more contaminated rice...

Late last night, the US Department of Agriculture admitted they had found yet another unapproved genetically engineered contaminant in US rice.

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom/content/2007/03/CL13update3-9-07.shtml.

The US rice industry is still reeling from the August 2006 announcement that Bayer's unapproved variety LLRICE601 was widely contaminating rice stocks and rice fields. European and Japanese buyers of US rice immediately sought other sources; prices for US rice dropped dramatically on world markets. Tens of lawsuits were filed by US rice farmers against Bayer CropScience for economic losses caused by the widespread contamination.

Now US rice producers are faced with another contamination scandal. The USDA has yet to reveal the identity of the contaminating gene. Regardless, it is not approved for cultivation and human consumption anywhere in the world, so the agency has no choice but to order sales of the contaminated variety banned and to order destruction of those rice fields that have already been planted.

All further evidence that the genetic engineering industry is incapable of keeping track of their genes and that the US regulatory system is incapable of preventing contamination and its serious economic consequences for US agriculture.