October 2013
ISB News Report - October 2013
http://www.isb.vt.edu/news/2013/Oct13.pdf
Table of Contents
RISK ASSESSMENT NEWS
New EU Legislation for Risk Assessment of GM Food: No Scientific Justification for Mandatory Animal Feeding Trials
Harry A. Kuiper, Esther J. Kok, Howard V. Davies
Current approaches for the safety and nutritional assessment of foods/feed derived from GM plants as developed by national and international bodies like OECD, FAO/WHO, and EFSA, have proven to be proportionate and fit for purpose. They allow flexibility and facilitate the inclusion of the latest scientific insights and guarantee a high level of safety of these products once a positive evaluation has been completed. Thus, there is no need for additional requirements, that is, routine (sub)-chronic testing of foods/feed derived from GM plants.
Genetically Engineered Native Epsps Gene from Cultivated Rice Stimulates Productivity of Weedy-rice Hybrids without Herbicide Application
Bao-Rong Lu
Over-expression of the engineered native epsps gene from rice can lead to significant fitness advantages in weedy hybrid lineages, even without exposure to glyphosate herbicide. This has aroused concerns of potential environmental consequences from the epsps transgene spreading to weedy or wild relatives of rice. The concerns are even more relevant to wild rice populations occurring in natural habitats, where no herbicides are applied. The introgression of epsps transgene into to wild rice populations may increase their growth and reproduction, resulting in undesired environmental impacts, without the exposure to herbicides.
NEWS AND NOTES
Overexpression of a Native Plasma Membrane Aquaporin for Development of Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Banana
The FAO GM Foods Platform is a simple online platform to share information on safety assessment of foods derived from recombinant-DNA plants authorized in accordance with the Codex “Guideline for the conduct of food safety assessment of foods derived from recombinant-DNA plants (CAC/GL 45-2003, annex III adopted in 2008)".
USDA Requests for Public Input on Agricultural Coexistence
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) will soon publish a notice in the Federal Register asking the public to comment on how agricultural coexistence in the United States can be strengthened.
"The Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture recommended that USDA support agricultural coexistence by strengthening education and outreach on this vital issue," said Secretary Vilsack. "In response, with this notice, we are asking all those with a vested interest in coexistence to help us learn more about what coexistence means to them, how they are already contributing to it, and what more is needed to achieve coexistence. With this input, we can continue the dialogue begun by the AC21 group and find practical solutions that will help all sectors of American agriculture be successful."
The notice seeks public comment to identify ways to foster communication and collaboration among those involved in all sectors of agriculture production. The 60-day comment period begins upon publication of the notice in the Federal Register.
For more information, visit http://www.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom/2013/09/ac21.shtml
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