| | 10/February/25
| | US-funded "social network" attacking pesticide critics shuts down A US-funded "social network" attacking pesticide and GMO critics has shut down after an investigation by Lighthouse Reports in collaboration with The Guardian and others. The St Louis, Missouri-based firm, v-Fluence, said it's shuttering the service that featured personal details about more than 500 environmental advocates, scientists, politicians and others seen as opponents of pesticides and GMO crops (including GMWatch). Wendy Wagner, a law professor at the University of Texas, said there seemed little reason to maintain such a database other than for harassing opponents. London research professor Michael Antoniou — profiled on the portal with derogatory information about his personal life and family members — said, "The fact v-Fluence and the industries it serves resorted to these underhand methods shows they were unable to win on the level of the science." The Guardian "The Risk Monger" on toxic network's downfall In need of a laugh? Read former(?) chemical industry lobbyist ("The Risk Monger") David Zaruk's article lamenting the downfall of v-Fluence's "social network" (see above). It's unintentionally both funny and morally instructive. The lesson, for those with eyes to see, is that people who cast themselves as defenders of life-destroying industries are deluded if they think those industries are going to take the hit for them when the proverbial excrement hits the fan. And yelling "Cowards!" at their retreating backs will fall on deaf ears. GMWatch comment on article in SeedWorld Challenges for post-market environmental monitoring in the EU imposed by novel applications of GM (including gene-edited) organisms The existing regulatory provisions for GMOs require an obligatory post-market environmental monitoring (PMEM) of potential adverse effects upon release into the environment. So far, GMO monitoring activities have focused on GM crops. With the advent of new GM techniques (new genomic techniques, NGT), novel GMO applications are being developed and may be released into a range of different, non-agricultural environments with potential implications for ecosystems and biodiversity, according to a new scientific publication. The authors write that this challenges the current monitoring concepts and requires adaptation of existing monitoring programmes to meet monitoring requirements. While the incorporation of existing biodiversity monitoring programmes into GMO monitoring at the national level is important, additional monitoring activities will also be required. Using case examples, the scientists highlight that monitoring requirements for novel GMO applications differ from those of GM crop plants previously authorised for commercial use in the European Union. BioTech Scientists critical of New Zealand deregulation plans publish supplementary comment Prof Jack Heinemann and colleagues have submitted a supplementary comment to the New Zealand government opposing its GMO deregulation plans, in addition to their main submission, which GMWatch featured in a recent article. The supplementary comment is available under the menu item "Linked data" at the URL embedded in the title above. Jack Heinemann on Researchgate We hope you’ve found this newsletter interesting. Please support our work with a one-off or regular donation. Thank you! __________________________________________________________ Website: http://www.gmwatch.org
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