permaculture

[Cricket Rakita <cricket@savingourseed.org>]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject:        Action Alert: BioPharming Rice
Date:   Thu, 10 Mar 2005 12:04:14 -0500
From:   Cricket Rakita <cricket@savingourseed.org>
Organization:   The Save Our Seed Project
To:     cricket@savingourseed.org



*Subject: *Action Alert: BioPharming Rice
*From: *Organic Seed Alliance
*Date: *Wed, 9 Mar 2005 18:59:18 -0500 (EST)

*To: *cricket@savingourseed.org


Organic Seed Alliance 
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=if5wm4aab.0.qoefr5aab.cpezf8aab.484&p=%2F> 	
Supporting theethical stewardship& development of seed
Supporting the
ethical stewardship
& development of seed

	Organic Seed Alliance 
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=if5wm4aab.0.qoefr5aab.cpezf8aab.484&p=%2F>

March 09, 2005

Organic Seed Alliance 
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=if5wm4aab.0.m4a7x6aab.cpezf8aab.484&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.seedalliance.org>

Action Alert: BioPharming – Rice

Help the USDA/APHIS make a sound choice. 
Please take a moment to send them comments regarding two very important 
biopharming permits. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The USDA/APHIS is requesting comments on field tests of humanized rice 
in Missouri. Ventria Bioscience, a biopharmaceutical company based in 
Sacramento, Calif., has two permit requests pending with the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture's Biotechnology Regulatory Services to grow 
about 200 acres of pharmaceutical rice in southern Missouri this year. 
This rice contains humanized genes.

The first USDA docket on this request (full text on USDA web site) 
states:  *“These transgenic plants have been modified to express the 
human (/Homo sapiens/) glycoprotein lactoferrin.”* The second docket 
refers to the *“field-testing of rice, /Oryza sativa/, genetically 
engineered to express human lysozyme.” *

Please go to the USDA/APHIS web site and make comments.

The deadline of March 25th is rapidly approaching. /
/
Your comments would be best received if they are polite, concise and 
include any pertinent professional affiliations that you have.

We encourage your comments to contain the following points:

   * While rice is an inbred (self-pollinates) and crosses at
     relatively low rates, there is still the potential of
     contamination via pollen. Even more likely is the dispersal of
     seed through incorrect handling/distribution. This has occurred
     with transgenic tomato seed at the University of California Davis
     and at other organizations.
   * The inadvertent distribution of this rice into the food supply is
     a risk that is not justifiable at the present time.
   * Additionally, the potential damage to rice exports to Europe and
     other countries would have severe economic consequences for US
     rice farmers.
   * Please exercise the Precautionary Principle and reject this
     application for field tests.


Go to the USDA site: 
http://docket.epa.gov/edkfed/do/EDKRegSubmitItemSearch 
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=if5wm4aab.0.wvlan4aab.cpezf8aab.484&p=http%3A%2F%2Fdocket.epa.gov%2Fedkfed%2Fdo%2FEDKRegSubmitItemSearch> 
and enter the keyword “rice” and the following dockets will appear:

   * 05-006-1  APHIS-2005-0013  Ventria Bioscience; Availability of
     Environmental Assessment for Field Test of Genetically Engineered
     Rice Expressing Lactoferrin  02-23-2005  General Docket  Notice 
     03-25-2005


   * 05-007-1  APHIS-2005-0014  Ventria Bioscience; Availability of
     Environmental Assessment for Field Test of Genetically Engineered
     Rice Expressing Lysozyme  02-23-2005  General Docket  Notice 
     03-25-2005


Click on the Docket ID and you will have the opportunity to both read 
the full report and give comments. There is a button that takes you 
through the submission process.

Please pass this on.

Please support us! In order to keep Organic Seed Alliance running and 
able to stay current with important issues such as biopharming, we need 
help from the community at large. Your donations to OSA help further the 
work we do. Support us today! 
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=if5wm4aab.0.xvlan4aab.cpezf8aab.484&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.seedalliance.org%2Findex.php%3Fpage%3DSupport> 


Organic Seed Alliance
P.O. Box 772
Port Townsend, WA 98368
www.seedalliance.org
360-385-7192
fax 360-385-7455

©2005 Organic Seed Alliance All rights reserved.* info@seedalliance.org 
<mailto:info@seedalliance.org>*

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--
Cricket Rakita
The Save Our Seed Project Coordinator
Carolina Farm Stewardship Association
49 Circle D Dr.
Colbert, GA  30628
home/work:  (706) 788-0017
fax:  (706) 788-0071
cell:  (706) 614-1451
web:  http://www.savingourseed.org
email:  cricket@savingourseed.org