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<p><span
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial; font-weight: bold; font-size: 18px;">
USDA Proposes First-Ever Industrial GE Crop</span> </p>
<span
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial; font-size: 12px;">
<p>Dear Eric,</p>
<p> </p>
<p><img
src="cid:part2.06090700.08060903@aim.com" align="left" border="0"
hspace="5" vspace="5">USDA is poised to deregulate the
world’s first genetically engineered (GE) industrial
crop. <u>Similar to GE pharma crops that use corn for
producing drugs, Syngenta’s “Event 3272” is
genetically engineered to use corn for energy (ethanol)
production and not for food.</u> This unprecedented,
industrial application of a GE technology poses a variety of
environmental, health, and economic risks that must be carefully
evaluated to determine whether the widespread use of this GE
industrial corn crop should be allowed on farms across our
nation. </p>
<p>In a “business as usual” move, USDA
has
fast-tracked the commercialization of this GE industrial corn
and has forgone conducting a full Environmental Impact Study
(EIS), as required by law. Instead, USDA is basing its
decision to approve the industrial GE corn upon a cursory and
incomplete Environmental Assessment (EA) that falls woefully
short of the thorough review the public expects before a new GE
crop is approved. Moreover, USDA has failed to acknowledge
that this GE technology requires even greater scrutiny since it
transforms a ubiquitous food crop —corn— into an
industrial crop — ethanol— making it no longer fit
for human consumption. </p>
<p><u>The Obama Administration’s USDA
must complete a full
EIS to address these concerns. The agency is accepting
public comments only until January 20, 2009.</u></p>
<p><strong>Event 3272 corn:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><u>Raises serious environmental and
human health
concerns</u>. It contains an exotic enzyme derived from
“thermophilic” (heat-loving) microorganisms living
near deep sea hydrothermal vents. This enzyme might be
capable of causing food allergies in people who inadvertently
consume this corn. Humans have never been exposed to this
form of alpha amylase before (no history of safe use).
<br>
</li>
<li><u>While meant for fuel and not
food, this corn will enter
the food supply</u>. USDA admits that if Event 3272 corn
is intentionally or accidentally diverted into the food supply,
it could negatively impact food quality. But instead of
reviewing the foreseeable negative impacts of biological
contamination to organic and conventional corn from this
unprecedented new industrial crop, USDA has improperly relied on
Syngenta, the creator of the GE corn, to protect non-industrial
corn from contamination. If we learned anything from the
StarLink episode, it is that voluntary, industry-led agreements
to curtail contamination do not work in the real world.
<br>
</li>
<li><u>Is not needed “to help the U.S.
meet its goals for
ethanol production”</u> as USDA has erroneously suggested.
Ethanol production from corn surpassed the 2012 target (7.5
billion gallons) in 2007 (8.2 billion gallons)! And with
10 billion gallons of ethanol produced in 2008, we’re well
on the way to achieving the mandate for 2022 without the
introduction of Event 3272 corn. <br>
</li>
<li><u>Is engineered for fuel, not food.</u>
The dramatic
worldwide surge in food prices last year – which has
already pushed 100 million more of the world’s poor into
hunger and poverty – has caused a radical rethinking of
how biofuels are produced, especially the use of corn for
ethanol. Food experts from academia to the World Bank have
decried the massive diversion of corn from food to fuel, blaming
it for at least part of the steep price increases in food
staples like corn, wheat and rice. Event 3272 corn will
only exacerbate this situation.</li>
</ul>
<p><u>Tell USDA to halt this approval
until a full EIS has been
completed that addresses the human health, environmental, and
economic impacts this industrial corn presents. USDA is
accepting public comments until January 20th—Send your
comment today!</u></p>
</span> <br clear="left">
<br>
<a
href="http://ga3.org/campaign/EthanolCorn/8un56k84pj7mb6j6?"><img
src="cid:part3.07000806.01070401@aim.com" border="0" height="25"
width="100"></a>
<p><span
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial; font-weight: bold; font-size: 13px;">Send
a letter to the following decision maker(s):</span> <br>
<span
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial; font-size: 12px;">Docket No.
APHIS-2007-0016 <br>
</span> </p>
<p><span
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial; font-weight: bold; font-size: 13px;">Below
is the sample letter:</span></p>
<span
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial; font-size: 12px;">
<p>Subject: Docket No. APHIS-2007-0016</p>
<p>Dear [decision maker name
automatically inserted here],</p>
<p>Docket No. APHIS?2007?0016,<br>
Regulatory Analysis and Development,<br>
PPD, APHIS, Station 3A?03.8, 4700<br>
River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD<br>
20737?1238.<br>
<br>
I am writing regarding Docket No. APHIS-2007-0016, Syngenta Seeds,
Inc.; Availability of Petition and Environmental Assessment for
Determination of Nonregulated Status for Corn Genetically Engineered To
Produce an Enzyme That Facilitates Ethanol Production. I strongly
oppose commercial introduction of Event 3272 corn unless and until a
full Environmental Impact Study (EIS) addresses and resolves the
serious human health, environmental, and economic issues that Event
3272 raises. <br>
<br>
Syngenta's "Event 3272" corn is genetically engineered to facilitate
easier conversion to ethanol, and is not meant for human consumption.
This first-ever industrial GE corn presents a multitude of serious
health, environmental, and economic concerns that have not been
adequately assessed in USDA's cursory and incomplete Environmental
Assessment (EA).</p>
<p> Event 3272 corn contains an exotic
enzyme derived from "thermophilic" (heat-loving) microorganisms living
near deep sea hydrothermal vents. Syngenta's alpha amylase is generated
at extremely high levels in the corn kernels themselves. Humans have
never been exposed to this form of alpha amylase before(no history of
safe use). We know some versions of this enzyme (from fungi) cause
respiratory allergies, which are closely related to food allergies. And
Syngenta's corn-embedded enzyme has two characteristic properties of
food allergens: it's extremely resistant to breakdown by heat, and it
tolerates somewhat acidic conditions. Thus it will likely survive food
processing and may withstand gastric juices intact, which means a
higher likelihood of triggering allergic reactions.<br>
<br>
There's no doubt Event 3272 will enter the food supply. Corn
cross-pollinates at great distances, and there are absolutely no
requirements to plant this industrial corn away from food-gra de corn.
Instead of reviewing the foreseeable negative impacts of biological
contamination to organic and conventional corn from this industrial
crop, USDA has improperly relied on Syngenta to protect non-industrial
corn from contamination. <br>
<br>
If we have learned anything from the StarLink episode, it is that
voluntary, industry-led agreements to curtail contamination do not work
in the real world. StarLink was a GE corn variety only approved for
animal feed, not the human food supply. Despite grower agreements and
voluntary stewardship measures, it massively contaminated the food
supply, costing farmers, food companies, and taxpayers millions of
dollars in recalls and lost sales. This experience, along with other
contamination episodes, showed us that weather, pollen flow, and basic
human error are simply unavoidable once GE crops are released in the
open environment. To approve another non-food corn crop based solely on
Syngenta's word that they will police themselves is irresponsible and
ignores the realities of farming, food production, human error, and
basic ecology. Thus far, none of our major corn export markets have
cleared Event 3272 for import and any corn shipments contaminated with
Event 3272 are likely to be rejected by Japan, Korea and other
GE-sensitive markets.<br>
<br>
APHIS claims that Event 3272 corn is needed "to help the U.S. meet its
goals for ethanol production." Congress set certain targets for ethanol
production in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the Energy Independence
and Security Act of 2007. This is the sole reason given for the
supposed need for Event 3272 corn. However, ethanol production from
corn surpassed the 2012 target (7.5 billion gallons) last year in 2007
(8.2 billion gallons)! And with 10 billion gallons of ethanol produced
in 2008, we're well on the way to achieving the mandate for 2022
without the introduction of Event 3272 corn. <br>
<br>
Of course, the dramatic worldwide surge in food prices last year--which
has already pushed 100 million more of the world's poor into hunger and
poverty--has caused a radical rethinking of biofuels. Food experts from
academia to the World Bank have decried the massive diversion of corn
from food to fuel, blaming it for at least part of the steep price
increases in basic staples like corn, wheat and rice. In 2007, U.S.
farmers devoted a full 23% of the 13 billion bushel corn harvest to
ethanol production. In 2008, the percentage rose to 30%.<br>
<br>
Event 3272 poses unacceptable risks to human health, the environment,
and the economic well-being of family farmers. It is not needed to meet
U.S. biofuels production targets. And even if it were, the food crisis
makes painfully clear what should have been obvious all along: that
diverting stupendous quantities of staple food crops (e.g. 30% of U.S.
corn) to feed automobiles has dramatically increased the price of not
only corn, but all primary staple crops, and is driving hunger th
roughout the world. </p>
<p> Sincerely,<br>
<br>
Eric Brooks<br>
<br>
</p>
</span> <a
href="http://ga3.org/campaign/EthanolCorn/8un56k84pj7mb6j6?"><img
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<td align="center" bgcolor="#000000"><span
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial; font-weight: bold; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Take
Action!</span></td>
</tr>
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<td valign="top">
<p><span
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial; font-weight: bold; font-size: 13px;">Instructions:</span><br>
<span
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial; font-size: 12px;"> <a
target="_blank"
href="http://ga3.org/campaign/EthanolCorn/8un56k84pj7mb6j6?">Click
here to take action</a> on this issue </span> </p>
<br>
<p><span
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial; font-weight: bold; font-size: 13px;">Tell-A-Friend:</span><br>
<span
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial; font-size: 12px;"> Visit the web
address below to tell your friends about this. <br>
<a target="_blank"
href="http://ga3.org/campaign/EthanolCorn/forward/8un56k84pj7mb6j6?"><img
src="cid:part5.06050902.01090007@aim.com" align="middle" border="0"> Tell-a-Friend!</a>
</span> </p>
<br>
<p><span
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial; font-weight: bold; font-size: 13px;">What's
At Stake:</span><br>
<span
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial; font-size: 12px;">
<p>USDA is poised to deregulate the
world's first genetically engineered (GE) industrial crop. Similar to
GE pharma crops that use corn for producing drugs, Syngenta's "Event
3272" is genetically engineered to use corn for energy (ethanol)
production and not for food. This unprecedented, industrial application
of a GE technology poses a variety of environmental, health, and
economic risks that must be carefully evaluated to determine whether
the widespread use of this GE industrial corn crop should be allowed on
farms across our nation. </p>
<p>In a "business as usual" move, USDA
has fast-tracked the commercialization of this GE industrial corn and
has forgone conducting a full Environmental Impact Study (EIS), as
required by law.Instead, USDA is basing its decision to approve the
industrial GE corn upon a shorter assessment that falls woefully short
of the thorough review the law requires before a new GE crop is
approved. Moreover, USDA has failed to acknowledge that this GE
technology requires even greater scrutiny since it transforms a
ubiquitous food crop--corn--into an industrial crop --ethanol--making
it no longer fit for human consumption. </p>
<p>The Obama Administration's USDA must
complete a full EIS to address these concerns. The agency is accepting
public comments only until January 20, 2009. </p>
<p>Event 3272 corn contains an exotic
enzyme derived from "thermophilic" (heat-loving) microorganisms living
near deep sea hydrothermal vents. The enzyme --alpha-amylase--breaks
down starches into complex sugars. Syngenta's alpha amylase is
generated at extremely high levels in the corn kernels themselves for
the purpose of eliminating one step in ethanol production and save a
little money. The trouble is that this enzyme might be capable of
causing food allergies in people who inadvertently consume this corn.
Humans have never been exposed to this form of alpha amylase before.
But, we know some versions of this enzyme (from fungi) cause
respiratory allergies, which are closely related to food allergies.
Syngenta's corn-embedded enzyme has two characteristic properties of
food allergens: it's extremely resistant to breakdown by heat, and it
tolerates somewhat acidic conditions. Thus it will likely survive food
processing and may withstand gastric juices intact, which means a
higher likelihood of triggering allergic reactions. </p>
<p>Despite the fact that this GE corn is
meant strictly for industrial use, USDA admits that if Event 3272 corn
is intentionally or accidentally diverted into the food supply, it
could negatively impact food quality. And there's no doubt Event 3272
will enter the food supply. Corn cross-pollinates at great distances,
and there are absolutely no requirements to plant this industrial corn
away from food-grade corn. Instead of reviewing the foreseeable
negative impacts of biological contamination on organic and
conventional corn from Event 3272 corn, USDA has merely relied on
Syngenta, the creator of the GE corn, to protect non-industrial corn
from contamination. </p>
<p>If we have learned anything from the
StarLink episode, it is that voluntary, industry-led agreements to
curtail contamination do not work in the real world. StarLink was a GE
corn variety only approved for animal feed, not the human food supply,
because leading allergists said it might cause food allergies. Despite
grower agreements and voluntary stewardship measures, it massively
contaminated the food supply, costing farmers, food companies, and
taxpayers millions of dollars in recalls and lost sales. This
experience, along with other contamination episodes, showed us that
weather, pollen flow, and basic human error are simply unavoidable once
GE crops are released in the open environment. To approve another
non-food corn crop based solely on Syngenta's word that they will
police themselves is irresponsible and ignores the realities of
farming, food production, human error, and basic ecology. Thus far,
none of our major corn export markets have cleared Event 3272 for impo
rt and, therefore, any corn shipments contaminated with Event 3272 are
likely to be rejected by Japan, Korea and other GE-sensitive markets. </p>
<p>So why is USDA even considering going
down this road again? In the draft approval document APHIS claims that
Event 3272 corn is needed "to help the U.S. meet its goals for ethanol
production." Yet Congress?s targets for ethanol production in the
Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the Energy Independence and Security Act
of 2007 have already surpassed the 2012 target (7.5 billion gallons) in
2007 (8.2 billion gallons)! And with 10 billion gallons of ethanol
produced in 2008, we're well on the way to achieving the mandate for
2022 without the introduction of Event 3272 corn. </p>
<p>The dramatic worldwide surge in food
prices last year--which unfortunately has already pushed 100 million
more of the world's poor into hunger and poverty--has caused a radical
and necessary rethinking of biofuels. Food experts from academia to the
World Bank have decried the massive diversion of corn from food to
fuel, blaming it for at least part of the steep price increases in food
staples like corn, wheat and rice., Unbelievable as it may seem, U.S.
farmers devoted a full 23% of the 13 billion bushel corn harvest to
ethanol production in 2007 and in 2008, that percentage rose to 30%. </p>
<p>Event 3272 poses unacceptable risks to
human health, the environment, and the economic well-being of farmers,
and is not needed to meet U.S. biofuels production targets. And even if
it were, the food crisis makes painfully clear what should have been
obvious all along: that diverting stupendous quantities of staple food
crops (i.e. 30% of U.S. corn) to feed automobiles has dramatically
increased the price not only of corn, but also of all primary staple
crops driving hunger throughout the world. </p>
<p><u>Tell USDA to halt this approval
until a full EIS has been completed that addresses the human health,
environmental, and economic impacts this industrial</u> corn presents.
USDA is accepting public comments until January 20th--Send your comment
today!</p>
</span> </p>
<br>
<p><span
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial; font-weight: bold; font-size: 13px;">Campaign
Expiration Date:</span><br>
<span
style="font-family: Verdana,Arial; font-size: 12px;"> January 21, 2009
</span> </p>
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