INDUSTRY LEADERS BETRAYING FARMERS

[Guest guest]

INDUSTRY LEADERS BETRAYING FARMERS

 

The Network of Concerned Farmers (NCF) is warning Industry leaders that

they should not be ignoring the economic wellbeing of farmers in their

personal support of GM crops. The NCF claim industry leaders are betraying

farmers to side with the GM companies.

 

" We are being sold out by our industry leaders and they should be held

accountable for accepting liability on behalf of farmers, " said Juliet

McFarlane, canola grower from Young, NSW.

 

" Why are existing policies being ignored? Why are ex Monsanto managers and

GM companies now actively working with farm lobby groups to evolve

policies and strategies? This is coercing industry unity to force

additional costs on farmers. " (Ref 1)

 

" The GM industry must be laughing at our industry leaders. The GM benefits

are just not there to pay for the multitudes of parasites wanting to

profit from GM introduction. "

 

The NCF claim that State lobby groups such as NSW Farmers, WA Farmers,

GRDC, AWB and GCA are making statements that clearly oppose the policies

and constitutions of their organisations. (Ref 2)

 

" If these organisations followed their policies, there must be proof of an

economic advantage, a guarantee that segregation will meet market demand

and a guarantee that existing farmers will not be adversely affected.

Instead, these issues are being ignored with an attitude that allowing GM

contamination without risk management will resolve the issue. "

 

Although there is nothing set in legislation, the Primary Industries

Ministerial Council recently approved the setting of tolerance levels for

GM crops. The NCF state there is an industry led push for commercial sized

coexistence trials which they feel is a deliberate attempt to worsen

contamination.

 

" If the industry can't control contamination when it is prohibited, what

is going to happen if they are allowed to grow thousands of hectares of GM

canola with little or no restrictions? "

 

" Farmer profitability is already being eroded by additional expensive

testing costs and market risks associated with an acceptance of tolerance

levels. If industry leaders accept commercial release under the guise of

" coexistence trials " , the costs will increase further as farmers will need

to adopt an expensive identity preservation system, " explained Mrs

McFarlane.

 

ABARE estimated the identity preservation system as $35/tonne (or 10-15%

of the gross value of the product) to maintain a 1% tolerance level. The

system involves a rigorous quality assurance system where farmers ensure

they have taken every step to avoid contamination with GM.

 

" All farmers are expected to pay more to allow a few selfish hyped up

farmers to find out for themselves that they have been misled by an

expensive propaganda campaign that relies more on slamming opposition than

providing factual data. "

 

" If the science of GM is as flawed as their debate, we will have some real

problems in the future. "

 

- END -

 

Contact:

 

Juliet McFarlane NSW 02 63822509

 

Julie Newman WA 08 98711562 or 08 98711644

 

Geoffrey Carracher Vic 03 53866261

 

Network of Concerned Farmers www.non-gm-farmers.com

 

Reference 1:

 

1.1. West Australian Farmers Federation Press Release

 

Heavily lobbied and admittance that current existing varieties not better

than conventional varieties:

http://www.non-gm-farmers.com/news_details.asp?ID=2514

 

Extract: " WAFarmers has been recently lobbied by the major players in GM

technology and they have made it clear that further trials in WA will not

happen unless there is a clear path to market for their product. Nor are

they likely to conduct trials until such time as they can be confident of

a new seed variety that will clearly demonstrate benefits over existing

conventionally bred varieties. In effect, if all barriers were cleared

today, it would be two to three years before trials were recommenced. "

 

1.2. Quote from David Hudson's (ex Monsanto's GM crops manager) submission

to the Gene Tech Act Review.

http://www.health.gov.au/internet/wcms/publishing.nsf/Content/EE07F6CC6BBFA835CA\

257065000A3B60/$File/sga_070.pdf

 

David has been actively engaged in the evolution of the grains and seed

industries policies and strategies for the introduction of agbiotech

products for Australia, having active involvement in the development of

policies for the Gene Technology Grains Committee, Australian Seeds

Federation, Australian Oilseeds Federation and more recently Ausbiotech,

and the Grains Council of Australia.

 

1.3. Agrifood Awareness, chiefly funded by Avcare (the chemical industry)

is a major contributor to policy of farm organisations.

 

Reference 2:

 

Extracts from Policies: See

http://www.non-gm-farmers.com/news_details.asp?ID=2517

 

2.2 NCF National Spokesperson, Julie Newman claimed the Grains Council of

Australia (GCA) submission to the Gene Technology Act review did not

comply with the policies of the organisations GCA represented. The Grains

Council of Australia (GCA) responded by threatening legal action but Mrs

Newman has not heard from the lawyers since she gave detailed references

to the GCA. The GCA submission opposed a strict liability regime and

promoted removing the States ability to impose moratoriums based on

economic or market risk. (more details

http://www.non-gm-farmers.com/news_details.asp?ID=2419 )

 

 

 

Caroline Collard

 

World's first fully certified organic skin, body, oral and health care products

www.happyandhealthy.org.uk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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