On September 4 a public hearing in Brasilia considered the application of FuturaGene, owned by the Suzano pulp and paper company, to grow and commercialize the country’s first transgenic eucalyptus trees. Brazilian organizations, together with about 260 organizations from over 40 countries, signed a denunciation letter opposing the application (See letter here). They tried in vain to read out the letter during the hearing proceedings, but were refused permission by the President of the Biosecurity Commission (CTNBio). Furthermore, favouritism was shown to Suzano during the hearing in that more comments were allowed in favour of its project than against it. Only after the audience was over was André Dallagnol, legal adviser to Terra de Direitos, an NGO, able to deliver the letter of denunciation to the President of the Commission and to register its delivery with CTNBio.
See the detailed account of the audience (in Portuguese), http://gondolasegura.com.br/portal/blog/cientifico/100-audiencia
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