| | 01/June/23
| | GMO risk assessment – a "fact-free" exercise On 26-27 May, GMWatch's Claire Robinson attended a two-day conference in Edinburgh called The Integrity of Science, about the conflicts between corporate interests, public policy, and independent science, in honour of the late Dr Árpád Pusztai (1930–2021). We will summarise some of the presentations at this important conference. We begin by covering the presentation by the toxico-pathologist Vyvyan Howard, Emeritus Professor at the University of Ulster. In his presentation, titled "Risk assessment and 'fact-free models'", Prof Howard explained what was wrong with the system of risk assessment. In particular, he exposed gaping holes in the risk assessment of GM crops and foods. Prof Howard proposed ways in which reform could be achieved. But under the current system as it is practised, as he showed, risk assessments cannot be assumed to prove the safety of any substance, GMOs included. (It's crucial to note, however, that the solution to poor risk assessment is not to have no risk assessment at all, which is what the UK government plans to do with new GMOs. Instead it is to improve the risk assessment and use it appropriately, as Prof Howard explains.) GMWatch The corporate agenda behind carbon farming This important article by GRAIN, which we summarised in yesterday's Daily Digest, is now published in full on GMWatch, with the kind permission of GRAIN. GMWatch People vs Inequality Podcast: Challenging corporate power in the food system While the world is grappling with yet another food price crisis and growing hunger, people on the frontline explain their take on why the food system keeps failing and what we can do about it. This podcast dives into the role of large multinational companies in the food system and what citizens and campaigners can do to shift power in favour of people and planet. The interviewee is Nina Holland, a researcher and campaigner on food and agriculture at Corporate Europe Observatory. Her motto is: "If you want to win a fight, you need to know what you're up against and how the system works." As many citizens and activists are figuring out how to challenge the disproportionate power of corporations in political decision making and our lives, Nina describes the tricks, narratives, and solutions that she sees. She says Brussels has "20-25,000 lobbyists working every day—the majority (70-75%) for the corporate sector. This is a multi-billion euro industry. Every sector (also) has a lobby federation that coordinates their political strategy. Bayer, Syngenta are members of multiple lobby groups." Podfollow 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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