RE: sanet-mg-digest V1 #1641

From: Janet Babin (JBABIN@teleplex.bsu.edu)
Date: Mon Feb 28 2000 - 10:47:29 EST

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"I need the names of the countries that have banned GE foods or have
made
mandatory food labeling laws, ASAP."

TIA
Byron

I'd appreciate if the list to Byron were placed on the listserv, or to sent
to me as well at jbabin@teleplex.bsu.edu ....along with the list's source.
thanks,

janet babin
indiana public radio

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-sanet-mg-digest@cals.ncsu.edu
> [SMTP:owner-sanet-mg-digest@cals.ncsu.edu]
> Sent: Saturday, February 26, 2000 2:24 PM
> To: sanet-mg-digest@cals.ncsu.edu
> Subject: sanet-mg-digest V1 #1641
>
>
> sanet-mg-digest Saturday, February 26 2000 Volume 01 : Number
> 1641
>
>
>
> In this issue:
>
> Alex Avery
> HELP ASAP - GE BANS in place?
> FW: Hudson Institute Donor List
> Re: Alex Avery
> CARGILL: Geraldine's address? Returned mail
> "science-based" regulation by FDA, EPA, USDA
>
> See the end of the digest for information about sanet-mg-digest.
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Date: Sat, 26 Feb 2000 12:10:40 -0500
> From: Dave Miller <recycler@eclipse.net>
> Subject: Alex Avery
>
> > "This was the best thing you've sent in (the Vandana Shiva article)
> > a long while.
>
> > Hilarious!! I couldn't stop laughing. Are these people serious?
>
>
> Did anyone notice that Alex Avery did not actually say anything useful?
> He babbled about how funny and hilarious but never offered any REAL
> solutions. I appreciate the real debate going on, not the political
> rhetoric.
>
> This scares me.
>
> Dave,
>
> remodeler, drummer, farmer, soapmaker
>
> cutting, banging, sowing and milling!
>
> To Unsubscribe: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command
> "unsubscribe sanet-mg". If you receive the digest format, use the command
> "unsubscribe sanet-mg-digest".
> To Subscribe to Digest: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command
> "subscribe sanet-mg-digest".
>
> All messages to sanet-mg are archived at:
> http://www.sare.org/san/htdocs/hypermail
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sat, 26 Feb 2000 11:16:03 -0800
> From: "Ericka & Rich Dana" <doodles@netins.net>
> Subject: HELP ASAP - GE BANS in place?
>
> PLEASE REPLY DIRECTLY TO BYRON BROMLEY ON THIS.
> THANKS,
> ERICKA DANA
> - --The Mighty Oak was once a little nut that held its ground.
> - ----------
>
>
> From: "Byron Bromley" <Byron.Bromley@gsd-co.com>
>
> Subject: [organicgrowing] HELP ASAP
> Date: Fri, Feb 25, 2000, 5:18 PM
>
>
> I need the names of the countries that have banned GE foods or have made
> mandatory food labeling laws, ASAP.
>
> TIA
> Byron
>
>
>
> To Unsubscribe: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command
> "unsubscribe sanet-mg". If you receive the digest format, use the command
> "unsubscribe sanet-mg-digest".
> To Subscribe to Digest: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command
> "subscribe sanet-mg-digest".
>
> All messages to sanet-mg are archived at:
> http://www.sare.org/san/htdocs/hypermail
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sat, 26 Feb 2000 11:26:33 -0800
> From: "Ericka & Rich Dana" <doodles@netins.net>
> Subject: FW: Hudson Institute Donor List
>
> > THIS MESSAGE IS IN MIME FORMAT. Since your mail reader does not
> understand
> this format, some or all of this message may not be legible.
>
> - --MS_Mac_OE_3034409194_587033_MIME_Part
> Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
> Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit
>
> From: "delannw" <delannw@dlogue.net>
> Date: Sat, Feb 26, 2000, 5:01 AM
>
> Please go to http://www.hudson.org/futurecast/donors.htm to see the
> minimum
> level of donation for each level:
>
> The lowest level of donation is $50 for FRIENDS. The highest is over
> $25,000 for TRUSTEE's and buys the donor special consultation and the
> opportunity to meet politicians in Washington, D.C.
>
> This is an edited list of 1998 Donors to Hudson Institute ( from their
> website). I have not included individuals and have focused on companies,
> corporations, etc... Remember that the Hudson Institute has a variety of
> ongoing projects in education, defense, human resource management, etc.
>
> TRUSTEE'S CIRCLE
> American United Life Insurance
> Capital Group
> CINergy, Inc.
> Clarian Health Group, Inc.
> Conseco, Inc.
> Deere & Company
> The William H. Donner Foundation, Inc.
> Dow AgroSciences
> Eli Lilly and Company
> Enron Corporation
> Fieldstead & Company
> Global Crop Protection Federation
> Goodwill Industries of S. E. Wisconsin
> Home Equity Leaders Lenders Organization
> IPALCO Enterprises, Inc.
> W. K. Kellogg Foundation
> Korea Foundation
> Lilly Endowment, Inc.
> National Association of Water Companies
> National Cable Television Association
> Novartis Crop protection, Inc.
> NWO Resources, Inc.
> John M. Olin Foundation, Inc.
> The Pew Charitable Trusts
> Walton Family Foundation, Inc.
>
> CHAIRMAN'S CIRCLE
> American Association of Retired Persons
> Bell Atlantic
> BellSouth Corporation
> Burson-Marsteller
> The Chisolm Foundation
> Dekko Foundation
> Earhart Foundation
> FMC Corporation
> Ford Motor Company
> GTE Foundation
> IMC Global, Inc.
> Lincoln National Corporation
> MMM Invest, Inc.
> Monsanto Company
> NBD Bank, N. A.
> Raytheon Technical Services
> The Sanwa Bank Limited
> State of Wisconsin
> Sunrise Assisted Living
> Trailmobile Trailer Corp.
> USA Group
>
> PRESIDENT'S CIRCLE
> American Lawn Mower Company
> American Petroleum Institute
> Ameritech indiana
> Amtran, Inc.
> Amway Corporation
> Baker & Daniels
> Bank One
> Biomet, Inc.
> Bombardier, Inc.
> Community Hospitals of Indiana, Inc.
> Direct Selling Association
> Dole Food Company, Inc.
> EDS
> Elanco Animal Health
> Fifth Third Bank of Central Indiana
> First Indiana Corp.
> General Atomics
> Global News & Communications
> Golden Rule Insurance Company
> Guidant Corporation
> Indiana Farm Bureau, Inc.
> Indianapolis Colts, Inc.
> Inland Foundation, Inc.
> Ivy Tech State College
> IWC Resources Corporation
> LDI, Ltd.
> Lockheed Martin Corporation
> National Association of Temporary and Staffing Services
> National City Bank, Indiana
> NIPSCO Industries, Inc.
> Ontario Corporation
> Pfizer, Inc.
> Reilly Industries, Inc.
> SerVaas, Inc.
> Texans for Lawsuit Reform
> Tribune Broadcasting Company
> The Williams Companies, Inc.
>
> BENEFACTOR'S CIRCLE
> Accurate Castings, Inc.
> AFSCME Council 62 Education
> Arthur Andersen, LLP
> Barnes & Thornburg
> Boardroom, Inc.
> Broyhill Family Foundation
> Caldwell VanRiper, Inc.
> Central Soya Company, Inc.
> Coachmen Industries, Inc.
> Consolidated Products, Inc.
> Ernst & Young
> The Ford Meter Box Company
> Harcourt Industries, Inc.
> Herbert London, Inc.
> Indiana Chamber of Commerce
> Indiana Energy, Inc.
> Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce
> Indianapolis Convention and Visitors Association
> Jasper Engines & Transmissions
> Liberty fund, Inc.
> Maxon Corporation
> Mays Chemical Company, Inc.
> National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies
> National Food Processors Association
> Pizza Hut of Fort Wayne, Inc.
> PSI Energy, Inc.
> Southern Indiana Gas and Electric Company
> Spraying Systems Co.
> St. Vincent Hospital
> Sunkist Growers, Inc.
> Union Carbide Corp.
> Windway Capital Corporation
>
> PATRON'S CIRCLE
> AAA Hoosier Motor Club
> Graphics, Ltd.
> Halliburton Company
> Handy Andy Food Stores
> Inland Paperboard and Packaging, Inc.
> Lutheran Child and Family Services
> Nineteenth Star, LLC
> Pleasant View Lodge, Inc.
> Salin Bancshares, Inc.
> Templeton Coal Company, Inc.
>
>
> FRIEND'S CIRCLE
> AgMax
> AgrEvo Canada
> American Farm Bureau Fed.
> American Petroleum Institute
> Beck's Superior Hybrids
> BMW Constructors, Inc.
> C & U Poster Advertising Co.
> Canadian Consulate General
> Chiesman Foundation for Democracy
> Clawson Communications, Inc.
> Columbus Economic Development Board
> Colusa Elevator Company
> Dalton Corporation
> Farm Management Company
> Fremont Group, LLC
> GFA Management, Inc.
> Hartland Co-op, Inc.
> Health Management Int'l Corp.
> Heritage Christian School
> Indiana Soybean Board
> Indianapolis Airport Authority
> Indianapolis Black changer of Commerce
> Integrated Agriculture
> The Jackson State Bank
> Kokomo Grain Compnay
> Kraft General Foods, Inc.
> Lafayette Wire Products, Inc.
> Maine Township H. School Dist.
> Management Recruiters of Manifold Productions, Inc.
> Materials Processing, Inc.
> MCL Cafeteria mcLeod, Watkinson & Miller
> Michigan Health & Hospital Association
> Montgomery, Zukerman, Davis
> National Alliance of Business
> National Cattlemen's Association
> National Governors' Assoication
> Nemec Heating & Supply Co.
> Ohio Farm Bureau Federation
> Perkins Nichols Media
> The Procter & Gamble Co
> Public Affairs Council
> Sulphur River Exploration, Inc.
> The World Institute for Development & Peace
> Union Federal Savings Bank
> Vincennes University
> Vulcraft Division
> Zeneca. Inc.
>
> END OF edited listing of 1998 donors to The Hudson Institute.
>
>
> - --MS_Mac_OE_3034409194_587033_MIME_Part
> Content-type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII"
> Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable
>
> <HTML>
> <HEAD>
> <TITLE>FW: Hudson Institute Donor List</TITLE>
> </HEAD>
> <BODY BGCOLOR=3D"#FFFFFF">
> From: "delannw" <delannw@dlogue.net> 
> Date: Sat, Feb 26, 2000, 5:01 AM 
> <BLOCKQUOTE> 
> Please go to http://www.hudson.org/futurecast/donors.htm to see the
> minimum=
> level of donation for each level: 
>   
> The lowest level of donation is $50 for FRIENDS.  The highest is over
> =
> $25,000 for TRUSTEE's and buys the donor special consultation and the
> opport=
> unity to meet politicians in Washington, D.C. 
>   
> This is an edited list of 1998 Donors to Hudson Institute ( from their
> webs=
> ite).  I have not included individuals and have focused on companies,
> c=
> orporations, etc...  Remember that the Hudson Institute has a variety
> o=
> f ongoing projects in education, defense, human resource management, etc.
> &n=
> bsp;  
>   
> <H5>TRUSTEE'S CIRCLE 
> </H5>American United Life Insurance 
> Capital Group 
> CINergy, Inc. 
> Clarian Health Group, Inc. 
> Conseco, Inc. 
> Deere & Company 
> The William H. Donner Foundation, Inc. 
> Dow AgroSciences 
> Eli Lilly and Company 
> Enron Corporation 
> Fieldstead & Company 
> Global Crop Protection Federation 
> Goodwill Industries of S. E. Wisconsin 
> Home Equity Leaders Lenders Organization 
> IPALCO Enterprises, Inc. 
> W. K. Kellogg Foundation 
> Korea Foundation 
> Lilly Endowment, Inc. 
> National Association of Water Companies 
> National Cable Television Association 
> Novartis Crop protection, Inc. 
> NWO Resources, Inc. 
> John M. Olin Foundation, Inc. 
> The Pew Charitable Trusts 
> Walton Family Foundation, Inc. 
>   
> <H5>CHAIRMAN'S CIRCLE 
> </H5>American Association of Retired Persons 
> Bell Atlantic 
> BellSouth Corporation 
> Burson-Marsteller 
> The Chisolm Foundation 
> Dekko Foundation 
> Earhart Foundation 
> FMC Corporation 
> Ford Motor Company 
> GTE Foundation 
> IMC Global, Inc. 
> Lincoln National Corporation 
> MMM Invest, Inc. 
> Monsanto Company 
> NBD Bank, N. A. 
> Raytheon Technical Services 
> The Sanwa Bank Limited 
> State of Wisconsin 
> Sunrise Assisted Living 
> Trailmobile Trailer Corp. 
> USA Group 
>   
> <H5>PRESIDENT'S CIRCLE 
> </H5>American Lawn Mower Company 
> American Petroleum Institute 
> Ameritech indiana 
> Amtran, Inc. 
> Amway Corporation 
> Baker & Daniels 
> Bank One 
> Biomet, Inc. 
> Bombardier, Inc. 
> Community Hospitals of Indiana, Inc. 
> Direct Selling Association 
> Dole Food Company, Inc. 
> EDS 
> Elanco Animal Health 
> Fifth Third Bank of Central Indiana 
> First Indiana Corp. 
> General Atomics 
> Global News & Communications 
> Golden Rule Insurance Company 
> Guidant Corporation 
> Indiana Farm Bureau, Inc. 
> Indianapolis Colts, Inc. 
> Inland Foundation, Inc. 
> Ivy Tech State College 
> IWC Resources Corporation 
> LDI, Ltd. 
> Lockheed Martin Corporation 
> National Association of Temporary and Staffing Services 
> National City Bank, Indiana 
> NIPSCO Industries, Inc. 
> Ontario Corporation 
> Pfizer, Inc. 
> Reilly Industries, Inc. 
> SerVaas, Inc. 
> Texans for Lawsuit Reform 
> Tribune Broadcasting Company 
> The Williams Companies, Inc. 
>   
> <H5>BENEFACTOR'S CIRCLE 
> </H5>Accurate Castings, Inc. 
> AFSCME Council 62 Education 
> Arthur Andersen, LLP 
> Barnes & Thornburg 
> Boardroom, Inc. 
> Broyhill Family Foundation 
> Caldwell VanRiper, Inc. 
> Central Soya Company, Inc. 
> Coachmen Industries, Inc. 
> Consolidated Products, Inc. 
> Ernst & Young 
> The Ford Meter Box Company 
> Harcourt Industries, Inc. 
> Herbert London, Inc. 
> Indiana Chamber of Commerce 
> Indiana Energy, Inc. 
> Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce 
> Indianapolis Convention and Visitors Association 
> Jasper Engines & Transmissions 
> Liberty fund, Inc. 
> Maxon Corporation 
> Mays Chemical Company, Inc. 
> National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies 
> National Food Processors Association 
> Pizza Hut of Fort Wayne, Inc. 
> PSI Energy, Inc. 
> Southern Indiana Gas and Electric Company 
> Spraying Systems Co. 
> St. Vincent Hospital 
> Sunkist Growers, Inc. 
> Union Carbide Corp. 
> Windway Capital Corporation 
>   
> <H5>PATRON'S CIRCLE 
> </H5>AAA Hoosier Motor Club 
> Graphics, Ltd. 
> Halliburton Company 
> Handy Andy Food Stores 
> Inland Paperboard and Packaging, Inc. 
> Lutheran Child and Family Services 
> Nineteenth Star, LLC 
> Pleasant View Lodge, Inc. 
> Salin Bancshares, Inc. 
> Templeton Coal Company, Inc. 
>   
>   
> <H5>FRIEND'S CIRCLE 
> </H5>AgMax 
> AgrEvo Canada 
> American Farm Bureau Fed. 
> American Petroleum Institute 
> Beck's Superior Hybrids 
> BMW Constructors, Inc. 
> C & U Poster Advertising Co. 
> Canadian Consulate General 
> Chiesman Foundation for Democracy 
> Clawson Communications, Inc. 
> Columbus Economic Development Board 
> Colusa Elevator Company 
> Dalton Corporation 
> Farm Management Company 
> Fremont Group, LLC 
> GFA Management, Inc. 
> Hartland Co-op, Inc. 
> Health Management Int'l Corp. 
> Heritage Christian School 
> Indiana Soybean Board 
> Indianapolis Airport Authority 
> Indianapolis Black changer of Commerce 
> Integrated Agriculture 
> The Jackson State Bank 
> Kokomo Grain Compnay 
> Kraft General Foods, Inc. 
> Lafayette Wire Products, Inc. 
> Maine Township H. School Dist. 
> Management Recruiters of Manifold Productions, Inc. 
> Materials Processing, Inc. 
> MCL Cafeteria mcLeod, Watkinson & Miller 
> Michigan Health & Hospital Association 
> Montgomery, Zukerman, Davis 
> National Alliance of Business 
> National Cattlemen's Association 
> National Governors' Assoication 
> Nemec Heating & Supply Co. 
> Ohio Farm Bureau Federation 
> Perkins Nichols Media 
> The Procter & Gamble Co 
> Public Affairs Council 
> Sulphur River Exploration, Inc. 
> The World Institute for Development & Peace 
> Union Federal Savings Bank 
> Vincennes University 
> Vulcraft Division 
> Zeneca. Inc. 
>   
> END OF edited listing of 1998 donors
> to T=
> he Hudson Institute. 
>   
> </BLOCKQUOTE>
> </BODY>
> </HTML>
>
> - --MS_Mac_OE_3034409194_587033_MIME_Part--
>
>
> To Unsubscribe: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command
> "unsubscribe sanet-mg". If you receive the digest format, use the command
> "unsubscribe sanet-mg-digest".
> To Subscribe to Digest: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command
> "subscribe sanet-mg-digest".
>
> All messages to sanet-mg are archived at:
> http://www.sare.org/san/htdocs/hypermail
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sat, 26 Feb 2000 12:08:07 -0800
> From: "Ericka & Rich Dana" <doodles@netins.net>
> Subject: Re: Alex Avery
>
> Are you talking about the radio show with Charles Benbrook? What happened?
> Did anyone tape it? Transcript available yet? Worth the trouble? I'm
> curious...
> Thanks,
> Ericka Dana, Catnip Farm
>
> - --The Mighty Oak was once a little nut that held its ground.
> - ----------
> >From: Dave Miller <recycler@eclipse.net>
> >To: sanet-mg@cals.ncsu.edu
> >Subject: Alex Avery
> >Date: Sat, Feb 26, 2000, 9:10 AM
>
> >> "This was the best thing you've sent in (the Vandana Shiva article)
> >> a long while.
>
> >> Hilarious!! I couldn't stop laughing. Are these people serious?
> >
> > Did anyone notice that Alex Avery did not actually say anything useful?
> > He babbled about how funny and hilarious but never offered any REAL
> > solutions. I appreciate the real debate going on, not the political
> > rhetoric.
> >
> > This scares me.
> >
> > Dave,
> >
> > remodeler, drummer, farmer, soapmaker
> > cutting, banging, sowing and milling!
>
>
> To Unsubscribe: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command
> "unsubscribe sanet-mg". If you receive the digest format, use the command
> "unsubscribe sanet-mg-digest".
> To Subscribe to Digest: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command
> "subscribe sanet-mg-digest".
>
> All messages to sanet-mg are archived at:
> http://www.sare.org/san/htdocs/hypermail
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sat, 26 Feb 2000 12:18:46 -0800
> From: "Ericka & Rich Dana" <doodles@netins.net>
> Subject: CARGILL: Geraldine's address? Returned mail
>
> > THIS MESSAGE IS IN MIME FORMAT. Since your mail reader does not
> understand
> this format, some or all of this message may not be legible.
>
> - --MS_Mac_OE_3034412326_775450_MIME_Part
> Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
> Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit
>
> From Ericka... any clues?
>
> - --The Mighty Oak was once a little nut that held its ground.
>
> - ----------
> From: <MAILER-DAEMON@charon.cargill.com>
> To: <doodles@netins.net>
> Subject: Returned mail: User unknown
> Date: Sat, Feb 26, 2000, 9:14 AM
>
>
> The original message was received at Sat, 26 Feb 2000 11:14:31 -0600 (CST)
> from root@localhost
>
> ----- The following addresses had permanent fatal errors -----
> <geraldine_oshea@cargill.com>
>
> ----- Transcript of session follows -----
> ... while talking to hermes.cargill.com.:
> >>> RCPT To:<geraldine_oshea@cargill.com>
> <<< 550 <geraldine_oshea@cargill.com>... User unknown
> 550 <geraldine_oshea@cargill.com>... User unknown
>
> Reporting-MTA: dns; charon.cargill.com
> Arrival-Date: Sat, 26 Feb 2000 11:14:31 -0600 (CST)
>
> Final-Recipient: rfc822; geraldine_oshea@cargill.com
> Action: failed
> Status: 5.1.1
> Remote-MTA: dns; hermes.cargill.com
> Diagnostic-Code: smtp; 550 <geraldine_oshea@cargill.com>... User unknown
> Last-Attempt-Date: Sat, 26 Feb 2000 11:14:32 -0600 (CST)
>
>
> - --MS_Mac_OE_3034412326_775450_MIME_Part
> Content-Type: message/rfc822
>
> Return-Path: <doodles@netins.net>
> Received: (from root@localhost)
> by charon.cargill.com (8.8.8/8.8.8) id LAA16239
> for <geraldine_oshea@cargill.com>; Sat, 26 Feb 2000 11:14:31 -0600
> (CST)
> Received: from ins22.netins.net(167.142.225.22) by charon.cargill.com via
> smap (V2.0)
> id xma025183; Sat, 26 Feb 00 11:13:22 -0600
> Received: from [167.142.18.164] (desm-17-163.dialup.netins.net
> [167.142.18.164])
> by smtp-out.netins.net (8.9.3/8.9.3) with ESMTP id LAA17630
> for <geraldine_oshea@cargill.com>; Sat, 26 Feb 2000 11:13:21 -0600
> (CST)
> Message-Id: <200002261713.LAA17630@smtp-out.netins.net>
> X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express Macintosh Edition - 4.5 (0410)
> Date: Sat, 26 Feb 2000 11:13:05 -0800
> Subject: Safety Testing Question
> From: "Ericka & Rich Dana" <doodles@netins.net>
> To: geraldine_oshea@cargill.com
> Mime-version: 1.0
> X-Priority: 3
> Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
> Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit
>
> Hello Ms. O'Shea,
>
> I'm curious about a quote that was attributed to you regarding the safety
> testing of geneticaly engineered food.
>
> Ms. Jane Henney, the head of the FDA told me in person that the FDA had
> done
> no testing. They have a "GRAS" policy. This does not involve testing of
> any
> kind - it's a consultation procedure. After consultation with developer
> corporations the GRAS label is given and the organisms are released.
>
> Please send me the documentation you describe regarding safety-testing on
> human health and the environment regarding genetically engineered food.
> I'd
> love to find out more about it. I look forward to hearing from you as soon
> as possible.
>
> Thank you very much.
> Sincerely,
> Ericka Dana
> 202 B Ave.
> Guernsey, IA 52221
>
>
>
>
> - --MS_Mac_OE_3034412326_775450_MIME_Part--
>
>
> To Unsubscribe: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command
> "unsubscribe sanet-mg". If you receive the digest format, use the command
> "unsubscribe sanet-mg-digest".
> To Subscribe to Digest: Email majordomo@ces.ncsu.edu with the command
> "subscribe sanet-mg-digest".
>
> All messages to sanet-mg are archived at:
> http://www.sare.org/san/htdocs/hypermail
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sat, 26 Feb 2000 14:21:50 EST
> From: Twittman@aol.com
> Subject: "science-based" regulation by FDA, EPA, USDA
>
> Hi Sanet Folks,
> Stanislaus J. Dundon who is the Coordinator, Soul of Agriculture Project
> in
> Davis, California has asked me for help preparing for an address to the
> agbiotech community on March 6th. I wonder if any of you might be able to
>
> give him a few ideas or sources of information? His email address is
> sjdundon@davis.com . Below is the text from a letter he wrote to me and
> many
> of the sustainable ag folks here in California.
>
> Thank you,
> Thomas Wittman
>
>
> >> I am dismayed that elements within the biotech industry are not only
> letting intemperate remarks about "junk science" escape from their mouths
> but that some are making deliberate efforts to attack serious scientific
> work.
> Nevertheless, as an ethicist who is asked to teach something or other,
> I
> have to assume I am speaking to someone who wants to do the right thing.
> Police are needed for the others, not ethicists.
> So what I am appealling for from all who receive this letter is help
> in
> making my case pursuasive as I speak to well intentioned members of the
> agbiotech community on March 6th. I have focuses on one item and that is
> that the main hope of agbiotech both to do good and to be trusted by the
> public in that effort is a proper use of incomplete science in doing their
> applied work and in communicating it to the public. If everyone's
> "science"
> [i.e. scientific work which is far from complete] is regarded as so
> partisan as to be unworthy of serious response, the companies themselves
> will have no hope of regaining public trust.
> The agbiotech community makes frequent reference to the
> "science-based"
> regulation by FDA, EPA, USDA to which their products are subjected. This
> is
> a good move on their part because their private "science" will be as
> little
> trusted as they are without the some objective review. The liberal policy
> of the EPA, under FIFRA, to allow the companies or their contracted labs
> do
> their safety testing but allowing the EPA to review the work, and also to
> have the animal feeding slides stored in a public repository for
> examination by competent pathologists (Tracor-Jitco, I believe) was a kind
> of openness. But the studies themselves were treated as proprietary
> information since they were so immensely expensive and could be used by
> rival manufacturers if fully public.
> However there is no such agreed upon way for the public to know what
> kind
> of science is being done or has been done privately or by the agencies
> noted above. In order for me to make the point that this has to change, I
> need the best evidence about the actual facts about which there is such
> radical disagreement. This is what I know so far.
>
> FDA has had 40 voluntary consultations. FDA is doing no "required" testing
> of GMOs on its own, but retains a vague right to call for tests if some
> suspicion of allergic potential shows up.
>
> FDA claims that other tests dealing with novel field crops are required by
> the USDA. My information is that no such tests are REQUIRED, and few
> breeders do tests beyond what is commerically relevant to continued sales
> (yield, pest resistance, appearance). Intricate testing of comparable
> nutrient status are not required of conventional breeders and both the FDA
> and, to a lesser extent, USDA claim that nothing should be required of GMO
> novelties than of convention novelties.
>
> USDA: I don't know what they routinely do which could be called a
> scientific safety test. They sponsor yield tests for new varieties and
> some
> have been done. Round-up Ready Soys on a gross basis look o.k. But
> Monsanto
> will not make isogenetic matched pairs of seeds (same pedigree except for
> the GM gene) available for field testing. USDA does not have the power to
> demand it.
>
> EPA: Bt-expressing crops are being treated as pesticides and are getting
> some of the scientific review which EPA traditionally required. I
> personally believe that EPA needs to review the literature already
> reporting the health and environmental risks of glyphosate more seriously
>
> This is not a whole lot and a call for more work would seem to be in
> everyones favor. Some of the companies are beginning to talk to critics
> and
> be more open. Monsanto needs to come along with them.
>
> Who can tell me where to go to get hard data on government required
> testing
> of GMOs? URLs, please if possible, also note my toll free number below.
>
> I insert below the conclusion of my talk as planned.
> For those of you who know me in my role as national Coordinator of the
> Soul of Agriculture Project, I would like you to see this talk to the
> industry as part of my duties. The reason is the following. Family farmers
> (managers or owners) in asking for the support of many constituencies
> implicitly (and explicitly, if Soul of Ag is successful) promises to
> consumers and environmentalists that they will do all in their power to
> produce healthy food in a sustainable manner which will not damage nature
> in its beauty and variety in any avoidable way, nor will they sponsor a
> form of agriculture which will make food or farming less accessible to the
> poor of the world. Family farmers will not be able to make that promise if
> they have no reliable scientific knowledge about the nutritional,
> toxicity,
> and environmental impacts of the crops they grow. In our meetings many
> farmers have already supported labelling, but due to the likelihood of
> uncontrollable outcrossing many have expressed concern that labelling may
> become meaningless. We need more than labelling, we need detailed
> knowledge, not sweeping assurances, to be able to make the promise
> indicated above (See www.soulofag.org)
> BIOTECHNOLOGY COMMUNICATIONS WORKSHOP, UC DAVIS
> MAR. 6, 2000
> (Concluding remarks of Stan Dundon on the Ethics and Values at Risk
> in the communication practices in biotechnology)
>
> Based on what I have laid out above, it appears clear that the applied
> biotechnology community considers the restoration of public trust in the
> safety of their products and the scientific soundness of their processes
> to
> be a high priority.
> I am in agreement with this goal and wish to further emphasize the
> common
> sense certitude that the elements which can restore trust are threefold:
> 1.) Trustworthy policies and actions
> 2.) Confirmation of that trustworthiness by independent, competent
> reviewers.
> 3.) Cultivation of open communication with reasonable critics.
>
> I have taken you time this morning to try to make clear how much harm
> could
> be done to all of the three elements if the requirements of good
> "science-in-the-making" are not met by all stake-holders. One of my major
> claims is that a "harmful side effect" of the recent communication
> practices is so serious that it could, if not avoided, destroy all three
> elements. That side effect is the creation in the public mind of an
> "anti-science conviction." This conviction would take the form of a
> belief
> that there is no such thing as incomplete scientific work which deserves
> serious consideration by policy makers or the public/consumers.
>
> To safeguard the three elements noted and based on my earlier remarks I
> suggest the following tasks. [Since I am talking to developers and users
> of
> biotechnology I will not explicitly lay out the similar tasks which your
> critics might take on.]
>
> I.) Trustworthy policies and actions: Make sure your scientists and
> technical staffs feel free to discuss with each other and managers any
> cautionary information or opinion which their work and experience suggest
> as important. In collaborative projects with academic scientists, openly
> cultivate the discussion of the distinct problems which genetic
> engineering
> may pose for farmer, environmental and consumer concerns. Do not fail to
> consider the poorest of the poor farmers and consumers in this discussion.
>
>
> II.) Confirmation of that trustworthiness by independent, competent
> reviewers.
> As current biotech community communications make clear this
> confirmation
> is seen as critical. One does not win trust by simply asking for it.
> Continual appeal to the "science-based" regulatory actions of the FDA,
> EPA,
> and USDA shows how common-sense this need for reviewers is. Be extremely
> careful, then, in not using carelessly the name of these agencies or of
> the
> "science" they use, collect or practice. Go to the source, get documented
> lists of the scientific tests which any of these agencies have done,
> required, overseen and have made available for public review. Make sure
> that any FIFRA-type constraints on this public review are not so severe as
> to make "science" into a candidate for "pseudo-science". [Secrecy is one
> of
> the prime signs of pseudo-science.]
> Advocate and, if necessary, publicly funded independent scientific
> work in
> universities or in the three government agencies on any issue of
> significant public or scientific concern. Do not oppose too quickly calls
> for a regulation calling for regular safety and efficacy testing of your
> novel products.
>
> III. Cultivation of open communication with reasonable critics
> This cultivation has been resumed by some of your community and is
> critical for the work of science. Do not dismiss critics' work as
> junk-science, but show where it is wrong in detail, if it is. Face their
> arguments and respond with serious scientific work of your own. Do not
> engage in sweeping statements which ignore detailed objections by critics.
> Don't claim to be infallible, nobody is, and nobody believes industry is
> either. Only the patient and non-hasty working of the filtering process
> of
> the scientific community will produce truly solid conclusions. [See Henry
> Bauer's book "Scientific Literacy and the Myth of the Scientific Method"]
>
> REMEMBER IF YOU DESTROY THE REPUTATION OF SCIENCE YOU WILL HAVE NO WAY OF
> REGAINING PUBLIC TRUST.
>
> Stanislaus J. Dundon
> Coordinator, Soul of Agriculture Project
> P.O. Box 72084, Davis CA. 95617
> Home Phone 530-756-9679 Toll Free 1-888-393-4047, pin 3903
> Office (Community Alliance with Family Farmers, CAFF) 530-756-8518 ext 31
> Fax 530-756-7857. Toll Free to Dundon at CAFF 1-888-393-4047, pin 7183,
> ext
> 31
>
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