MEPs support European Commission on GM honey

MEPs support European Commission on GM honey

The European Parliament is supporting moves to amend the European Union's regulation of honey containing pollen from genetically modified crops. MEPs voted in favor of a European Commission proposal to define pollen as a natural constituent of honey, rather than an ingredient, Agrow reports. The Commission proposed the change in response to a court ruling in 2011 that honey containing GM pollen requires authorization and it disagreed with the court's interpretation that pollen is an ingredient and thus has to be listed on labels (see FCN, Nov. 1, 2013, Page 12).

Defining pollen as a natural component means that honey would be subject to EU labeling legislation on the accidental presence of GM material. However, labeling would only be required if the GM pollen made up more than 0.9 percent of the honey. Since pollen only forms approximately 0.5 percent of any batch of honey, it would never exceed the labeling threshold, said the Parliament's rapporteur, UK Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Julie Girling. Her report was adopted by 430 votes to 224, with 19 abstentions. The Commission's proposals now require agreement from the EU's member states. agra-net

GM food crops are poisonous: MLA

India

GM food crops are poisonous: MLA

Karnataka government on Monday maintained that it is yet to decide whether to grant permission for production of genetically modified (GM) crops - BT Brinjal and BT Maize - in the state.

Agriculture minister Krishna Byregowda said the government had received requests for BT Brinjal and BT Maize. "We are seeking the opinion of both the advocates and opponents of GM technology by organizing meetings. We have not taken a decision yet on brinjal and maize,'' he said while replying to MLAs KS Puttannaiah, BR Patil and Ashok Kheny who urged the government not to grant permission for either field trials or production of GM crops.

"It's poisonous. About 250 scientists have written to the Prime Minister against the adoption of the technology and the issue is before the Supreme Court. The state government shouldn't make any hurried decision on the issue,'' said Puttannaiah.

The minister said a suitable decision needed to be taken taking into account various issues plaguing the farming sector like crop diseases, labor shortage and environmental degradation. He said yield of BT Cotton, which has been produced in the state since 2002, had increased. "But we are not encouraging or giving incentive to growing of BT Cotton.

He said he would convene a meeting and invite the trio to hear their concerns and suggestions on the issue.

PURCHASE OF AGRI LAND

The government is considering relaxing the ceiling for buying agricultural land. As per Rule 79-A of Karnataka Land Reforms Act, 1961, if a person wants to buy agriculture land, his household income for five years prior to the purchase of the land shouldn't be more than Rs 2 lakh. In a written reply to MLA SR Vishwanath (BJP), revenue minister V Sreenivas Prasad said the government was considering removing Rule 79-A. TOI