| | 04/July/22
| | UK: Science is silenced in committee hearing on bill to deregulate gene editing Last week the House of Commons Public Bill Committee heard oral evidence on the bill to deregulate gene editing in the UK. Not a single critical or dissenting scientist was invited to speak, even though qualified candidates were suggested to the committee. Beyond GM commented, "This is the definition of 'anti-science'." Those conspicuous by their absence include Dr Michael Antoniou, who, together with GMWatch, has submitted detailed written evidence to the committee, but was not invited to speak. GMWatch submits written evidence to committee GMWatch and Dr Michael Antoniou's written evidence to the Commons Public Bill Committee can be read here, here, and here. GMWatch GeneWatch UK submits evidence to committee GeneWatch UK has published the evidence it submitted to the committee (see above). It states, "The Bill allows regulations to be developed for those exempt GMOs used to produce food and feed (such as GM crops or farm animals). These regulations may or may not provide traceability for exempt GMOs intended to enter the food chain and may or may not require adverse effects of those GMOs used in food production on human and animal health and the environment to be avoided. Other exempt GM organisms (such as forestry trees, pets or wild animals, including insects) will not be required to have any environmental risk assessment before open release into the environment, and there is no provision to stop, destroy or clean-up such releases if anything goes wrong." GeneWatch UK “Africa is being recolonised”: Seed sovereignty as a form of resistance When European forces colonised Africa, enslaved women found a way to retain connection to their lands and culture: they braided seeds into their hair. Today, a new wave of Western invasion is underway. This time, it has come for the seeds. “Africa is being recolonised,” Kenyan activist Leonida Odongo said. The lack of legal protections for farmers includes outlawing farmer-managed seed systems. Odongo said, “There have been instances of people being arrested for saving and exchanging seeds” – a practice that is “part of the DNA of an African. From birth ceremonies to burial ceremonies, seeds are woven into our culture.” She added, “This new type of colonisation is coming in terms of technology, information and narratives. Our form of agriculture has been demonised, and derided as ‘backward’. We’re told we must adopt technology, use GM crops, and spray chemicals and pesticides – even though our Indigenous practices have worked for 10,000 years.” Shado We hope you’ve enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible by readers’ donations. Please support our work with a one-off or regular donation. Thank you! __________________________________________________________ Website: http://www.gmwatch.org
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