GM crop contamination of Organic farm. #IamSteveMarsh
Renae
Posts: 38
Thanks to John Butler, the ever caring of many things including our prescious environment in SouthWest Australia (a place where the extraordinary EV has supported issues in the past too), the below information has been brough to my attention. I am not certain of my overall view of the GM food debate however when circumstances arise where people don't have a choice my emotions rise. Please read the below, get informed and promote/help where you can.
Thank you for your time
John Butler Trio:
"I wanted to share some important West Australian news with you .If you haven't already heard. This is very important for all of us. Monsanto once again Manipulating Nature and Justice. I know it's long winded but definitely worth a read if you are Australian and in particuler West Australian.
You might not have heard of Steve Marsh yet but this man could lose everything to protect your right to eat GM-free food. Steve is an organic farmer from a farming community South of Perth in Kojonup, Western Australia and in 2010, the state government of Western Australia lifted the ban on GM canola, allowing for the commercial cultivation of this GM crop for the first time. As a result many farmers, including Marsh’s next door neighbour, began growing GM canola. Subsequently, Steve found GM canola plants spread over much of his farm, containing seed. 70% of Steve’s farm was contaminated and he lost his organic certification.
This contamination has had a dramatic impact on Steve and his livelihood, while Monsanto, because of their no liability agreement signed with each GM farmer, are free of any responsibility for GM contamination. Instead of accepting this biotech invasion, Steve has decided to take a stand. As the only avenue available, Steve is taking his neighbour to court for compensation of loss and damages. The GM farmer is being supported by pro GM lobby group the Pastoralists & Graziers Association. This case is the first of its kind in the world, where an organic farmer is seeking compensation from a GM farmer when his rights have been violated by GM contamination.
Power to the Poeple,
John"
http://rt.com/news/gm-crop-contamination-australia-371/
http://safefoodfoundation.org/
Thank you for your time
John Butler Trio:
"I wanted to share some important West Australian news with you .If you haven't already heard. This is very important for all of us. Monsanto once again Manipulating Nature and Justice. I know it's long winded but definitely worth a read if you are Australian and in particuler West Australian.
You might not have heard of Steve Marsh yet but this man could lose everything to protect your right to eat GM-free food. Steve is an organic farmer from a farming community South of Perth in Kojonup, Western Australia and in 2010, the state government of Western Australia lifted the ban on GM canola, allowing for the commercial cultivation of this GM crop for the first time. As a result many farmers, including Marsh’s next door neighbour, began growing GM canola. Subsequently, Steve found GM canola plants spread over much of his farm, containing seed. 70% of Steve’s farm was contaminated and he lost his organic certification.
This contamination has had a dramatic impact on Steve and his livelihood, while Monsanto, because of their no liability agreement signed with each GM farmer, are free of any responsibility for GM contamination. Instead of accepting this biotech invasion, Steve has decided to take a stand. As the only avenue available, Steve is taking his neighbour to court for compensation of loss and damages. The GM farmer is being supported by pro GM lobby group the Pastoralists & Graziers Association. This case is the first of its kind in the world, where an organic farmer is seeking compensation from a GM farmer when his rights have been violated by GM contamination.
Power to the Poeple,
John"
http://rt.com/news/gm-crop-contamination-australia-371/
http://safefoodfoundation.org/
Post edited by Renae on
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Comments
If Steve wins then organic and Non GM agriculture can farm confident that their neighbours have to consider their sensitivities. We would expect organic and Non GM farmers to alert their neighbours to their sensitivity to GM and pointing out the methods of GM contamination and how they can be avoided. The GM industry would not fall over. GM canola growing would still be viable and would still continue albeit with GM farmers being more careful. The precedent set will mean that GM farmers will be very careful about proximity of GM to Non GM canola and the practice of swathing.
If Steve loses then the GM industry is free to farm GM without regard to an organic or Non GM farmer neighbour. We would expect to see contamination events rise rapidly as at least now the voluntary guidelines make it clear that GM farmers should try and avoid contamating organic and Non GM. That volunary caution may be thrown to the wind – literally! Organic farming would be under cost pressures to try and contain contamination on their farms at their expense and with GM wheat as early as 2017 we would be facing a grim future.
People are speaking up, is anyone else listening?
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/jan/07/monsanto-earnings-fall-corn-south-america-genetically-modified-food
The Millions Against Monsanto link they include in the article is well worth checking out:
https://www.organicconsumers.org/campaigns/millions-against-monsanto