To the Hilt

widespread contamination by genetically-modified rice

The following is excerpted from this article over at the Organic Consumers Association website: 

"The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today initiated fast-track market approval of an illegal, genetically-engineered (GE) rice variety that has contaminated long-grain rice throughout the South, throwing rice markets into turmoil and potentially causing harm to consumers and the environment. Bayer CropScience developed the rice, known as LL601.  Bayer field-tested LL601 from 1998-2001, but for unknown reasons never applied to USDA for market approval.

Though LL601 is illegally present in rice supplies, and has not undergone meaningful reviews for potential health or environmental impacts, U.S. authorities have failed to recall LL601-contaminated rice supplies or food products.  In contrast, Japan has banned U.S. long-grain rice imports, and the European Union is testing all U.S. rice shipments and rejecting those that contain LL601.

........

LL601 is one of several 'LibertyLink' (LL) rice varieties that have been genetically engineered by Bayer to survive application of Bayer's proprietary Liberty© herbicide.  Liberty kills normal rice, but can be applied directly to LL varieties to kill surrounding weeds.  This explains why Bayer had to obtain government approval to permit residues of the weedkiller on rice grains of its two approved versions of LibertyLink rice."

*sigh*  I am so buying organic wild rice the next time I am at Wegmans.

Did you see the one about GM cotton?

{ 04:53, 2006-Sep-18 } { Posted by MrsBurns }

I read a big article on my No Nais yahoo group....I'll have to link to it, but it talked about GM cotton, and how Monsanto is feeding the cottonseed by-products to beef cattle. Ho hum. Move along. Nothing to see here. I am right there with you....this is dangerous stuff.

GM Cotton?

{ 08:08, 2006-Sep-18 } { Posted by CountryGoalie }

No, MrsBurns, I did not hear about that. If you end up posting the article, please let me know! I would be very interested in reading it.