GM Crops & Food

GM food trials are going on in our Wheatbelt region, and it is absolutely infuriating that there was no consultation with the community at all!

Following is a letter I sent off this morning to Senator Ludwig 

Dear Senator  

I live in the Wheatbelt of Western Australia, where GM crop trials are underway.

I write with grave concerns that the allowing of GM food trials in our country may have some unintended long term effects.

"Gene technology has the potential to cause unintended effects due to random insertion of the introduced genetic material", a quote from our own government!

Whilst it is very clear to any who spend enough time researching GM food effects long term on the body that clinical trials are scant, that does not negate the fact that there could be some dire consequences, why would our own government allow this sort of thing to go on before spending a good few years on research & trials, do we want another “Thalidomide” on our hands in the years to come??

It must also be kept in mind that any potential harm with GM food can be most acute in the young, elderly and sick, particularly those suffering from HIV, hepatitis or other viral diseases. Many people suffer from allergies and other disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and for these the consumption of GM food may have unforeseen consequences and some of these may be irreversible.

Thus, for these the clear labeling of GM food must be made mandatory. ("Food Safety: Contaminants and Toxins" by J P F D'Mello, Scottish Agricultural College, Edinburgh, UK, April 2003.)

Also dismissed was any risk of contamination of non-GM crops from this year's GM wheat field trials, even though all local and international evidence shows that GM can't be contained in the field.

The biggest GM contamination event in history started with a small scale field trial of Bayer's GM rice. That single contamination event cost the rice industry $1.2 billion.

I don’t want GM contaminated wheat or pastas, or any other food for that matter, and I am entitled to that choice, just as everyone is.

Since GM crops cannot be contained they should not be grown. What little research there has been today on the crops has shown very clearly that there are no long term benefits from them in terms of production, they don’t outlast our older heirloom crops, and they aren’t as robust long term!

This year organic farmer Steve Marsh lost years of work and income after GM contaminated his farm. As a result he’s been forced to sue his neighbour.

Redman’s eagerness to let GM companies have their way has resulted in a poorly managed rollout of a new technology without adequate protection for either GM or traditional farmers or the person eating those foods.

WA’s wheat farmers already supply some of the best wheat in the world - good, drought-resistant and profitable, all without GM.

Why is the taxpayer helping biotech companies run trials of GM wheat in Corrigan and Williams?

And why is food and agriculture minister Terry Redman cosying up to the likes of Monsanto?

Western Australia is the only place in the world, outside of the US, holding trials of GM wheat.

In August 2010, the WA Government sold 20% of the state’s wheat breeding company to US chemical giant, Monsanto, to develop further GM strains.

Key export markets such as in Europe have strict laws to stop its import.

Non-GM canola is currently fetching $50 more per tonne than GM.

Canadian farmers rejected GM wheat outright following their experience with Canola which saw them suffer loss of markets and widespread, unwanted crop contamination.

It’s time the WA Government stops prioritising the interests of Monsanto and other chemical companies over the farmers that grow the safe healthy food we’ve always known.

I want the introduction of farmer protection legislation in states across Australia and an end to the proliferation of GM crops. I want consumer protected laws that clearly label every food that has GM content and I want a choice…….something you don’t get when you cannot control a crop from contaminating others!

Thank you

If you feel the same way use the link at the top to let him know, you are welcome to utilise my letter if you wish:)

To read more on the issue look at True Food Network.