*Oz: Greenpeace blocks GM shipment
*China: Greenpeace Inquiry Shows 50% Consumers Dislike GM Foods - 70% want labels
*Hungary: GREENPEACE PROTESTS AGAINST GM CORN
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Greenpeace blocks GM shipment
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s1095142.htm
A ship carrying thousands of tonnes of genetically modified soy meal is being prevented from leaving Port Kembla in New South Wales [Australia] by Greenpeace activists. The activists are blocking the exit from the grain terminal with their boat, the Rainbow Warrior.
The cargo ship Rhein is taking the soy to Melbourne.
Greenpeace campaigner John Hepburn says the group will delay the ship's passage until there is a commitment from the importer to change its genetically engineered (GE) food policies. "We're hoping for a commitment from the people that are importing this, which is Inghams poultry and the other poultry companies," he said.
"[We're] wanting a commitment from them to stop using GE food and also a commitment from the importers."
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Greenpeace Inquiry Shows 50% Consumers Dislike GM Foods
SinoCast April 23, 2004
BEIJINGY: Greenpeace has issued an inquiry into the inclination of genetically modified food, which is dead against Chinese consumers, and carried out by telephone among 600 consumers in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. The inquiry shows nearly half of the inquired consumers won't let their children eat genetically modified foods, 70% of them think the unmarked genetically modified food will undermine consumer confidence in the foods.
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GREENPEACE PROTESTS AGAINST GENETICALLY MODIFIED CORN PRODUCTION
Budapest, April 23 (MTI)
Hungarian News Agency (MTI) April 23, 2004
A group of Greenpeace activists protested against the introduction of genetically modified corn in Hungary by inflating a six-metre-high plastic corn in front of the Ministry of Agriculture in Budapest on Friday. Campaign organiser Noemi Nemes said, "Hungary has not yet grown genetically modified corn, and keeping corn production safe from gene manipulation lies in its vital economic interest. Multinational companies, however, are exerting enormous pressure on decision-makers."
The demonstrators demanded that the Hungarian government should follow the example of Austria, Germany and Luxembourg, and impose a ban on genetically modified corn varieties. Bertalan Szekely, head of division at the ministry, said that Hungarian regulations were extremely strict so the government saw no need for a ban. "The EU leaves it to the discretion of member states to license the marketing of genetically modified products. The importation of GM varieties to Hungary should always be preceded by an impact study. Should imports pose a danger, the ministry will not issue the licence." Nemes said that Greenpeace was dissatisfied with the ministry's answer.