce visibly abnormal milk

that

contains pus. So I appreciate that Tillamook is removing these concerns

from

your fine products by having your member farmers sign an affidavit

stating

they do not use rBGH.

 

I also read in the Associated Press article that Monsanto is attempting

" to

drive a wedge " between your association and its members. This doesn't

surprise me based on Monsanto's track record.

 

In 2001, Monsanto was found guilty of releasing tons of PCBs into the

city

of Anniston, Alabama and covering up its actions for decades. The jury

found

Monsanto liable on all six charges it considered: negligence,

wantonness,

suppression of the truth, nuisance, trespass and outrage. Under Alabama

law,

the charge of " outrage " requires conduct " so outrageous in character

and

extreme in degree as to go beyond all possible bounds of decency so as

to be

regarded as atrocious and utterly intolerable in civilized society. "

 

Most recently, on January 6, 2005, the U.S. Securities and Exchange

Commission (SEC) filed two settled enforcement proceedings charging

Monsanto

with making illicit payments in violation of the Foreign Corrupt

Practices

Act (FCPA).

 

So what Monsanto is trying to do by intruding into Tillamook's internal

affairs seems to fit a pattern of behavior that some people find quite

offensive. Thanks for standing up to Monsanto and telling them their

bullying tactics will not work in Oregon. Monsanto may not get charged

with

" outrage " in this situation like they were in Anniston, Alabama, but

their

actions are still " outrageous. "

 

Thanks again for listening to your customers and standing up to

Monsanto.

You have gained my respect and I will share this information with my

friends

and associates. I am confident that your business will increase as a

result

of your decision to put your customers first by assuring that your

products

are rBGH-free.

 

Sincerely,

 

Your Name Here

 

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

 

Mexico approves planting and sale of GM crops

 

Mexico is the centre of diversity for maize

Karla Peregrina and Javier Crúz

22 February 2005

Source: SciDev.Net

http://tinyurl.com/4u4uv

 

[MEXICO CITY] Mexico has passed legislation that authorises the

planting and

selling genetically modified (GM) crops. The Mexican congress's upper

house

(the Senate), passed the law on 15 February, with 87 votes in favour,

16

against and 6 abstentions.

 

Since it was proposed, the law has created considerable debate in

Mexico and

has practically split the country's scientific community in two.

 

The Senate drafted the law in April 2003 with input from the Mexican

Academy

of Sciences (AMC), the country's leading science organisation. However,

some

academy members were critical of the process and the academy's

involvement.

 

" Any omissions we may have made in selecting the committee which

represented

the academy before Congress were without malice, " said the academy's

president, Octavio Paredes, in an interview with SciDev.Net. " At the

time I

did not sense any serious difference of opinion from within the

academy. "

 

René Drucker, coordinator of scientific research at Mexico's National

University (UNAM), and former president of the AMC, disagrees.

 

" [The law] will bring no benefits to our country in the future, " wrote

Drucker in a letter to La Jornada last year following the law's

approval by

Mexico's lower house, the Chamber of Deputies.

 

Another letter to the same newspaper mocked the law, suggesting it

should be

named the " Law of Genetic Colonisation for the 21st Century " . It was

sent by

Ignacio Chapela, the US-based Mexican biologist who first claimed that

genes

from other species had entered wild maize in Mexico (see GM maize found

'contaminating' wild strains).

 

Chapela's letter said the law served the interests of Mexico's elite,

" which

in turn represents economic and political interests from within and

outside

the country " .

 

The law was also criticised by other researchers who oppose the import,

distribution, release and consumption of genetically modified organisms

in

Mexico. Seventy researchers signed a full-page statement in the 8

December

edition of La Jornada that said it was regrettable that the

recommendations

of a lengthy study by the Environment Cooperation Commission for North

America had been ignored.

 

The study said action should be taken to reduce the risk of foreign

genes

spreading and to conserve the biodiversity of maize varieties in Mexico

(see

Warning issued on GM maize imported to Mexico).

 

Mexico's senators did, however, seek the advice of the scientists

before

drafting the law. Francisco Bolivar Zapata, another former AMC

president and

a senior researcher at UNAM's Biotechnology Institute, says that the

chair

of the Senate's science and technology commission, Rodimiro Amaya,

explicitly asked the Mexican Academy of Sciences for advice.

 

Bolivar adds that the academy put together a group of 40 of experts

" from

all areas of knowledge and from various institutions " to prepare a

draft of

the biosecurity bill.

 

After three months of work, a document titled Basis and recommendations

for

a Mexican law on biosecurity of genetically modified organisms was

presented

to the Senate, which then incorporated the recommendations and approved

the

draft bill (in April 2003) before sending it to be debated by the

Chamber of

Deputies.

 

As well as permitting planting and sale of GM crops, the law covers the

conservation of genetic resources, and calls for a special protection

regime

— yet to be determined — for varieties of maize native to Mexico, the

crop's

centre of diversity.

 

It also requires all GM products to be labelled according to guidelines

to

be issued by the Ministry of Health.

 

Link to document detailing how the Senators voted (in Spanish):

http://www.senado.gob.mx/content/sp/resumen/content/votacion.pdf

Link to transcript of senators' debate (in Spanish)

http://tinyurl.com/3v7qx

Link to full-page statement by Mexican scientists in the 8 December

edition

of La Jornada (in Spanish)

http://www.biodiversidadla.org/content/view/full/10953

 

 

 

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