Oct 28, 2013 | Veterans Today | Harold Saive
Campaign to STOP Genetically Engineered Trees
For Immediate Release 28 October 2013
University of Florida Threatens to Arrest anti-GMO Presenters and Bans Them from Campus
Global Justice Ecology Project
Gainesville, FL (US) – The
University of Florida, a leading institution researching genetically
engineered (GE) trees [1], threatened to arrest activists from the
Campaign to STOP GE Trees when they arrived on campus Saturday to
prepare for a presentation to highlight critical perspectives on tree
biotechnology that was scheduled for tonight. The police informed the
group that their presentation had been cancelled, and warned them that
they were banned from University of Florida (UF) property for three
years.
“Evicting us from campus was a blatant
act of censorship by the University of Florida, likely linked to the
millions they are receiving for GE trees research,” said Keith Brunner,
from the international Campaign to STOP Genetically Engineered Trees
[2].
In 2011, the University of Florida School
of Forest Resources and Conservation along with GE tree company
ArborGen won a three-year, $6.3 million grant from the US Department of
Energy to develop GE loblolly pines for liquid biofuel production [3].
There is rising opposition to GE trees due to concerns over genetic
contamination, increased flammability, deforestation and other
ecological impacts of industrial tree plantations.
The UF presentation was part of a
multi-week speaking tour titled “The Growing Threat: Genetically
Engineered Trees and the Future of Forests” [4]. The tour will travel
through several southern states (NC, GA, FL, SC) to educate the public
about the social and environmental threats posed by the proposed
commercial release of billions of genetically engineered freeze tolerant
eucalyptus trees in seven southern states from South Carolina to
Florida to Texas.
University of Florida Professor Bron
Taylor teaches a course on Environmental Ethics and had encouraged
students to attend the presentation. He expressed disappointment about
the cancellation and stated, “The University is supposed to be a place
characterized by free and robust debate. This situation begs the
question, why was the presentation cancelled and these activists banned
from campus under a threat of arrest?”
City Commissioner of Lake Worth, FL,
Christopher W. McVoy, Ph.D, an expert in ecological restoration of the
Everglades, stated, “As a UF alumnus, I am dismayed that the University
would interfere with the free exchange of ideas,” he said. “GE tree
plantations have the potential to irreversibly affect large areas of
Florida and the South. As Florida’s flagship academic institution and as
a thought leader regarding southern plantations, the University of
Florida has a particular responsibility to foster open discussion of the
pros and cons of GE trees.”
“The reaction by UF was a pathetic
attempt to stifle growing dissent against GE trees by an industry which
is flailing amidst major public opposition,” stated Anne Petermann,
International Coordinator of the Campaign to STOP GE Trees and Executive
Director of Global Justice Ecology Project. “Last April, the USDA
received over 37,850 comments – almost 10,000 to one – opposing the
commercialization of ArborGen’s freeze tolerant GE eucalyptus trees [5].
One month later, the largest ever protest against GE trees was held at
the international Tree Biotechnology 2013 conference in Asheville, NC.
Opposition is building and the GE trees industry is clearly nervous
about it.”
CONTACT
Will Bennington, Global Justice Ecology Project and the Campaign to STOP GE Trees, +1.802.777.5244 will@globaljusticeecology.org (on site)
Rachel Kijewski, Everglades Earth First! +1.772.361.9406 evergladesearthfirst@gmail.com (on site)
NOTES FOR EDITORS
- 1] Genetically engineered trees (GE trees) are also known as GMO trees, genetically modified trees (GM trees) or transgenic trees.
- 2] The international Campaign to STOP GE Trees is a coalition of hundreds of organizations calling for a global ban on the release of GE trees into the environment. www.nogetrees.org
- 3] “ArborGen Partners with University of Florida to Advance Pine-based Biofuels as Part of $6.3 Million DOE ARPA-E Grant”: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/04/idUS182887+04-Oct-2011+BW20111004
- 4] http://www.globaljusticeecology.org/stopgetrees.php?ID=657&tabs=2
- 5] http://www.dogwoodalliance.org/2009/07/public-overwhelmingly-rejects-genetically-engineered-trees/
# # #
No comments:
Post a Comment