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<DIV><BR><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Archived at: </FONT><A
href="http://131.104.232.9/agnet-archives.htm"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>http://131.104.232.9/agnet-archives.htm</FONT></A><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>U.S. SIGNS U.N. PLANT GENE
TREATY<BR>Nov. 6/02<BR>AP<BR>ROME -- The United States on Wednesday, according
to this story, became the<BR>76th country to sign an international agreement
governing the genetic code<BR>of plants, reversing a decision to abstain from
the treaty when it was<BR>approved last year.<BR>The story says that the treaty
is intended to preserve plant diversity and<BR>thus food supplies by
safeguarding the genetic materials.<BR>In addition to promoting genetic
diversity, the treaty recognizes farmers'<BR>rights to seeds and other plant
resources and establishes a system of access<BR>and benefit-sharing for 64 crops
and plants that are considered to be<BR>fundamental to food security.<BR>Though
many nations have signed the pact, it must be ratified by at least<BR>40 before
it can go into effect. The U.S. Congress must still ratify
it.</FONT><BR></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>