In message <v01510118b2c668a635c4@[10.2.63.18]>, Demetri Kantarelis
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS. The 5th International Interdisciplinary Conference
>on the Environment will be held in Baltimore, Maryland, June 23-26, 1999. You
>may participate as session organizer, presenter of one or two papers,
>chair, moderator, discussant, or observer. The early deadline for abstract
>submission and participation is February 15, 1999. All papers will pass a
>peer review process for publication consideration in the Conference
>Proceedings.For more information, please contact Demetri Kantarelis or
>Kevin L. Hickey through
>
>Regular Mail: IEA/Kantarelis-Hickey
>              Assumption College
>              500 Salisbury Street
>              Worcester, MA 01615, USA
>
>Tel: (508) 767-7557 (Kantarelis), (508) 767-7296 (Hickey),
>
>Fax: (508) 767-7382
>
>E-mail:
>  (Kantarelis) [log in to unmask]
>  (Hickey) [log in to unmask]
>
>or the World Wide Web at:
>http://champion.iupui.edu/~mreiter/iea.htm
>
>

--From Robin Currie.

I am an independent financial adviser in the UK, specialising in ethical
investments.

I have just forwarded the following message to about 108 concerned
individuals and organisations, many of the ethical IFAs like myself.


Last week, Toby Belson from NPI's Global Care research team put out the
following statement: 

        GENETICS - GLOBAL CARE RESEARCH POSITION

>     Last week the media suddenly woke up to perhaps one of the most 
>     pressing global ecological and health questions - the application of 
>     genetic engineering to agriculture. However, the Global Care team has 
>     been tracking the development of gene technology for many years, 
>     consulting with a range of experts as to how we should evaluate 
>     companies for our portfolios.
>     
>     The use of genetic engineering and GMOs (genetically modified 
>     organisms) has been increasing rapidly. It is an issue affecting any 
>     company in the food and health industries.
>     
>     Two companies to have taken a responsible approach to the technology 
>     are Iceland and Fujicco. Iceland has taken a stance against the 
>     indiscriminate mixing of GM soya beans, and will not use GM soya in 
>     their own brand foods. We met with Malcolm Walker, CEO at Iceland, to 
>     discuss exactly these issues last April (See June copy of Foresight - 
>     back copies available from the Green team). 
>     
>     Fujicco is another company with an interesting stance on GM soya. The 
>     Japanese company manufactures soya based health foods and has a policy 
>     to avoid GM soya in its products.  During our visit to the company we 
>     also discovered their excellent work in fostering organic farming in 
>     Japan, to secure reliable supplies for their products.  
>     
>     Unfortunately these examples are still the exceptions to the rule and 
>     we will continue to encourage companies to take more active stances on 
>     this issue. 
>     
>     The Global Care team has produced a position paper on this complicated 
>     topic, which can be summarised as follows:
>     
>     1. The application of genetic engineering in CONTAINED situations MAY 
>     be acceptable if there are clear benefits in comparison to the 
>     potential risks and no acceptable alternatives exist. This might 
>     include medical uses such as gene therapy, gene-mapping and drug 
>     development in the search for a cure for diseases such as cancer.
>     
>     However, waste streams from these activities that could be 
>     contaminated with GMOs should be sterilised and monitored.
>     
>     2. Release of genetically modified organisms into an UNCONTROLLED 
>     environment is UNACCEPTABLE even in field trials at this stage in the 
>     technology's development.  There are too many uncertainties over the 
>     ecological and health impacts of such releases.  The impact on 
>     biodiversity has not been fully explored and could be potentially 
>     devastating to certain species.
>     
>     We remain opposed at present to the use of genetically engineered 
>     crops. We support research to find alternatives to GMOs with fewer 
>     potential risks.  Organic farming techniques have much to offer in 
>     enhancing food quality and reducing pest attacks and plant disease.
>     
>     3. Consumers have the RIGHT TO KNOW.  We support CONSUMER CHOICE in 
>     relation to genetically engineered foods.
>     
>     Genetically engineered crops should be segregated and no food type 
>     should be dominated by genetically engineered versions. We support 
>     accurate and explicit labelling of products containing GMOs.  Labels 
>     should identify any ingredients made by gene technology with the 
>     source of the genes used. The current controversy over soya beans, 
>     with unlabelled GM soya already used in a wide range of manufactured 
>     foods, is a fundamental undermining of consumer rights.
>     
>     4. The use of genetic screening for discriminatory purposes is 
>     vehemently opposed, and we support controls to prevent such uses.
>     
>     5. We aim to avoid companies involved in the development of 
>     genetically engineered animals or cloning experiments.
>     
>     6. We aim to avoid companies involved in the experimentation and 
>     genetic manipulation of human embryos.
>     
>     In instances 4., 5. and 6. we believe that our customer base opposes 
>     these uses of genetic engineering on ethical grounds.
>     
>     However, it may sometimes be difficult to identify companies that are 
>     conducting this type of research due to inadequate disclosure.
>     
>     This is a global issue and the Global Care team will continue to do 
>     all it can to encourage and assist companies of any nation to adopt 
>     sound policies on GMOs.
>     
>Telephone: 01892 515151, Facsimile: 01892 704611  
>
>