2 important statements from a Tasmanian politician alert to the global push underway to impose this technology and the use of food security as part of that strategy:

1. Greens say farmers don't want GMOs
2. Putt warns of global GE push
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The following is a transcript from the ABC National Rural News that is broadcast daily to all states on ABC Regional Radio's Country Hour and on ABC Radio National

Greens say farmers don't want GMO'S

Tasmanian politician Peg Putt says farmers in developing countries are leading the charge against genetically engineered crops.

The Greens MLA has just returned from speaking at an international conference in Brussels, on the issue of GMO-free zones.

And she says opinions like those of Dr. Pinstrup-Anderson are typical of the push by multinationals, to force the world to adopt genetic engineering at any cost.

Ms Putt believes that's an agrument that's already been discredited.

Peg Putt: 'Well I think that's a mostly discredited argument because the major emerging centre of resistance to GE foods is actually throughout Asia. And in India and some of the southeast Asian countries, it's the farmers who are in the vanguard leading the opposition to the planting of GE crops, because it destroys their traditional agriculture systems, it works in favour of broadscale farms using high capital inputs and low labour.'
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Putt warns of global GE push
22jan01
http://themercury.com.au/0,3546,1633910^3462,00.html

A CONCERTED push to establish GE crops in Tasmania, whatever the cost, is symptomatic of a global campaign by multinationals, says Tasmanian Greens leader Peg Putt.

Ms Putt, fresh from last week's international meeting on GE in Brussels, said states and nations around the globe reported immense pressure from multinationals.

She said representatives of many countries who spoke at the conference at the European Parliament told the same story.

"This is the method being used to undermine communities," Ms Putt said. "They try to find a way to get crop trials in, no matter what, it's the same pattern over and over, to force communities to break and give in.

"It's a quite deliberate attempt by the multinationals so we can't declare anything GE free."

The conference was attended by representatives from Europe, eastern Europe, Japan, the US and Brazil and speeches were translated in seven languages.

"The Japanese are strongly anti-GE and Canadian and US opposition is growing," Ms Putt said.