[Pil-pc-oceania] GM Crops - Age article

[Kerry Dawborn]

Eeeeeeek!!

Gotta say I feel pretty helpless to read this - especially as issue of 
cross-pollination of other non-modified crops - ie on organic farms and 
maybe even backyard crops not even mentioned... Am I wrong to think this 
is an issue?

from Kerry


  Green light for GM farming

    *

Jason Koutsoukis
August 12, 2007

AUSTRALIAN farmers should be allowed to plant genetically modified crops 
as soon as possible so they can compete with the rest of the world, 
according to a confidential Federal Government report.

Genetically modified crops pose no danger to human health or the 
environment and should be given the green light, the report said.

Federal Agriculture Minister Peter McGauran, who is leading the push to 
have GM crops widely introduced across Australia, is backing the report.

But the findings have dismayed experts and environmentalists who say GM 
foods --- dubbed Frankenfoods by the media --- could be detrimental to 
human health and to the environment.

Planting GM food crops is banned in all states except Queensland. The 
ban is due to expire in Victoria and NSW early next year, but is 
currently under review.

With the strong backing of farm groups and the CSIRO, both Victoria and 
NSW are widely expected to lift the ban.

The current Victorian Government ban relates specifically to canola, 
which is the only crop not to have received approval for planting by the 
Office of the Gene Technology Regulator.

Lifting the ban on GM canola is considered the first step in bringing 
other crop biotechnologies to the market, such as drought-resistant 
wheat, new varieties of sugar, and nutrition-enhanced fruit and vegetables.

"GM Canola offers some solutions to the current problems conventional 
canola faces in Australia and is likely to make an important 
contribution to farming systems," the Federal Government report states.

The report also found that GM crops had benefits for farming enterprises 
beyond the direct returns of the particular crop planted. Other crops 
also benefited from the weed control and disease management provided by 
GM technology.

But environment and public health groups expressed grave concerns, 
saying the risks were not yet understood.

Institute of Health and Environmental Research director Judy Carman, an 
epidemiologist and senior lecturer at the University of Adelaide, said a 
number of studies had shown that rats fed a diet of genetically modified 
canola had recorded increases in their liver weights of about 16 per cent.

"These rats were getting swollen livers and yet no more research into 
why that was happening has ever been done," Dr Carman said.

"We should be demanding further testing, because when you look at the 
safety aspects we just don't know what the potential impacts are."

Greenpeace Australia spokeswoman Louise Sales said she was alarmed.

"They (GM crops) lead to the creation of even stronger weeds, which 
require even stronger pesticides," she said.

Ms Sales accused the Government of being under pressure from the United 
States to allow GM crops. "Huge US multinationals are putting huge 
amounts of pressure on Australia to let their products in the door so 
that they make a profit, but this could destroy our reputation as being 
among the cleanest farmers in the world," Ms Sales said.

But the Federal Government report, titled /GM Canola: An Information 
Package/, marked "Confidential" and dated July 2007, found that GM 
canola had been used without harm.

"Australia's main competitor, Canada, has been using genetically 
modified canola for 10 years with no appreciable loss of market share or 
price and enjoys significant agronomic benefits from the technology," 
the report said.

The public also did not seem to have deep concerns about GM foods, it said.

"Consumers do appear to be concerned about GM crops in general but these 
concerns do not appear to be translating into significant or sustained 
price increases being paid for non-GM canola products," the report said.

A recent survey commissioned by the Department of Industry found that 
public support for genetically modified food crops has risen in the past 
two years.

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