Union of Concerned Scientists: Food & Environment Newsletter Jan 2006

FEED - Food & Environment Electronic Digest
January 2006
Read FEED online at: http://ucsaction.org/ct/x1_Ifnd1QmfG/

CONTENTS

1. Report slams Department of Agriculture on engineered crops
2. Ventria pulls out of Missouri university deal
3. Pharma crop company goes out of business
4. Air pollution from California dairies is significant
5. McDonald's criticizes mad cow rule as too weak
6. What you can do: Comments needed on poultry emissions rule

1. Report slams Department of Agriculture on engineered crops
A report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's own Inspector
General charged that the department is failing to properly
oversee field trials of genetically engineered crops, especially
pharmaceutical crops. The report said that the USDA's Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the agency responsible
for oversight, is unaware of the locations of field trials,
fails to conduct frequent enough inspections, and does not track
the fate of crops after harvest. The report said that the poor
management increased the risk that genetically engineered
organisms would escape into the environment. To read about the
report in the Des Moines Register, visit
http://ucsaction.org/ct/wd_Ifnd1Qmfp/, or to read the report
itself, visit http://ucsaction.org/ct/x7_Ifnd1Qmf-/.

2. Ventria pulls out of Missouri university deal
Ventria Biosciences, a pharmaceutical crop company that was
planning to move its headquarters to a new biotechnology center
at Northwest Missouri State University, pulled out of the deal
after the state slashed the project's funding from $30 million
to $12.5 million. When Ventria first decided to move to
Missouri, local rice growers feared that Ventria's genetically
engineered pharma rice would contaminate their crops, and
Anheuser-Busch vowed to boycott all Missouri rice if any biotech
rice was grown in the state - later agreeing to buy rice that
was grown at least 120 miles away from Ventria's crops. Now the
university is looking for other companies to invest in its
center. To read an Associated Press article about Ventria's
decision, visit http://ucsaction.org/ct/s1_Ifnd1QmfR/.

3. Pharma crop company goes out of business
Large Scale Biology, the first company to produce protein-based
drugs and industrial chemicals in plants, has gone out of
business. The company produced proteins in tobacco plants that
were infected with genetically engineered viruses. Large Scale
Biology's founder said that drug manufacturers were reluctant to
invest in the new technology due to concerns that drugs produced
in crops would not be approved by the Food and Drug
Administration. To read an article in The New York Times,
reprinted on the Organic Consumers Association website, visit
http://ucsaction.org/ct/sd_Ifnd1QmfY/.

4. Air pollution from California dairies is significant
In California's San Joaquin Valley, the biggest cause of
pollution isn't cars - it's dairy cows. A review of scientific
studies found that each year each cow in the valley produces
almost 20 pounds of volatile organic compounds (a form of
pollution that contributes to ground-level ozone and causes
health problems like asthma). The Los Angeles Times reported
that based on this finding nearly 400 dairies in the valley will
be required to get Air District permits and to invest in
pollution control measures to meet air quality regulations. The
San Joaquin Valley has the nation's worst air pollution and the
highest number of dairy cows. To read the article, visit
http://ucsaction.org/ct/wp_Ifnd1QmfQ/, or to read a news
release from the valley's Air Pollution Control District, visit
http://ucsaction.org/ct/xp_Ifnd1QmfJ/.

5. McDonald's criticizes mad cow rule as too weak
Scientists and other experts, a pharmaceutical supplier, and
McDonald's restaurant have all criticized the Food and Drug
Administration's proposed rule on animal feed, which was
intended to strengthen safeguards against mad cow disease. The
critics contended that the proposed rule "falls woefully short"
of protecting consumers because it allows cattle to be fed
restaurant waste and body tissue from dead cattle to which mad
cow infection could have spread. Consumption of infected tissue
is the primary way that mad cow disease is transmitted. The
scientists wrote, "We do not feel that we can overstate the
dangers ... from these diseases and the need to control and
arrest them." McDonald's stated that the risk of mad cow should
be reduced to as close to zero as possible. To read an article
about the issue in The Washington Post, visit
http://ucsaction.org/ct/31_Ifnd1QmfD/.

6. What you can do: Comments needed on poultry emissions rule
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is asking for public
comments on a rule that would allow poultry factory farms to
release dangerous levels of ammonia without notifying local,
state, or federal officials. The National Chicken Council,
National Turkey Federation, and the U.S. Poultry and Egg
Association filed a petition requesting that their industries be
exempted from federal reporting requirements that kick in when
toxic emissions exceed a threshold and pose a risk to nearby
communities. Please let the EPA know that large-scale poultry
farms should be subject to the same pollution reporting
requirements as other industries. Submit your comment by March
27 under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-SFUND-2005-0013, online at
http://ucsaction.org/ct/s7_Ifnd1QmfT/, by email to
superfund.docket@epa.gov, by fax to 202-566-0224, or by mail to
Superfund Docket, Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode:
5202T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20460. To read
more about the rule, visit
http://ucsaction.org/ct/w7_Ifnd1QmfP/

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