American Farmers Are Getting Angry over GE Crops

September 6, 2006

http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/angryfarmers.cfm

Genetic Contamination & Unavailability of Non-GE Seeds Anger North DakotaFarmersGenetic Beans Giving Farmers More Headaches. DifficultyFinding GM-free Seeds.Bismark (North Dakota) Tribune, 20 March 2001http://208.141.36.73/listarchive/index.cfm?list_id=30 (See 3/22listing). BY Jerry W. Kram.Excerpts: Wiley was informed that his sample had tested positive forgenetically modified varieties. The level of contamination was 1.37 percent, which was too much for the Japanese. 'I was stunned and sick to my stomach,' Wiley said. 'I finally went into the house to tell my wife we had just lost $ 6,000 because of a neighbor's planting decision.' Other producers who sell into markets that prohibit or severely restrict the use of genetically modified crops are having a hard time finding seed. Donald Vig, an organic farmer fromValley City, said he has talked to seed suppliers as far away asCalifornia and cannot find seed guaranteed to be free of foreign genes.'The organic industry has a zero tolerance for genetically modifiedcrops,' Vig said. Rodney Nelson, a farmer from Amenia, is also lookingfor soybean seed free of genetically modified varieties. Nelson is beingsued by Monsanto, producer of Roundup Ready soybeans, for growing theirvariety of soybeans without buying seed from the company. "I wantsoybean seed that's guaranteed not to contain genetically engineeredmaterial,' Nelson said. 'When I asked my seed dealer for a guarantee, helaughed at me..."____________________Indiana Farmers Getting the Bad News on Biotechwww.DirectAg.com articles. 3/23/2001, orhttp://www.directag.com/directag/news/article.jhtml?article_id=1000991Why Didn't You Warn Me About GMO's? Excerpts:"I came here this morning feeling pretty good," the farmer continued."But now you've got me very concerned about where we're going to sellour GMO-crops in the future. It's not right that you let us all gethooked growing these GMO-crops and now tell us that maybe we should begrowing something else."Tom Bechman, Indiana Prairie Farmer, a Farm Progress Publication.Purdue Extension corn specialist Bob Nielsen didn't mince words when headdressed the issue of genetic modified organisms (GMO's) and thecontroversy still swirling throughout agriculture due to the StarLink Btdebacle last fall. He warned farmers that while the long-term potentialfor great benefits from biotechnology still existed, the short-termfall-out could actually make life more difficult, and perhaps even lessprofitable, for farmers who didn't manage carefully in the short term.When he finished his talk at the Wayne County Conservation TillageWorkshop in Richmond, Ind., one farmer in the crowd was quick about notmincing words, either."Why didn't you tell us about all of thesepotential negatives a long time ago," he questioned, sharply. "Wherehave you been for the last two or three years? "I came here this morningfeeling pretty good," the farmer continued. "But now you've got me veryconcerned about where we're going to sell our GMO-crops in the future.It's not right that you let us all get hooked growing these GMO-cropsand now tell us that maybe we should be growing something else." WhileNielsen is never at a loss for words, he did acknowledge that the farmerhad a point. But it wasn't just Nielsen who didn't see the controversycoming. He contended that it was all of agriculture, plus the media andeven regulatory officials. "Six months ago, hardly anyone in Indianaeven knew what StarLink was," Nielsen says. "It was barely a blip on theradar screen."...