Farmers and traders in India oppose foreign investment in local food by India FDI Watch | 1 Mar 2016 India | corporations | food sovereignty | food safety The India FDI Watch Campaign, along with the Bhartiya Udyog Vyapar Mandal (Federation of All India Traders and Industries), Federation of Associations of Maharastra, The Hawkers Federation, Janpahal and various other groups, oppose the proposal to allow 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in food produced and manufactured in India. The India FDI Watch Campaign, along with the Bhartiya Udyog Vyapar Mandal (Federation of All India Traders and Industries), Federation of Associations of Maharastra, The Hawkers Federation, Janpahal and various other groups, oppose the proposal to allow 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in food produced and manufactured in India.
When Silicon Valley goes farming (with Monsanto) by Amanda Little | 3 Feb 2016 United States | corporations | climate crisis David Friedberg is a lifelong vegetarian. He was president of his high school’s “Healing Our Planet Earth” club. He’s a major investor in a restaurant chain that serves only bowls of quinoa. The 35-year-old software designer is also an unapologetic advocate of Monsanto, which bought his start-up, The Climate Corporation, in 2013 for a cool $1 billion. David Friedberg is a lifelong vegetarian. He was president of his high school’s “Healing Our Planet Earth” club. He’s a major investor in a restaurant chain that serves only bowls of quinoa. The 35-year-old software designer is also an unapologetic advocate of Monsanto, which bought his start-up, The Climate Corporation, in 2013 for a cool $1 billion.
Farmer-scientist group, petitioners win case against Bt eggplant by MASIPAG | 14 Dec 2015 Philippines | corporations | seeds & biodiversity | actions | GMOs After almost four years of litigation led by farmers and allies, the Supreme Court of the Philippines has permanently stopped the field testing of Bt talong, an eggplant variety genetically engineered to produce its own toxin. After almost four years of litigation led by farmers and allies, the Supreme Court of the Philippines has permanently stopped the field testing of Bt talong, an eggplant variety genetically engineered to produce its own toxin.
When it comes to GMOs, beware trans-national capital by Groundbreaking | 10 Dec 2015 China | corporations | GMOs Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are once again in the news. On November 19, 2015, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that a genetically modified animal, a breed of fast maturing salmon, had been approved for human consumption for the first time, sparking an uproar. China may be separated from the U.S. by the Pacific Ocean, but that hasn’t insulated it from GMO controversies. In the two years since a campaign to demand greater openness from China Ministry of Agriculture, three Chinese residents has brought a case against Ministry of Agriculture and third party: Monsanto Far East Ltd. This is an interview with Yan Hairong, a professor in the Department of Applied Social Sciences at Hong Kong Polytechnic University and a volunteer with People’s Food Sovereignty Network who is involve in the case. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are once again in the news. On November 19, 2015, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that a genetically modified animal, a breed of fast maturing salmon, had been approved for human consumption for the first time, sparking an uproar. China may be separated from the U.S. by the Pacific Ocean, but that hasn’t insulated it from GMO controversies. In the two years since a campaign to demand greater openness from China Ministry of Agriculture, three Chinese residents has brought a case against Ministry of Agriculture and third party: Monsanto Far East Ltd. This is an interview with Yan Hairong, a professor in the Department of Applied Social Sciences at Hong Kong Polytechnic University and a volunteer with People’s Food Sovereignty Network who is involve in the case.
The real cattle class: cows fly to China on 747s by Angus Whitley - Bloomberg | 30 Nov 2015 Australia | China | corporations Next time you’re stuck on a long-haul flight in a packed, economy-class cabin, being ignored by a frazzled flight attendant, spare a thought for the passengers on a recent flight from Melbourne to Chongqing in China. They were cows. Destination: the abattoir. Next time you’re stuck on a long-haul flight in a packed, economy-class cabin, being ignored by a frazzled flight attendant, spare a thought for the passengers on a recent flight from Melbourne to Chongqing in China. They were cows. Destination: the abattoir.
Why is there no food on the table at the UN Climate Change Conference? by IUF | 26 Nov 2015 corporations | climate crisis The International Union of food and farm workers, IUF, asks how come that food and farming is not on the agenda in Paris. The International Union of food and farm workers, IUF, asks how come that food and farming is not on the agenda in Paris.
System change, not climate change by Norway Social Forum | 17 Sep 2015 Norway | corporations | climate crisis | laws & policies A short movie about climate change and trade agreements by the Norway Social Forum A short movie about climate change and trade agreements by the Norway Social Forum
The farm-by-farm fight between China and the United States to dominate the global food supply by Ted Genoways | New Republic | 18 Aug 2015 China | United States | corporations | food sovereignty | laws & policies Activists in both China and the United States have raised concerns about just two corporations having so much influence over the world food supply, with so little transparency. But these fears miss the larger point of what such companies represent: the intent of the U.S. government to use food as an ever-more powerful point of leverage to wield over large, increasingly hungry nations like China. Activists in both China and the United States have raised concerns about just two corporations having so much influence over the world food supply, with so little transparency. But these fears miss the larger point of what such companies represent: the intent of the U.S. government to use food as an ever-more powerful point of leverage to wield over large, increasingly hungry nations like China.
Golden Rice research publication retracted on ethical grounds by MASIPAG | 7 Aug 2015 corporations | technologies | seeds & biodiversity | China The study's authors were unable to provide sufficient evidence either that the study has been reviewed by a local ethics committee in China or prove that all parents and children involved in the study were provided with the full consent form for the study. Opponents also pointed out that the research was done using meals that are high in fat that would favor positive results of the experiment. The study's authors were unable to provide sufficient evidence either that the study has been reviewed by a local ethics committee in China or prove that all parents and children involved in the study were provided with the full consent form for the study. Opponents also pointed out that the research was done using meals that are high in fat that would favor positive results of the experiment.
Nigeria palm oil land grab exposes need for human rights treaty by Friends of the Earth | 8 Jul 2015 Nigeria | land grabbing | corporations "Wilmar’s new plantations in Nigeria follow the same business model that has caused vast forest destruction and human rights abuse in Southeast Asia," says Friends of the Earth. "Aggressive government support for large scale plantations... has extracted wealth into the pockets of foreign business owners, leaving as little as possible in tax revenue; and has left communities landless, hungry, indebted, and in conflict." "Wilmar’s new plantations in Nigeria follow the same business model that has caused vast forest destruction and human rights abuse in Southeast Asia," says Friends of the Earth. "Aggressive government support for large scale plantations... has extracted wealth into the pockets of foreign business owners, leaving as little as possible in tax revenue; and has left communities landless, hungry, indebted, and in conflict."
Lidl has received almost $1bn in public development funding by Claire Provost and Matt Kennard - The Guardian | 3 Jul 2015 Germany | Poland | Romania | corporations Supermarket chain owned by one of Germany’s wealthiest families, Lidl and its sister chain Kaufland have benefited from almost $900m (£576m) in public development money over the past decade through loan funding from the World Bank and from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) as it expands into eastern Europe. Supermarket chain owned by one of Germany’s wealthiest families, Lidl and its sister chain Kaufland have benefited from almost $900m (£576m) in public development money over the past decade through loan funding from the World Bank and from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) as it expands into eastern Europe.
Press release: Monsanto, out of China! by Save Green Association | 23 May 2015 China | corporations | GMOs Chinese food safety activists stated that Monsanto not only hid the information from the Chinese government and people, but also defrauded them with fake reports in order to obtain a safety license. Covering up Roundup’s carcinogenicity and the risks posed to human health by Roundup-tolerant GM soybeans and corn, Monsanto misled China to massively import and produce its products. After demanded to make public the report submitted by Monsanto for securing the safety certificate for its Roundup to enter Chinese market last year. This year during Global Day against Monsanto on May 23, a network of concern Chinese citizen launch ‘Monsanto out of China!’ website to showcases protests by people in China against Monsanto. Chinese food safety activists stated that Monsanto not only hid the information from the Chinese government and people, but also defrauded them with fake reports in order to obtain a safety license. Covering up Roundup’s carcinogenicity and the risks posed to human health by Roundup-tolerant GM soybeans and corn, Monsanto misled China to massively import and produce its products. After demanded to make public the report submitted by Monsanto for securing the safety certificate for its Roundup to enter Chinese market last year. This year during Global Day against Monsanto on May 23, a network of concern Chinese citizen launch ‘Monsanto out of China!’ website to showcases protests by people in China against Monsanto.
Why we need local food systems and how to get them by Friend of the Earth Europe | 14 Apr 2015 corporations | food sovereignty New report: communities taking control of the food revolution New report: communities taking control of the food revolution
The global biomass robbery by EJOLT | 13 Mar 2015 Ethiopia | Indonesia | Paraguay | land grabbing | corporations The latest report by EJOLT, a global alliance of environmental justice organisations, on the nature and impact of the increasing global biomass trade. The report examines the global evolution of food production and international food trade and identifies related drivers of socio-environmental conflicts. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, global trade in agricultural products grew more than three times faster than agricultural production. Nearly all the new land that had been put into production since 1986 was used to produce export crops. The authors conclude that the EU should revise the Common Agricultural Policy to strengthen small-scale farming, promote shorter production chains, support fair trade schemes, as well as to increase organic and permaculture practices. Henk Hobbelink from GRAIN said that “On this topic, the only real policy recommendation that I see is that the expansion of the commodity crops should be stopped and reversed, and land should be reverted to food production in the hand of small farmers.” The latest report by EJOLT, a global alliance of environmental justice organisations, on the nature and impact of the increasing global biomass trade. The report examines the global evolution of food production and international food trade and identifies related drivers of socio-environmental conflicts. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, global trade in agricultural products grew more than three times faster than agricultural production. Nearly all the new land that had been put into production since 1986 was used to produce export crops. The authors conclude that the EU should revise the Common Agricultural Policy to strengthen small-scale farming, promote shorter production chains, support fair trade schemes, as well as to increase organic and permaculture practices. Henk Hobbelink from GRAIN said that “On this topic, the only real policy recommendation that I see is that the expansion of the commodity crops should be stopped and reversed, and land should be reverted to food production in the hand of small farmers.”
Tycoon-controlled oil palm groups in Indonesia by Rahmawati Retno Winarni and Jan Willem van Gelder | 20 Feb 2015 Indonesia | land grabbing | corporations The rapid expansion of Indonesian oil palm plantations creates serious environmental and social problems. A report analyse the ownership and financing of 25 large tycoon-controlled business groups that control 31% (3.1 million hectares) of the total planted oil palm plantation at present. These groups still have at least 2 million hectares of undeveloped land banks under control. The most important business groups - in terms of their planted areas - are Sinar Mas Group, Salim Group, Jardine Matheson Group, Wilmar Group and Surya Dumai Group. The rapid expansion of Indonesian oil palm plantations creates serious environmental and social problems. A report analyse the ownership and financing of 25 large tycoon-controlled business groups that control 31% (3.1 million hectares) of the total planted oil palm plantation at present. These groups still have at least 2 million hectares of undeveloped land banks under control. The most important business groups - in terms of their planted areas - are Sinar Mas Group, Salim Group, Jardine Matheson Group, Wilmar Group and Surya Dumai Group.