GMW: WA GM crops moratorium to remain/Farmers ask why GM crops perform worse in

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GMW: WA GM crops moratorium to remain/Farmers ask why GM

crops perform worse in drought

" GM WATCH " <info

Fri, 1 Jul 2005 10:47:38 +0100

 

 

 

 

 

 

GM WATCH daily

http://www.gmwatch.org

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1.Farmers ask why GM crops perform worse in drought

2.WA GM crops moratorium to remain

 

" Western Australian Agriculture Minister Kim Chance says the Government

has no intention of changing its stance on genetically modified (GM)

crops. " (item 2)

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1.Farmers ask why GM crops perform worse in drought

http://www.non-gm-farmers.com/news_details.asp?ID=2253

 

The Network of Concerned Farmers, an alliance of farmers with concerns

regarding genetically modified crops, are calling for research to

determine why GM crops perform worse during droughts.

 

" There is more than enough evidence to reveal that GM crops perform

worse than non-GM crops during drought conditions but this vital

information is being ignored, " said Julie Newman, National

Spokesperson for the

Network of Concerned Farmers.

 

" Farmers worldwide have complained that GM crops perform worse than

non-GM crops during drought including GM cotton in India and

Indonesia, GM

soy in the United States and Brazil and GM canola in Canada. Australian

farmers have even stated that they use an additional irrigation for GM

cotton so it appears there is evidence that GM crops need more water, "

she said.

 

" Our Federal Minister for Agriculture is making outrageous statements

wanting states to ignore economic risk and claiming we need GM crops to

counter drought when reality shows GM crops perform worse in drought.

Australia is known for adverse conditions and may be totally unsuitable

for GM crops but nobody seems to care about this vital detail. "

 

There has recently been a significant drop in soybean production due to

the drought in Brazil. The president of the Rio Grande do Sul seed

association sites 25% higher crop losses in GE soy crops as compared with

conventional ones. Brazil's agricultural department estimates that

yields are down 72% in Rio Grande do Sul which is the biggest adopter of

Monsanto's Roundup Ready GM technology.

 

" Many Brazilian farmers who use Round-Up Ready soy will be thinking

twice about it next year, " said Etienne Vernet, South American Research of the Polaris Institute. Governor of Mato Grosso (25% of

national soy production) has publicly stated that he will not plant

genetically modified soy next year.

 

Monsanto and Bayer Cropscience withdrew from the proposed independent

trials in NSW in 2004 with Bayer Cropscience stating a concern for dry

conditions as a reason. Requests for further independent testing has

been denied but Bayer Cropscience has been growing canola under

irrigation

for export to Canada under special state exemption orders.

 

" Farmers need trials to compare GM performance during adverse

conditions and scientists need to investigate this further. Farmers

have had

enough of the bulldust, we need facts. "

 

Non-GM drought tolerant varieties of wheat are being grown in

Australia. Mrs Newman claims there are far better alternatives in non-GM

biotechnology but some scientists are more interested in attracting

corporate

investment so are misleading farmers to believe all biotechnology is

GM.

 

Contact: Julie Newman 08 98711562 or 08 98711644 or 0427 711644

 

Network of Concerned Farmers

www.non-gm-farmers.com

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2.WA GM crops moratorium to remain

Friday, 1 July 2005

http://abc.net.au/news/items/200507/1404623.htm?southwestwa

 

Western Australian Agriculture Minister Kim Chance says the Government

has no intention of changing its stance on genetically modified (GM)

crops.

 

Federal Agriculture Minister Warren Truss has called on the states to

end the ban on the

cultivation of GM crops, saying it is discouraging investment in

biotechnology.

 

Mr Chance says there are still a lot of questions that need to be

answered about GM crops and WA's moratorium will remain in place.

 

" I can see no reason to change our present position, indeed we want to

understand a lot more

about the advantage and disadvantage with respect to GM and in

particular in relation to market advantages and disadvantages, " he said.

 

 

 

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