The crops under biosafety regulations are:

SPECIES	GENETIC MODIFIC.	REGION	SURFACE AREA
Maize		RM,VI,VII	1.341,8 Ha
Radiata Pine	Resist to moth	X	0,0009 Ha
Tomato	Resist. to insect	RM,V,VI	1,1 ha
Melon		RM	O,0049 Ha
Potato		RM,X	0,23 Ha
Soy Bean		RM,V	5,75 Ha
Beet root		X	2,0 Ha
Canola	Resist. to Roundup Ready	RM,VI,VIII,IX	202,73 Ha
Sunflower		RM	0,8 Ha

The crops planted without biosafety measures are:

SPECIES	GENETIC MODIF.	REGION	SURFACE AREA
Maize	Resist.Insect, Resist.Herbicide Basta	RM,VI,VII	6.500 Ha
Soy Bean	Resist.Herbicide Roundup	RM,V,VI	175.7Ha

The data released by the chilean government this year does not inform the companies involved, genetic modifications of the crops and their exact location, which is a violation to the rights of consumers and farmers, specially to organic farmers

LETTER TO THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE

The Network for a Chile free of Transgenics, sent a letter to the Agriculture Minister in April 2001, requesting the definition of a policy about transgenic crops in Chile, and to call for a public consultation with all actors included the civil society.

AYSEN REGION OF CHILE DECLARED FREE OF TRANSGENICS

The environmental Commission of the Senate and the Ministry of Agriculture, organized a workshop of "Clean Production" in the region of Aysen, in the south of Chile in April 2001. It counted with the presence of 3 senators, and among the outcomes of the meeting, were that the Senate Commision declared the region of Aysen a clean production zone, free of transgenics and devoted to organic agriculture. It was also agreed the need of legislation about transgenic crops and the need of information about the location of these crops.

TRANSGENIC FOODS IN CHILE

The National Consumer Service of Chile, SERNAC, tested 40 foods, and found transgenic soybean in 22 of them including hamburgers, hotdogs and biscuits. These foods are not labeled, so the Network for a Chile Free of Transgenics, demanded the inmediate publication of the decree for the compulsory labeling of transgenic foods. This decree approved in June 1999, has not entered into force due to pressures of the national industry and the US Government.

DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE

The Fundación Sociedades Sustentables, has published two documents about transgenics in Chile: Biotecnología y Bioseguridad: La Situación de los Transgénicos en Chile (only available in paper) and Arboles Transgénicos: Biotecnología en el Sector Forestal (in paper and electronic mail). We have also produced 6 Bulletins of Current News of Transgenics in Spanish, available at www.chilesustentable.net .