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[SANET-MG] why is Washington state mute on humanized barley?



The article below is another one of many on the California pharm rice. It is
perplexing that there has been no discussion of the humanized barley grown on
large plots in Washington State by Washington State University. The Washington
State news merdia seemn to be participating in a conspiracy of silence?


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http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-rice10apr10,1,1477379.story
CALIFORNIA
Biotech Rice Plans Are Stalled
>From Associated Press

April 10, 2004

State regulators Friday derailed a small biotechnology company's ambitious plans
to immediately begin growing commercial quantities of rice engineered with
human genetic material for use in medicine.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture denied Ventria Bioscience's
application to grow more than 120 acres of rice in Central and Southern
California because federal regulators haven't issued a permit. The
Sacramento-based company said it had not yet applied for federal regulatory
approval.

State officials also said the public needed more time to comment on an issue
that had roiled California's $500-million rice industry. Many rice farmers fear
consumer perception will turn against their crops and cost them customers in
biotechnology-adverse Europe and Japan if Ventria's permit were granted.

Now Ventria, which already has permission to grow experimentally on small plots,
will have to wait at least until next year's planting to expand production.

Despite the regulatory setback and continued vocal opposition, Ventria Chief
Executive Scott Deeter said Friday that the company would reapply in
California.

The human genes that Ventria inserts into its rice produce proteins that are
found in mother's milk, tears and saliva and can combat diarrhea and anemia,
Deeter said.

Ventria has been growing genetically engineered rice on 120 acres in Northern
California on an experimental basis since it received U.S. Department of
Agricultural permits in 1997.

On Monday, the USDA refused to renew that permit for this year, saying the
company planned to grow its experimental rice too close to crops intended for
human consumptio0n.

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