permaculture

["Kirby Fry" <peace@totalaccess.net>]

Here's some more info about what Monsanto would have us use roundup for.
Looks like they're backing off this time but who knows what else they have
in store for us.

* * * * *

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
International Center for Technology Assessment
October, 22 2002

MONSANTO DROPS PURSUIT OF GENETICALLY ENGINEERED LAWN GRASS

COMPANY'S WITHDRAWAL FOLLOWS LEGAL ACTION BY THE INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT

Washington, DC -Monsanto Co. has withdrawn its proposal to commercialize
genetically engineered (GE) creeping bentgrass, a favored turfgrass for golf
course greens and found in countless other lawns across the country. Several
concerned experts had warned the proposed new product could become a
"superweed." In August of this year the International Center for Technology
Assessment (CTA), a non-profit public interest group, filed a formal legal
petition with USDA requesting a halt to its commercialization.  The CTA
petition detailed significant problems surrounding the use of the
gene-altered grass including increased use of herbicides and the potential
for ecological and economic disruption.  This September, U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) regulatory officials sent Monsanto a letter listing
deficiencies in its application.  USDA's action on Monsanto's proposal
responds affirmatively to CTA's petition.

The GE grass variety is resistant to the top-selling weedkiller Roundup, a
brand owned by Monsanto. Planting the GE grass would have allowed users to
broadcast spray Roundup over lawns to kill weeds instead of spot-spraying or
hand-pulling them.  It was the first-ever GE plant product aimed at the vast
non-agricultural markets, initially golf courses and eventually property
managers and homeowners.  Industry officials have said the potential market
for GE lawn and garden products could approach $10 billion dollars annually.

"Commercialization of this grass would have been an environmental
nightmare,"
said CTA Executive Director Andrew Kimbrell. "Monsanto had no choice but to
withdraw the product given the legal action taken by CTA and the USDA
response."

CTA's petition also requested that GE glyphosate-resistant creeping
bentgrass
be listed as a prohibited Federal noxious weed.  But, USDA so far has
refused
to consider CTA's listing request for the GE variety due to the pending
regulatory review.

"Now that Monsanto has withdrawn its application, we expect USDA will
prohibit even experimental planting of this potential superweed," said
Peter
T. Jenkins, CTA Policy Analyst.

For a copy of the CTA petition, see: www.icta.org, under Actions.  The USDA
website listing the withdrawn application for the product is:
www.aphis.usda.gov/bbep/bp/petday.html  petition no 02-122-01.

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