Research released today by Greenpeace International reveals that trials of genetically modified vines are currently underway in key wine growing countries across the world, including the USA (California), France, Australia, Italy and Germany (1).
Greenpeace is urging governments to halt these trials amid concerns that they could destroy traditional and organic grape varieties. The call came as they released results of a survey showing that UK wine retailers unanimously reject GM wine.
The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has confirmed to Greenpeace that it has no plans to release genetically modified (GM) so-called "Golden Rice" into the environment. Field trials are unlikely to take place within the next five years.
The safety and regulation of GM food has again been questioned. According to a new Canadian report (prepared by highly regarded experts for the Royal Society of Canada) GM food could pose:
"serious risks to human health, of extensive, irremediable disruption for the natural ecosystems or of serious dimunition of biodiversity"
You may have been slightly confused by recent media reports that Greenpeace will not take direct action against so called golden rice. The reason for this misunderstanding is that a Greenpeace campaigner made comments at a press conference in Lyons that were linked in ways that he did not intend.
Peter Melchett wrote suggesting that it would be useful if I responded to the report by Dr. Vandana Shiva entitled "The Golden Rice Hoax". I am pleased to do so and I am also enclosing background information on Vitamin A deficiency disorders and the Foundation's role in the development of Golden Rice that you may find informative.
"The public relations' uses of Golden Rice have gone too far. The industry's advertisements and the media in general seem to forget that it is a research product that needs considerable further development before it will be available to farmers and consumers."
News about a "Golden Rice" first appeared in August 1999, when scientists announced they had succeeded in genetically engineering a rice variety to contain Beta-Carotene (or pro-Vitamin A), a compound that our body can convert into Vitamin A.
The scientists said they hope that this genetically engineered (GE) rice would be an important tool to fight Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD), a malnutrition problem which affects millions of people in poor countries, especially children and pregnant women...
The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has confirmed to Greenpeace that it has no plans to release genetically modified (GM) so-called "Golden Rice" into the environment. Field trials are unlikely to take place within the next five years. 
