EU votes to ban food from cloned sources
BRUSSELS, Belgium (Reuters) – The environment committee of the European Parliament has voted to exclude food obtained from cloned animals citing health and safety concerns.
The lawmakers rejected a proposal from European Union member countries to include food produced from cloned animals in a list of approved food marketed and consumed in the European Union.
A final parliamentary vote is scheduled for July.
Caution urged on GM wheat
CHICAGO, Ill. (Reuters) – As seed developers around the world work to develop a genetically modified wheat, U.S. millers and bakers are offering support, but insist they must be more involved before any genetically modified wheat is brought to market.
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Reluctance by U.S. consumers and foreign buyers to accept GM wheat in their bread, crackers and other foods, remains a critical concern, milling and baking leaders said.
To help broaden acceptance, a new GM wheat needs to include nutritional improvements for consumers and/or improving milling and baking characteristics, according to Hayden Wands, director of procurement at Sara Lee Corp. and an official of the American Bakers Association.
Algeria well supplied
ALGIERS, Algeria (Reuters) – Algeria’s stocks of durum wheat are enough to cover its needs until this year’s domestic crop is harvested in July and August, an official with the state grains agency said.
The official also said this year’s overall grain harvest in Algeria was set to match the 2009 crop, when the country produced a record 6.1 million tonnes of cereals.
He said the grains agency last imported a consignment of durum on Aug. 1, 2009.
Algeria, with a population of 35 million people, is one of the world’s biggest wheat importers, but it cut imports last year after a record harvest.
Dupont proceeds with price increases
CHICAGO, Ill. (Reuters) – DuPont has no plans to alter its pricing strategy in key North American corn and soybean markets despite moves by rival Monsanto to ease prices for some products.
James Borel, who oversees DuPont’s production agriculture businesses, including corn and soybean seed developer Pioneer Hi-Bred, said DuPont would not increase net prices in 2010 as much as the double-digit increases in 2009, but price hikes would continue.
