Ausbuy

Genetically Engineered Agriculture

August 15th, 2007

With Victoria’s four year ban due on GE crops due to expire in February 2008 and New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania set to review their bans, the genetically modified agriculture debate is currently in full swing. The indications are the ban will not be renewed.

Federal Agriculture Minister, Peter McGauran, has also released a report he says proves the states should lift their bans as he believes there are no health risks from the product and the decision on whether to grow it should be up to farmers. He also argues that if Australia maintains its ban on GE produce we will be left behind as most of the agricultural nations embrace this new technology. Proponents also argue that GE crops use less water, are less taxing on the soil and require less chemicals in their processing.

Ausbuy believes more independent testing should be conducted before any moratoriums are lifted as once this happens there will be no turning back as GE crops can contaminate those that are GE free and the full effects of this produce has not yet been established. The decision is irreversible.

Institute of Health and Environment Research director Judy Carman, a genetic researcher, says there is a serious lack of independent study into genetically modified food, which could see GM seed released prematurely. The Western Australian Minister for Food, Kim Chance, says genetically modified foods need to be independently tested before they are approved for consumption in Australia. Mr Chance says Food Standards Australia and New Zealand currently relies on data supplied by GM companies to determine if a food is safe, instead of conducting its own analysis. “For us to have to rely on the data which is provided by people who have a commercial reason for supplying that data or commercial interest in the matter isn’t good enough,” he said.

The actual benefits to farmers have also been disputed. While GE produce is easier to farm and more productive the main argument from GE advocates is that farmers are losing profits by not planting GE crops. GE free activists are arguing that this is not the case. As more countries take on GE technology Australia’s GE Free status may make our produce more valuable, similar to the way organic food is at the moment. Remaining GE free may actually secure our export markets.

“There will be premiums, particularly in the European and Japanese markets, but increasingly in China, we’re going to be big marketers to China”. “China is about to introduce a labelling regime for gene manipulated food crops as well, which will in fact notify Chinese food buyers of whether something is GM or not” said Bob Phelps from the Gene Ethics Network. There is also an argument that GE crops will threaten the value of produce as varieties that have not been approved by all nations will be rejected as we saw with the EU when it stopped imports of US rice.

The health of the consumer and environmental concerns are further arguments for more testing. As GE crops are more resistant to predators and pests and changing the genetic structure of the crop for one of these purposes may also reduce its nutritional value. Also GM crops compete with and can more easily out-produce natural crops because of their resistance.

We should also be concerned at the power passed on to corporations if GE crops are approved. GE crops are developed and therefore patented by profit minded agribusiness. Farmers will have to purchase seeds from these companies and are not allowed or able to reap seeds from plants already growing. Some crops are modified to produce no seeds at all so that farmers will need to buy new seeds each year. These companies could also charge farmers if their crops become infected with the companies GE seeds, regardless of whether this was intentional.

The big push for GM crops in Australia comes from companies such as Monsanto and Bayer and Ausbuy is very concerned that Australians could become dependent on their food to these American companies. Australian scientists working in these company’s laboratories will also not benefit as any intellectual property will leave Australia.

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4 Comments »

1. I totally agree that a lot more research needs to be done on GM food crops before they should be approved in Australia. At this stage, it is not clear what the long-term effects of such produce will be, particularly on the environment and nutritional value. I personally would not like to eat GM foods, and do hope the ban will not be lifted. As mentioned in the article, the decision IS IRREVERSIBLE! Best to wait until we know exactly what we’re getting ourselves in for…

   Comment by Annabel — August 19, 2007 @ 11:20 am

2. genetically engineered foods

   Just stumbled upon ur blog & hey wat a great blog u have! Keep up the good job.

   Trackback by genetically engineered foods — September 5, 2007 @ 4:17 pm

3. Thanks for this very timely article.

   There is enough information about the negative effects of GM crops and foods to extend the ban. Laboratory animals with damaged stomach an intestines, an increase in the weights of livers and kidneys, unexplained increases in mortality.

   Then there is also the reported 50% increase of allergies to soy in the UK after GM soy was introduced. The Starlink corn fiasco when corn only allowed for animal feed was found in the human food chain and many people suffered allergic reactions as a consequence.

   Then there are the reports from farmers of infertility, illnesses and death in GM fed animals. India is currently facing the mass failure of GM cotton.It is resistant to bollworm and yet is being devastated by mealy bugs. The loss of their crops is seeing many farmers commit suicide. The Indian press is full of this story and yet it hasn’t made it to Australia yet.

   Many people assume that GM crops have been vigourously tested. Instead they have mainly been regarded and regulated, by the FDA in the US and FSANZ in Australia, as if produced by non-GM means. There has been no long term testing at all.

   It seems amazing that Australia will recall toys painted with toxic lead paint to avoid harming children and yet will allow untested, potentially hazardous, food and crops onto our plates.

   I am part of Madge http://www.madge.org.au a network of people trying to inform others about the huge limitations of GM and the vastly superior alternatives to it that already exist.

   Comment by fran — September 20, 2007 @ 3:09 pm

4. There is certainly not enough known about GM foods. The claims that these chemical companies are making about how good GM food is, is a lie. People in Mexico and Brazil, in particular, as these two countries are using most of the food that is GM, are having health problems. In Mexico over 100 persons died by working in a processing factory that processes GM foods. Why is this not being publicised on the airwaves. Test animals are dying from eating GM foods. Stock have died from grazing on GM residue from crops. It’s on the net for all to read.
   Very little is spoken about health issues, contamination and liturgations, which have occured, but are being swept under the rug. Once GM crops come into this country, farms and farmers as we know them today will be lost, as the chemical companies will close them down if they do not follow the srict regime set up by these companies.
   These GM crops do not produce more, they certainly are not healthier, they do not grow on less moisture, in fact it has been found out that after a few seasons their yields start deminishing, so where does that leave the farmer them. The people who are pushing this technology have vested interest in the chemical companies. This notion that we will use less chemical is a joke. The fact is, that we will have to use stronger chemicals to get the results that we want, and this will destroy our soils more, contaminate the waterways more, therefore the native flora and fauna will suffer more. Put a stop to this madness now for humanities sake.

   Comment by Lyell — October 10, 2007 @ 10:28 am

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