1.Bt leaves bad for animals: Experts
2.Dow to pay $325,000 in fines for corrupt practices
GM WATCH comment: Gene and chemicals giant Dow has been fined (item 2) over improper payments to Indian government regulators, bringing to mind the Monsanto corruption scandal in Indonesia over Bt cotton.
http://www.gmwatch.org/p1temp.asp?pid=58&page=1
Dow, of course, is the company that's been trying to dodge its liabilities arising out of the Bhopal disaster and the need to clean up the continuing contamination from the factory premises in Bhopal responsible for poisoning thousands of lives. http://www.bhopal.net/bhopalinthenews/
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1.Bt leaves bad for animals: Experts
Deccan Chronicle, 15 February 2007
http://www.deccan.com/City/Citynews.asp#Bt%20leaves%20bad%20for%20animals:%20Experts
Hyderabad, Feb. 14: Hundred of sheep and buffaloes have died after eating Bt cotton crop waste in Warangal district. Deccan Development Society (DDS), which is advocating biodiversity for sustainable agriculture, on Wednesday discussed the issue with scientists, ecologists and farmers from China, Thailand, Cambodia and the Philippines.
DDS director P. Stash said that more than 2,500 animals had died in recent months eating Bt cotton leaves. Shepherds of Gummadavelli village V. Yadaiah and M.Malliah said they had incurred huge losses due to the death of the animals, he said. Chinese scientist Dr Yang Song and Thailand's Alternative Agriculture Network president Day Cha also expressed the same views. They said due to Bt cotton cultivation, animals were dying and environment was getting polluted. They also felt that genetic engineering would not be an alternative to sustainable agriculture.
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2.Dow Chemical to pay $325,000 to SEC
The Associated Press, February 14 2007
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8N9K6RG1.htm
WASHINGTON
Dow Chemical Co. will pay a $325,000 civil penalty to settle charges that a subsidiary made improper payments to Indian government officials who held sway over regulatory approvals for the company's pesticides, the Securities and Exchange Commission said.
Dow Chemical, which is based in Midland, Mich., also agreed to cease and desist from future violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. It settled without admitting or denying wrongdoing, the SEC said late Tuesday.
The SEC found that, from 1996 through 2001, Dow Chemical's DE-Nocil Crop Protection Ltd. unit improperly paid an estimated $200,000 to Indian state and federal officials as it sought to register several products slated for marketing in time for India's growing season. The SEC said these payments weren't adequately reflected in Dow Chemical's books and records, and that the company's system of internal controls failed to prevent the payments.
The SEC said Dow Chemical conducted an internal investigation and voluntarily presented the results to the SEC, and also disciplined employees. The company also hired an independent auditor to review its books, and expanded training in how to comply with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the SEC said.
A Dow Chemical spokesman wasn't immediately available to comment.