Dr. Jim Diamond of the national Sierra Club Genetic Engineering Action Team posted this on the Club Biotech Forum.--Tom ======================================================================== I'm sending only the first paragraph of the following story. An "IPO" is a stock offering or "going public." -=-=-=-=-=- BIOTECH: Tree developer postpones IPO (05/11/2011) Paul Voosen, E&E Reporter The biotech tree developer ArborGen LLC has, at the last minute, postponed its plans to sell shares on the NASDAQ exchange, one of the company's primary investors announced today. Apparently, the market was not ready to support ArborGen, which has not received regulatory approval to sell its bioengineered trees. However, the three timber giants backing the firm -- International Paper Co., MeadWestvaco Corp. and New Zealand's Rubicon Ltd. -- will continue to support the company, they said, though it has not yet turned a profit. "All three partners remain committed to the future success of the company," Rubicon said in a release to the New Zealand press. "And an ArborGen IPO will be reconsidered in the future, when market conditions are more favorable." -=-=-=-=-=- COMMENT: Sierra Club participates in the Stop GE Trees Alliance and we have opposed these genetically engineered eucalyptus trees. Eucalyptus trees are already an invasive species in warmer areas and have now been GE'd to be invasive in cooler climes. Traits such as low lignin or fast growth added to these trees could spread beyond original plantings and greatly compound the problems they pose. Plantations are never forests and in addition to the losses of wildlife habitat and soil carbon, biofuel from trees can't be profitable without government subsidy, and encroachment on arable land for biofuel (no matter where in the world it occurs) will raise food prices. Jim Diamond, M.D. Advocating for healthy societies on a healthy planet - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To get off the CONS-SPST-BIOTECH-FORUM list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp