(From January 2008 to current issue)

Headlines of all articles in Bio Journal translated into English (most recent at top, abbreviations table at foot of page). Where the entire article has been translated into English the headline below is linked to the article. For further information, kindly contact CBIC staff at: cbic@mtf.biglobe.ne.jp

Contents

Trend:
More calls for reviews of GM food labelling regulations around the world (KBS Radio 2008/10/07, The West Australian 2008/10/24, Nordic Council 2008/10/29, The Dairy Mail 2008/10/14)

News

• Weedkiller tolerant superweeds spreading in USA (Delta Farm Press 2008/09/25)
• Peru and Ecuador declare themselves GMO free (Living in Peru 2008/10/03, OpEd News 2008/09/26)
• Farmers in Paraguay block cultivation of GM soy (Latinamerica Press 2008/10/09)
• Syngenta return GMO trial field in Brazil (Amnesty International 2008/10/22)
• GMO regulatory bill strongly criticised in Turkey (Turkish Daily News 2008/10/06)
• Strong criticism for multinational corporations from Prince Charles (The Independent 2009/10/05)
• Hawaiian county council ban GM coffee and GM taro (Honolulu Advertiser 2008/10/10)
• Californian county adopts GM crop regulation (Lake County News 2008/10/10)
• Indigenous people in New Mexico declare seed sovereignty (GENET 2008/10/23)
• Pakistan government to spoon-feed Monsanto (The News International 2008/10/23)
• Kenyan farmers organization protest against political acceptance of GM crops (Daily Nation 2008/10/16)
• GM maize cultivated without environmental assessment in Egypt (Business Today 2008/10/01)
• Australia: Victoria State confronts GMO-free regions (Weekly Times 2008/10/22)
• Weedkiller 2,4-D tolerant GM grapes developed by Illinois University (University of Illinois 2008/10/14)
• Drought tolerant GM crops to be promoted in Kenya by Canadian company (The Guardian 2008/10/08)
• European consumers reject food from cloned animals (Reuters 2008/10/09)
• Agreement reached on lifting ban on production of reproductive cells from pluripotent cells
• Double screening for human ES cell research to be reviewed

Closeup
Unsettled attitude towards GM crops among EU member states (GMO Compass 2008/09/30, Copenhagen Post 2008/09/09, Nordic Council 2008/10/29)

Contents

Trend:
USA to approve GM animals for human food (The Wall Street Journal 2008/09/19)

News

• Third GM super-weed detected in Australia (CRC for Australian Weed Management & National Glyphosate Sustainability Working Group 2008/08/25)
• Unauthorised GM oilseed rape contamination in Scotland (The Herald 2008/09/13)
• Bees carry GM crop pollen several kilometres (Alpha Galileo 2008/09/22)
• Ireland to declare GMO Free Zone (GM-free Ireland Network 2008/09/10)
• USA court supports ban on GM alfalfa (The Recorder 2008/09/03)
• Obama's Monsanto connection (Wired.com 2008/09/17)
• German Agriculture Minister demands right of each EU member state to ban GM crop cultivation (Forbes 2008/09/03)
• Western Australia's next government cautious over introduction of GM crops (The West Australian 2008/09/19)
• R&D for GM virus to kill frogs cancelled in Australia (The Courier Mail 2008/08/15)
• GM rice field trial in India carried out without preventive measure for intercrossing (The Telegraph 2008/09/18)
• GM eggplant to be commercialised in India in 2009 (Business Standard 2008/09/11)
• GM potatoes unpopular among South African farmers organization (African Center for Biosafety 2008/09/10, IOL 2008/09/17)
• GM food labelling law passed in South Africa (Business Day 2008/09/17)
• GM sorghum to be tested in South Africa greenhouse (Agence France Press 2008/09/11)
• Kenyan minister demands cautious approach for introduction of GM crops (Kenya Broadcasting Corporation 2008/09/02)
• High abnormality among GM animals (Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 2008/09/04)
• U.N. secretary general criticises biotech companies (2008/09/25)
• A plan to use human ES cells in chemical substance toxicity experiment
• Guideline revisions towards clinical applications of pluripotent cells
• Data on GM crops, GM animals uploaded
• GMO approvals for August and October 2008

Closeup
China on the way to becoming GM crop giant (Reuter 2008/09/29)

Contents

Trend:
Update on Australian moratorium on GMO crop cultivation (Australian Food News 2008/08/20, East Gippsland Shire Council 2008/08/05, Victorian Farmers Federation 2008/08/12, drought.org.au 2008/08/05, Stock & Land 2008/08/29)

News

• 120 goats die on Bt cotton cultivated land in India (Newindpress 2008/08/06)
• Bees evacuated from GMO cultivated land in Germany (Inter Press Service News Agency 2008/08/14)
• South African breakfast contaminated with GMOs (The Times 2008/08/03)
• Prince Charles' remarks on GMOs create waves (The Daily Telegraph 2008/08/17)
• Polish government wavering over adoption of GM crops (Polish Market Online 2008/08/04)
• Keralan government criticizes Indian national government's GMO policy (The Hindu 2008/08/03)
• Gulf nations to restrict GMO food (Gulf News 2008/08/26)
• Danger warning for Argentine soil (soyatech.com 2008/07/29)
• Ecuador to discuss move towards GMO-free state (RALLT 2008/08/05)
• Establishment of NON-GMO industry organisation in Brazil (ABRANGE 2008/08/14)
• California government passes law to protect farmers from GMO lawsuits (Genetic Engineering Policy Alliance 2008/08/31)
• US rice farmers sue Bayer CropScience (Pine Bluff Commercial 2008/08/08)
• US National Grain and Feed Association; GM crop sales drive to S. Korea and Japan (Grainnet 2008/08/14)
• GMO-free procedures start in Cataluna, Spain (Som lo que Sembrem 2008/08/20)
• Nippon Paper continues with GM rice glasshouse trial
• Kikkoman soy sauce to continue use of NON-GMO soybeans (Reuters 2008/08/21)
• GMO ice nucleating protein (EFSA 2008/08/08)
• Epigenetics researcher reports to MEXT working group

Closeup
African nations accelerate adoption of GM crops in "food crisis" (Daily Monitor 2008/08/13, New Era 2008/08/13, The Standard 2008/08/15, The Citizen Newspaper 2008/08/10)

Contents

Trend:
Widespread GM food protest movement in South Korea (The Chosun Ilbo 2008/07/28, The Korea Times 2008/07/11)

News

• EFSA unlikely to approve cloned animal meat (The New York Times 2008/07/25)
• Contract research ends for cedar pollen allergy alleviating GM rice
• Locations of GM crop cultivation areas to be disclosed by German authorities (GMO Compass 2008/07/16)
• BASF sues EC over approval of GM potato (Reuters 2008/07/24)
• Moldova mandates declaration of GM crops on import (Moldova Azi 2008/07/3)
• Austria bans the import of GM insecticidal maize (Greenpeace International 2008/07/25)
• Australian organic food processing organization demands strengthening of GM labeling (Seeking Media 2008/07/17)
• New Zealand moves towards changes in GMO management regulations (ERMA 2008/07/31)
• China approves GM promotion plan for 16 provinces (Reuters 2008/07/10)
• Monsanto accelerates GM cotton sales promotion in Pakistan (The Dairy Times 2008/07/25)
• Vietnam to begin GM crop cultivation? (NNA 2008/08/5)
• Burkina Faso introduces Bt cotton (Africa Science News Service 2008/07/12)
• Nigerian Minister of Science and Technology says GM crops will be introduced (GE Net 2008/07/18)
• S. African govt farming support policy forces GM seeds on farmers (Inter Press Service 2008/07/21)
• Mine-detecting GM tobacco goes to open field trials in S. Africa (2008/07/22)
• Mexican farmers' organization demands suspension of GM maize cultivation (Prensa Latina 2008/07/30)
• Low calorie GM wheat developed in UK (The Daily Telegraph 2007/07/18)
• Kansas State Govt funds pharmaceutical GM rice (The Sacramento Bee 2008/07/18)
• Many positive opinions on the production of reproductive cells from "pluripotent cells"
• Two proposals for the use of ES cells from Tottori University approved
• Kellog products boycotted in USA over use of sugar from GM beet (Kalamazoo Gazette 2008/07/22)

Closeup
Cabinet Office publishes results of a GM technology awareness survey

Contents

Trend:
Trend: Slight rise only in US GM crop planted areas (USDA 2008/06/30)

News

• Seed monopolization by biotech companies increasing in China (Business Wire 2008/06/13)
• Many sheep die of unknown cause in India's Bt cotton harvesting area (The Hindu 2008/06/26)
• Govt of Kerala State, India rejects GM crops (The Hindu 2008/06/15)
• GM rice cultivated in Thailand? (Bangkok Post 2008/06/23)
• US and Philippine govts sign agriculture agreement (USDA 2008/06/24)
• Egypt approves GM crop - first in the Arab world (Intellectual Property Watch 2008/06/16)
• Ugandan GM banana trial fails (New Vision Online 2008/06/17)
• S. Africa moves towards mandatory environmental assessment for GM crop cultivation (The Star 2008/06/11)
• Australia nervous about GM contamination as GM canola harvest approaches (The Land 2008/06/10)
• Conflict over drought resistant wheat deepens (Business Wire 2008/06/17)
• Lithuania's largest supermarket introduces GM labeling (The Baltic Course 2008/06/03)
• GM crops ripped up in Romania and Switzerland (Greenpeace Romania 2008/06/10; Swissinfo 2008/06/13)
• GM crops drive out organic crops (Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona 2008/06/26)
• American Soybean Association requests US govt to promote GM crops as countermeasure to food crisis (American Soybean Association 2008/06/11)
• Bill to regulate GM taro voted down in Hawaii State Legislature (The Molokai Times 2008/06/10)
• GM crops expand in Central America (Forbes 2008/06/19; CropLife Latin America 2008/06/16)
• Facility for 'animal factories' completed in US (Argus Leader 2008/05/27)
• Former Seoul University Professor HWANG U-seok commercializes clone pets (Technobahn 2008/06/25)
• Joint committee on human embryo approves sperm donor volunteers
• Gene therapy: two new applications
• GM crop approvals for July 2008

Closeup
Spilled GM canola spreading further

Contents

Trend:
Many abnormalities in somatic cell cloned cattle, pigs and goats

News

• Swiss government extends ban on cultivation of GM crops (Swissinfo 2008/05/14)
• Poland prepares new GMO regulatory law (Polskie Radio 2008/05/20)
• German university abandons GM crop cultivation trial (Nature 2008/05/14)
• Canadian parliament rejects GM food labeling law (The Tyee 2008/05/26)
• Majority of American consumers reject GM food (Eco preneurist 2008/05/23))
• Bush administration uses food crisis to push GMOs (Chicago Tribune 2008/05/14)
• Drought resistant GM cassava developed with support of US foundation (Voice of America 2008/06/02)
• Pakistan to introduce Bt cotton? (Business Recorder, Pakistan 2008/05/08)
• Indian civilian organizations demand government reviews Bt cotton (The Hindu 2008/05/11)
• Kenya urged to import GM crops for famine alleviation (Africa Science News Service 2008/05/21)
• 1-2% of Australia's canola fields to be planted to GM canola? (Bloomberg 2008/05/07 and The Age 2008/05/09)
• Western Australia premier seeks labeling and safety assessments for GM crops and foods (The Greens in Palerang 2008/06/02)
• Citizens group criticizes production of GM monkey for human disease modelling (The Times 2008/05/19)
• NIAS transplants cedar pollen allergy alleviating GM rice
• German BASF signs joint development agreement with Taiwan research institute (Bayer Plant Science 2008/05/27)
• Battle between biotech corporations for global-warming-related patents heats up (Washington Post 2008/05/13)
• GM pollution occurs in Belgian rapeseed (Agence France Press 2008/06/03)
• Negative opinion on the production of reproductive cells from "pluripotent cells"
• Discussion on ova provision by volunteers at the joint committee on the human embryo
• GM crop approvals for May 2008

Closeup
Two international meetings on biodiversity

Contents

Trend:
Bills to protect farmers from patent infringement cases to be drafted in American states (South Central Farmers Action Fund 2008/04/18, Main News 2008/04/10)

News

• GM soya yields lower than NON-GM soya (The Independent 2008/04/20)
• Herbicide intolerant GM rice R&D in China (PLoS ONE 2008/03/19)
• GM cotton distribution map of USA (California Univ. 2008/04/25)
• Greece extends Monsanto's seed ban (International Herald Tribune 2008/04/23)
• Outdoor research on GM mosquito begins in Malaysia (The New Straits Times 2008/04/27)
• GM animal research station established in Rep. of Kazakhstan (KazInform 2008/04/09)
• Unapproved GM maize detected in India (The Times of India 2008/05/05)
• GM maize cultivation approved in Egypt (USDA 2008/04/16)
• Two GMO Free Cities in Australia (Footcray 2008/04/15, The Advertiser 2008/04/18)
• Elimination of GM ingredients at a UK department store chain (Caterersearch 2008/04/24)
• GM animal collaboration between Russia and Rep. of Belarus (Russia-InfoCentre 2008/04/07)
• USDA will not intervene in industry's cloned animal moratorium (Reuters 2008/04/07)
• Kobe U. dumps GM E. coli bacteria illegally (Kobe Shinbun 2008/04/12)
• Nihon Shokuhin Kako imports GM maize for corn starch production (Bloomberg 2008/04/27)
• Syngenta places biotech research center in Beijing (Food Navigator 2008/04/17)
• Deliberations on food products from somatic cell cloned livestock begin
• MAFF to review guidelines on GM crop cultivation
• iPS cell research symposium held in Tokyo
• Hokkaido: Cross-fertilization found at 20 times the distances in MAFF guidelines

Closeup
Discussion on production of reproductive cells from "pluripotent cells" reignites

Contents

Trend:
Food from somatic cell cloned livestock; advice of Food Safety Commission sought

News

• Schmeiser effectively wins court battle against Monsanto (Newswire, Canada 2008/03/20)
• Kenyan government poses import ban on GMO contaminated seeds from South Africa (Daily Nation, Kenya 2008/03/30)
• Herbicide tolerant weeds spreading in USA (Monsanto, USA 2008/03/12)
• GMO pollution aggravated in Mexico (The McGill Daily 2008/03/30)
• FDA's consumer survey; consumers reject cloned animal food (Center fro Food Safety 2008/03/17)
• Ordinance to restrict GM crop cultivation passed in Maine (Northwest Resistance Against Genetic Engineering 2008/03/29)
• GM sugar beet cultivation to begin in US?
• 5-year freeze on Hawaii GM taro field trial (The Honolulu Advertiser 2008/04/04)
• Romanian government ban GM maize cultivation (Greenpeace International 2008/03/27)
• GM rapeseed survives in soil for 10 years (Nature 2008/04/02)
• German government approves two GM crops field trials (Reuters 2008/04/02)
• Brazilian farmers protest Monsanto trial field (Reuters 2008/03/07)
• First GM oilseed rape field trial abandoned in Western Australia (The West Australian 2008/03/18)
• Chinese government invest huge amount on GM crops R&D (Royal Society of Chemistry, UK 2008/03/26)
• Spanish and Portuguese islands declare GMO Free Zone (Ecologistas 2008/03/26)
• Meiji recalls chocolate manufactured with GM technology
• Canadian biotech company produces insulin from GM safflower
• Argument over production of reproductive cells from 'pluripotential cells' reingnites
• Four gene therapy patients die at Tokyo U Institute of Medical Science
• MAFF publishes GM food ingredient analysis results
• Hokkaido: Cross-fertilization found at 20 times the distances in MAFF guidelines

Closeup
Cross-fertilization by airborne pollen found at surprisingly large distances

Contents

Trend:
Two reports on GM crops (The Washington Post 2008/02/14)

News

• Offspring of cloned animals sold as food in USA (Organic & Non-GMO Report 2008 Feb)
• GM bovine growth hormone "non-use" labelling reappear (Columbus Dispatch 2008/02/07)
• UK government to consider nondisclosure of GM field trial sites (The Guardian 2008/02/16)
• EU to regulate all rice products from China to ensure no GMO contamination (European Commission 2008/02/13)
• EU Agricultural Committee denies approval for five GM crops (Reuters 2008/02/18)
• Swiss University to start GM wheat field trial (Checkbiotech 2008/02/12)
• Wide range of GM crop field trials in India influences trade (The Times of India 2008/02/13)
• Growing population of GM Bt cotton tolerant insects emerges (Tucson Citizen 2008/02/08)
• Californian State House adopts a law to protect farmers from GM crops (Californian Farmer 2008/02/08)
• Superweeds grow into a serious problem in USA (The Star Phoenix 2008/02/19)
• Brazil approves GM maize for the first time (Agence France Presse 2008/02/13)
• Unapproved GM maize found distributed again in USA (MAFF (Japanese) 2008/02/23) (USDA 2008/02/22)
• World citizens groups to oppose GM tree development (Scoop Independent News 2008/02/21)
• Science Council committee wraps up report on surrogacy
• GM crop approvals for February 2008

Closeup
2007 GM crop data tables from ISAAA

Contents

Trend:
Forestry Agency's R&D on GM pollen-less cedar tree

News

• Citizens file complaint against US DoA for lifting ban on GM sugar beet (Reuters 2008/01/23)
• EU warned to accept GM crops (Food Navigator 2008/01/28, and others)
• Protest action at Hawaii state council against GM taro (The Molokai Dispatch 2008/01/22)
• Opposition gathers to GM crop imports to Iceland (Inter Press Service News Agency 2008/01/24)
• EU Commission legal advisor criticizes Poland's GMO ban (Reuters 2008/01/21)
• Spanish scientists demand GM crop ban (Cordis News 2008/01/18)
• GM cotton moves towards trials in Uganda (The New Vision, Uganda 2008/01/22)
• GM cotton expands in Tamil Nadu, India (The Financial Express 2008/01/27)
• GM wheat R&D starts in Western Australia (Western Australian Business News 2008/02/01)
• Western Australian government announces continuation of GM crop ban (The Age 2008/02/08)
• Canadian territory moves towards GMO-free zone policy (The Tyee 2008/01/25)
• Australian supermarket chain announces GMO-free policy (The Age 2008/01/24)
• IRRI gets serious about GM rice R&D (Livemint.com, India 2008/01/30, and others)
• Monsanto moves R&D focus to new GM soy (St. Louis Post Dispatch 2008/01/27)
• German corporation and Chinese research institute move towards joint R&D on GM crops (Food Navigator 2008/01/24)
• Will GM crops end hunger in Africa? (Inter Press Service News Agency 2008/01/19)
• Hitech corporation withdraws from international agricultural scheme for hunger reduction (The Guardian 2008/01/23)
• 'Limited acceptance' of surrogacy - Science Council's Draft Report
• MEXT bans the production of reproductive cells from iPS cells

Closeup
Is food from cloned livestock safe?

Contents

Trend:
US FDA approves cloned animal food (Center for Food Safety 2007/12/14)

News

• Canadian supreme court rejects appeal by GM-contaminated organic farmers (The Canadian Press 2007/12/14)
• IFOAM resolution: zero tolerance to GM contamination (Organic Market Info 2007/12/10)
• France continues ban on GM maize cultivation (Reuters 2008/01/11)
• New Zealand approves import of GM high-lysine maize (New Zealand Herald 2007/12/20)
• GM cattle trial starts in New Zealand? (Stuff, New Zealand 2007/12/26)
• South Korea strengthens GMO controls (The Korea Times 2007/12/30)
• GM maize contamination found in Thailand (Bangkok Post 2007/12/21)
• Pakistan may introduce GM cotton in 2009 (Daily Times 2008/01/09)
• EU to sponsor agrobiotech promotion in S. America (SciDev.net 2007/12/27)
• High-yield GM tomato developed in Israel (Farm and Ranch Guide 2007/12/20)
• Glowing GM sea horse born in Vietnam (Vietnam Net Bridge 2008/01/04)
• Cloned sheep born in Iran (AP 2008/01/11)
• Taiwan rejects cloned animal food (Taipei Times 2008/01/07)
• China clones GM rabbit from somatic cells (Record China 2007/12/16)
• MAFF announces final report on GM crop promotion plan
• All-Iceland genetic DB approaching completion (Ice News 2007/12/04)
• All farmers in Lagos city (Algarve, Portugal) declare GMO-free zone (GENET 2007/12/31)
• MHLW approves Okayama University gene therapy plan
• General agreement on 'limited acceptance' of surrogacy
• DuPont enters into joint venture with Chinese enterprise (soyatech.com 2007/12/04)
• Japanese Democratic Party formulates draft bill for basic law on biodiversity

Closeup
Appearance of human iPS cells will accelerate regenerative medicine

Contents

Trend:
Two Australian states lift the moratorium on GM crop cultivation (North Queensland Register and others, 2007/11/22)

News

• Unapproved GM rice discovered again from USA and China (Reuters 2007/11/20, GM Watch 2007/11/20)
• GM pharmaceutical rice harvest worries US citizens (GM Watch 2007/11/20)
• Philippine government subsidizes GM crop cultivation (Philippine Daily Inquirer 2007/11/22)
• GM papaya field trial postponed in Thailand (The Bangkok Post 2007/12/05)
• German Agriculture Minister objects to EU GM crop approval procedure (Forbes 2007/11/26)
• Large French farmers organization boycotts GM seeds (Reuters 2007/12/05)
• EU levy fines on Polish GMO restriction (Warsaw Business Journal 2007/12/03)
• Seeds imported by Republic of Ghana contaminated by GM seeds (The Stateman, Ghana 2007/11/21)
• GM insecticide crop tolerant insect increase alarms USA (CCGA 2007/11/13)
• California state governor refuses cloned animal meat labelling (Consumers Union 2007/11/14)
• Russian senate adopts GM food labelling for GMOs over 0.9% (Just Food 2007/10/18)
• Brazilian court of justice order GMs food to be labelled even under 1% GMO (Latinamerica Press 2007/11/29)
• US restaurant chain goes GMO hormone-free (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 2007/11/28)
• MEXT discusses production of reproductive cells from human iPS cells
• Science Council of Japan discussion of surrogacy under way
• Spider web gene used in the development of silk thread (Yomiuri Shinbun 2007/12/06)

Closeup
How drought-resistant GMO crops work