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Biotech / Medical : Monsanto Co. -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Bindusagar Reddy who wrote (2275)	7/12/1999 3:17:00 PM
From: Dan Spillane	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 2539

Trees Attacked LONDON, July 12 [This isn't the first such occurrence of this type. What if they accidently let out some untested plant when committing these crimes? And what if they start targeting medical experiments and something gets loose?] AstraZeneca Says Genetic Trees Attacked LONDON, July 12 (Reuters) - Britain's only plantation of genetically-altered trees has been attacked and partly destroyed, Anglo-Swedish pharma and agribusiness group AstraZeneca Plc said on Monday. In a statement, Zeneca Agrochemicals said two groups of poplar trees planted on land at its agricutltural research site in Berkshire, near London, had been snapped and had their bark stripped during the night on Sunday. The trees are part of an eight-year experiment funded by the European Union and the paper-making industry to look at developing trees with lower levels of lignin, a polymer in the cell walls of trees which makes them rigid and woody. Zeneca argues that such trees could reduce the use of energy and chlorine in paper-making and pulping. It had publicised the existence and location of the trees. "The reason was to try to be open and not hide things," a spokeswoman told Reuters. "This was the only trial in this country of genetically-modified trees, and it is sad because science is being sabotaged in the UK with a good aim for the environment -- testing the environmental benefits of these trees." An anonymous statement released on behalf of the people who attacked the trees -- the Genetic Engineering Network -- an activist group which opposes genetic modification of plants, said genetic alteration of trees was a major threat to the world's environment. "Those who are manipulating the DNA of trees, using very powerful but new and dimly understood technology, show contempt for our planet and the life it supports, including human life. They respect only profit for themselves and shareholders," the statement said. In response Zeneca issued the text of a 1996 letter from English Nature, which advises the UK government on wildlife. In the letter, English Nature said it believed there was negligible risk to native flora and fauna from the experiment. "We regard the development of modified poplars as potentially having a positive benefit for nature conservation if they are able to replace coniferous monocultures currently used for pulping," the letter said. Zeneca said it was hoping to salvage much of the experiment, and would be reviewing security at its agricultrual research site. ((Jonathan Birt, European equities desk, +44 171 542 8823, fax +44 171 542 3722, jonathan.birt@reuters.com)) REUTERS Rtr 13:37 07-12-99 Copyright (c) 1999 Reuters