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

To: Anthony Wong who wrote (1185)	2/16/1999 12:42:00 PM
From: Anthony Wong	Respond to of 2539

E.U. Decision On Monsanto Biotech Cotton Delayed For Months BRUSSELS (Dow Jones)--A European Union decision on whether to allow the planting and import of two genetically modified cotton types developed by Monsanto Co. (MTC) will be delayed for months because E.U. governments will be given the chance to take the decision, E.U. environment officials said Monday. E.U. environment ministers will be asked to decide on the matter because a regulatory committee of E.U. member-country environment representatives didn't muster a sufficient majority to support the planting and import of the gene-modified cotton types. The ministers, who next meet in March, won't likely take a decision until a meeting in June, one official said. Approval by the E.U. regulatory committee would have led to early approval of the products by the E.U. Commission, the E.U. executive branch. The Commission proposed to allow the planting and import of the gene-modified cotton products after E.U. scientists in 1998 said they pose no danger to the environment. The products are an insect-resistant cotton type called Bollgard and a herbicide-tolerant cotton type called Roundup Ready. The use of Bollgard has been approved in the U.S., Australia, Argentina, South Africa, Mexico and China. The use of Roundup Ready has been approved only in the U.S. Roundup Ready approval requests are pending in the other countries where Bollgard is used. In the 15-member E.U., the products would be grown in Greece and Spain, the only two E.U. cotton producers. The countries together account for about 5% of world cotton production. (MORE) DOW JONES NEWS 02-15-99 08:33 AM

To: Anthony Wong who wrote (1185)	2/16/1999 12:43:00 PM
From: Anthony Wong	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 2539

UK Govt Takes Monsanto, Perryfields To Court Over Bio-Crops LONDON (Dow Jones)--The U.K. government will take Monsanto Corp. (MTC) and Perryfields Holdings Ltd. to court Wednesday for allegedly breaking rules aimed at preventing conventional crops from breeding with gene-modified varieties. Monsanto, a U.S.-based multinational, and Perryfields, half-owned by Germany's DSV GmbH and half by farmer-owned U.K. companies, are charged with leaving insufficient space between fields of genetically modified rapeseed grown for commercial tests and neighboring conventional crops. Neither Monsanto nor Perryfields will challenge the government's case, company spokesmen said. The companies could face a maximum fine of GBP20,000 each. If the case is referred to a higher court, there is no limit on the potential fine. Both sets of tests were run by the U.K. agriculture ministry-approved Nickersons Seeds Ltd., part of major French seed producer Force Limagrain SA. The Monsanto crop being tested is genetically modified to make it resistant to the company's herbicide Roundup. Perryfields Holdings' crop has been engineered to make it resistant to Challenge - called Liberty in the U.S. - a herbicide made by the German company AgrEvo GmbH (G.AVO). After the government inspections found fault with the trial site in Rothwell, Lincolnshire, the genetically modified crops were destroyed, along with all other rapeseed plants within a 50-meter radius of the field. -By Veronica Brown; 44-171-832-9866 (END) DOW JONES NEWS 02-16-99 08:23 AM