"The US has polluted their agricultural area with a product consumers are rejecting and they want to share their problem so consumers do not have a choice and this will help them avoid market rejection. Our Minister for Agriculture is too keen to sacrifice the economics of the Australian rural areas... " (item 1)

1.Oz minister for Ag misleading
2.SECRET VICTORIAN GM CROP SITES REVEALED
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1. PRESS RELEASE - NETWORK OF CONCERNED FARMERS

The Network of Concerned Farmers (NCF) has accused the Australian Minister for Agriculture, Mr Truss of being misleading in promoting GM crops. Mr Truss announced at the Victorian Rural Press Club that the state moratoria was hurting farmers stating "How much longer can Australian farmers compete if unscientific state bans on Genetically Modified Organisms deny access to higher yielding, pest and disease resistant, drought tolerant plant varieties?"

"Mr Truss knows the State bans are due to economic risk and as the Federal Minister for Agriculture, he has a duty of care to Australian grain growers to ensure that any GM introduction is economically more viable and will not threaten the viability of existing industries. Not once has the Federal Minister taken the initiative to provide unbiased performance data or attempt to resolve the unfair liability issues, " said Mrs Julie Newman, NCF National Spokesperson.

"There is no scientific reason why GM canola would be any better than our existing non-GM hybrids or chemical resistant canolas. The varieties concerned are Invigor and Roundup Ready canola and both are only genetically modified to be resistant to chemicals. Forget the hype, that is it."

Monsanto withdrew trial applications last year and today Bayer Cropscience announced they would not participate in independent performance trials. Bayer Cropscience are currently growing large "trials" in South Australia and Victoria to bulk up seed to export to Canada.

"Of course the companies do not want independent data, real trail data would expose the scam." said Mrs Newman.

The NCF believe that the Federal government is under pressure from the US and GM has become a trade issue.

"The US has polluted their agricultural area with a product consumers are rejecting and they want to share their problem so consumers do not have a choice and this will help them avoid market rejection. Our Minister for Agriculture is too keen to sacrifice the economics of the Australian rural areas to satisfy the US and to avoid political pressure from earlier committments to scientists and GM companies."

Conventional and organic farmers not wanting to grow GM crops do not want to suffer economic loss caused by market rejection of GM contaminated produce. The NCF state the GM debate could be resolved by introducing strict liability legislation to ensure the GM company is liable for any economic loss associated with the introduction of their product.

"With the advances in non-GM biotechnology, farmers will not be "left behind". The GM race is not for farmers, it is for scientists and investors keen to stake a claim in intellectual property so they can profit from farmers in the future."

Canada has adopted the largest area of GM canola and this week farmers in Ontario, Saskatchewan and Manitoba have been protesting against depressed
incomes. Over 7,000 farmers marched in Ontario calling for increased subsidies due to rising costs and falling commodity prices.

- END -

Contact: Julie Newman, WA 08 98711562 or 08 98711644

References:

Monsanto's Roundup Ready canola
http://www.non-gm-farmers.com/news_details.asp?ID=2007

Bayer Cropscience Invigor canola
http://www.non-gm-farmers.com/news_details.asp?ID=1992

Media alert: Meeting at Mount Gambier

Speakers:

Julie Newman, Network of Concerned Farmers spokeswoman "GM canola: Benefits & Alternatives, Risks & Risk Management"

Dr Judy Carman BSc (Hons) PhD, MPH Epidemiologist and Biochemist

7.30 pm, Tuesday 8th March
Function Room, Southgate Motel,
175 Commercial St East,
Mount Gambier.

More info: Geoffrey Carracher This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone 03 5386 6261
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2.SECRET VICTORIAN GM CROP SITES REVEALED
NEWS MEDIA RELEASE - MONDAY FEBRUARY 28 2005
Embargoed till 7am Tuesday March 1, 2005

GeneEthics has published locations of Bayer's secret genetically manipulated (GM) canola releases in Victoria. Four Western District sites threaten the GM-free products of farmers and beekeepers.

"The Department of Primary Industries gave us the locations on Friday, when our Freedom of Information challenge was on appeal to VCAT, " says GeneEthics Network Director, Bob Phelps.

"Our appeal was set to succeed, so the government handed over the GPS co-ordinates of four releases:

* Mokepilly Rd, about 25 km North of Horsham
(photos at http://www.non-gm-farmers.com/index.asp);
* 25 km SW of Horsham - about 12 km South of Natimuk;
* near Antwerp, about 20 km North of Dimboola; and
* near Branxholme, about 25km SW of Hamilton," he says.

"Until now, the number, location and size of these sites was hidden from the many primary producers who may be adversely affected by GM pollen and seed contamination," he says.

"Victorian secrecy was irrational as the Office of Gene Technology Regulator and the South Australian Government both publish the locations of Bayer GM crop sites under their control," he says.

"The pretext for secrecy, that sites may be damaged, has proven to be completely unfounded," he says.

"We now want Agriculture Minister, Bob Cameron, to permanently ban further GM crop releases in the state because of the economic, social and legal dangers they pose to organic, dairy, honey and oilseed producers," Mr Phelps says.

"Exemptions from Victoria's Control of Genetically Modified Crops Act 2004, which allowed Bayer to secretly grow GM canola, broke government promises to ban all GM food crops until 2008," he says.

"This betrayed the United Dairy Farmers of Victoria decision, at their annual meeting last year, to endorse the GM ban because of strict GM-free rules now required by dairy companies," he says.

"For organic growers, detection of GM pollution in their products can mean de-certification, lost income, or responsibility for the extra costs of rejected shipments or product recalls," he says.

"Many honey producers must certify that their bees have not been closer than 5km from a GM crop, impossible to guarantee when GM sites are secret," he says.

"The Victorian government must not betray its GM-free promise again," Mr Phelps concludes.

More comment: Bob Phelps 03 9347 4500 (O) 03 9830 1592 (H)

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Bob Phelps
Executive Director
GeneEthics Network
Level 1, 60 Leicester St, Carlton 3053 Australia
Tel: 03 9347 4500 {Int Code +613} or 1300 133 868
Fax: 03 9345 1166
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
WWW: http://www.geneethics.org