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Council defies GM support

1/09/2008 8:37:00 AM
BENDIGO Council has upheld its defiant rejection of the State Government’s support for genetically modified crops.

At a forum on the weekend, the risks posed by GM crops to the emerging local organic farming sector were highlighted.

Both Federal and State governments have now approved GM canola to be grown, with the federal regulator clearing it of health risks and the State Government lifting a statewide moratorium in February.

Growers are hoping to benefit from GM canola’s promoted advantages of higher yields and lower pesticide use.

But anti-GM groups and central Victorian organic growers insist an exemption should be made for this region to keep it GM-free, so its marketing reputation is kept intact and there are no risks of cross-contamination.

The forum, which drew about 30 participants, also stressed the need for improved GM-food labelling and the impact on organic businesses of patented crops and liability issues.

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An urgent message about genetically engineered crops. The above term is sometimes rendered as: GM, GMO or transgenic crops.

Learn the dangerous truth about genetically engineered crops being planted in Australia. Any high school student can verify this simple information. Genetically engineered (GM) crops are not about feeding a starving world; they are about controlling our food supply with patents and chemicals.

We have never before been crossing one species with another like plants and animals and making the offspring fertile. The real contamination in Australia with patented DNA has just begun.

Canada is almost completely contaminated with GM pollen. Weeds are now resistant to Roundup and farmers must use stronger chemicals; sold by Monsanto.

See: National Farmers Union of Canada ‘top ten’ at www.nfu.ca

When chemical companies own our crops because of the contamination by their patented DNA, they will design crops to grow only with their own chemicals. Chemical companies must sell chemicals, and drug addicted plants are the perfect way to do it.

In the end, would a chemical company design plants that did not need their chemicals? Learn about the terminator/traitor genes and the irreplaceable and threatened Vavilov centre of Mesopotamia.

The Vavilov Centre in Mexico has already been hit by GM pollen; they said it could never happen. The control of our food by patented DNA is what this is all about. The patented DNA is carried in the pollen.

When we are completely contaminated, no one will control anything, because it will be out of control.

‘Canola test plots’ are not test plots; they are here to contaminate our country. GM crops are the hideous new cane toads.

The gene technology regulator and the farmers’ federations have lobbied hard to have Australia contaminated. Why contaminate Australia with pollen that is legally owned by a chemical company? Why destroy the billion dollar markets for clean non-GM produce that the world is now seeking?

Bayer’s patented DNA is now contaminating Australia. It could take up to 16 years to clean up the mess; so who should pay for the clean up?

Why the rush to contaminate?

Why the silence in our media?

Why the silence from our Prime Minister? Learn more at www.dnaalert.net – read the common myths about GM crops.

DNAalert.net is powered by www.snakeshow.net a useful site for students about our world.

Posted by Diane Teasdale on 1/09/2008 7:26:15 AM
This is what you get when you have the Green's running their agenda in Council. Our farmers are in need of a big hand and GM crops may be the saving grace in these tough times.

Do we really want to support a few people who want their high priced 'organic' markets protected, or the majority of farmers who we rely on for our food?

I have far more trust in State Governments to make sound and safe decisions on the quality of food, than groups that present scare tactic evidence ahead of any real scientific data to the contrary.

Posted by reality check on 1/09/2008 1:48:12 PM
It is fantastic to see a council, or any level of government that listens to the people. Any one might think that we live in a democracy, heaven forbid that any politician would have any interest in public opinion over global big businesses or party platforms.
Posted by Denis on 1/09/2008 5:31:25 PM
There is no organic canola produced in Australia. Looks like a balanced debate with the picture of the grim reaper in shot!

But hey, why use rational argument when you are going to lose that? It's much more effective to resort to fear tactics like the grim reaper.

Posted by David on 2/09/2008 9:24:12 AM
I've recently asked 'the government' Reality Check trusts to give me the 'real scientific data' supporting the safety of GM foods. I've read through the 'food assessment' documents/statements relating to Monsanto's RR canola from the USA, Canada, Europe, Japan and Australia in great detail.

They have provided no evidence that the food is safe. It has never been evaluated on humans.

The actual proteins we may be consuming in the refined GM canola oil have not even been tested 'on paper'.

I've applied to Food Standards Australia New Zealand to read the reports supplied by Monsanto to support the safety of their product, as is my public right. I am waiting for FSANZ legal 'checking'.

Science is about open review and discussion for input of more information and understanding. Reality Check makes the mistake of using the phrase 'real scientific data' in respect of reports submitted by a commercial company of interest that may be censored.

Posted by Madeleine on 3/09/2008 12:19:31 PM

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NO CIGAR: Mayor David Jones at Bendigo’s GM forum
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