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Between June 23-25, 2003, the USDA, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department will host a conference on Agricultural Science and Technology in Sacramento. For developing countries, this means biotechnology. Three ministers from every developing country (except Cuba, and those countries astride the so-called 'axis of evil') will be invited. Add on a press corps in the hundreds, and it's clear that, internationally at least, this is something of a big deal. Here are some reasons to mobilize against it.

In a jaw-dropping affirmation of Monsanto's monopoly control over commodity crops, one of the world's most notorious patents for genetically engineered crops was yesterday upheld by the European Patent Office (EPO) in Munich - this despite a nine year battle by civil society (and industry) to have it revoked. European Patent No. 301,749, granted in March 1994, is an exceptionally broad "species patent" which grants gene giant Monsanto exclusive monopoly over all forms of genetically engineered soybean varieties and seeds - irrespective of the genes used or the transformation technique employed. The patent, attacked as immoral and technically invalid by food security advocates worldwide, was vigorously opposed by Monsanto itself until they purchased the original patent holder (Agracetus) in 1996, and switched sides to make the soybean species patent a major ingredient in its global recipe for crop monopoly.

On May 20, we began the 24-Hour Indignation Fast Against the Macapagal-Arroyo Government and Monsanto, joined by supporters from many parts of the country and of the world. Together, we are ending today that one-fast as well as the 30 days of hunger strike against Bt corn, sealing our common commitment to continue the fight against Bt corn and other genetically-engineered foods until victory is at hand.

A new PAN North America report reveals that several widely-used pesticides are regularly found in California air far from where they are applied at concentrations that significantly exceed levels deemed "safe" by regulatory agencies