Komputer for Alle 1998 #6/1998 CD 6 (Gul).iso/web/ffa/wwwenv~1.org/arrs/digest/news46~9.htm/text0012.txt

Text File | 1998-04-03 | 6.3 KB | 140 lines

>From The Greenpeace Press Release Server

GREENPEACE CALLS ON EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT TO HALT PATENTING OF LIFE


Brussels, 14 July 1997 -- Greenpeace is calling on members of the European
Parliament to put ethical, environmental and agricultural concerns over the
interests of big business and to
reject the European Commission's proposed directive on patenting, which is
up for debate in Strasbourg tomorrow (Tuesday). MEPs rejected a similar
Directive 1995.

Greenpeace believes that if approved, the Directive will be in direct
conflict with the European Patent Convention, which does not allow the
patenting of plants and animals. When national
governments try to implement this legislation, this will create a complex
and confusing legal situation.

In addition, the approval of such a directive would strongly influence the
GATT debate on International Intellectual Property Rights agreement (TRIPS),
to be reviewed in 1999. Until now, the European Union position has been that
TRIPS must allow for the exclusion of animals and plants from patenting.

"Not only is it a myth that European science or competitiveness has been
harmed by the lack of extensive patenting laws, the truth is that it is big
transnational biotechnology companies -
- and the United States -- who are pushing for this legislation and it is
they who will reap the benefits," said Greenpeace campaigner Benny Haerlin.

"These newly formed genetic engineering transnationals, such as Monsanto,
Novartis and AgrEvo simply want to knock out the competition and make even
more money by grabbing patenting rights all over the world."

Rather than encouraging wide ranging research, Greenpeace believes the
result of the Directive would be to prevent scientific collaboration and
free exchange of information.
Companies will claim exclusive monopoly rights on individual genes and DNA
sequences, thus preventing scientists from other companies carrying out
their own work in these areas.

World food supply relies on a few major crops -- the patenting of plant and
animal genes will narrow down their genetic diversity, harming the
environment and allowing a few companies
to control the markets. Farmers will find themselves at the mercy of the
owners of gene rights. Already farmers using the Monsanto roundup Ready
Soybean have had to sign carefully worded contracts, restricting their use
and requiring exclusive use of Monsanto pesticides..

"This new directive is unethical and anti-environmental," said Haerlin.
"Europe should take pride in defending values such as a respect for life and
genetic integrity and take a stand
against the greed of transnational corporations. We urge MEPs to follow
their strong lead two years ago and vote against this Directive."


Date: Tue, 15 Jul 1997 19:29:55 -0400
From: allen schubert <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: (US) Raising Lobsters in North Dakota?
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Mime-Version: 1.0
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(factory farming)
from AP Wire page:
----------------------------------
 07/15/1997 01:22 EST

 Raising Lobsters in North Dakota?

 By JOHN MacDONALD
 Associated Press Writer

 CARRINGTON, N.D. (AP) -- Think of lobsters and Maine probably comes to
 mind. But North Dakota? A researcher is raising a freshwater variety to
 see if they could help North Dakota farmers diversify.

 ``There's a tremendous market for them,'' said Brian Stange, a biologist
 at North Dakota State University's Carrington Research Extension Center.
 ``My gut feeling is that this could prove to be fairly profitable.''

 Inside one of the center's buildings, where researchers raise a fish
 called tilapia, Stange has been raising 30 young red claw lobsters since
 April. Their home is a converted plastic fertilizer tank, cut in half and
 filled with tires and old feed sacks for the crustaceans to hide among.

 The animals are actually large Australian crayfish. But they can be
 marketed as lobsters once they weigh at least 6 ounces.

 Stange's lobsters only recently began reproducing, and he expects to have
 several thousand young ones on hand in a few weeks.

 The goal of his study is to determine not only if the lobsters can be
 raised in North Dakota, but whether farmers -- especially those involved
 in other aquaculture projects -- would get a good return on their
 investment. So far, he said, results look promising.

 Stange said the popularity of red claw lobsters as a delicacy is growing,
 especially among trendy restaurants on the nation's east and west coasts.

 Red claw lobsters are not as large as the saltwater variety, but they are
 unique because of their vivid coloring. When young, they look like most
 other crayfish -- brown. But as they age, they turn a bright blue and the
 males develop red stripes on their claws.

 Stange hasn't tasted one yet, but said lobster aficionados have told him
 red claw lobsters are sweeter than their larger cousins.

 Consumer demand, Stange said, is much greater than the supply.

 ``Right now there's just one producer out in California who is marketing
 them to restaurants, and he's getting $20 a pound,'' Stange said. ``And
 he can't keep up. They're always wanting more of them.''

 Stange expects to eventually have 5,000 to 6,000 lobsters on hand, with
 about one-third of those ready for market.

 What makes them appealing as a potential income source in North Dakota,
 Stange said, is the low cost -- about $200 -- of getting into the
 business.

 Young lobsters cost about $1 a piece. As adults, the females produce
 thousands of offspring a year. They can be raised in a simple tank kept
 at a constant 85 degrees, the same temperature needed for tilapia.

 But there are some drawbacks. It takes about a year for the lobsters to
 reach the preferred market weight of about half a pound. They must be
 cared for daily through that entire time span.

 ``It's not for everybody, obviously,'' Stange said. ``But I think there
 are a lot of people who would consider it.''

Date: Mon, 14 Jul 1997 21:55:54 -1000 (HST)
From: Animal Rights Hawaii <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: the nature conservancy has murdered over 27,000 sheep on Santa  Cruz I
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>