1.ABARE produce another bogus report to push GM crops
2.Consumers and farmers are Marching against GMOs
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1.ABARE produce another bogus report to push GM crops
Press release, Network of Concerned Farmers (Australia)

The Network of Concerned Farmers (NCF) have slammed the government's Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE) for their latest economic report titled "Economic Impacts of GM crops in Australia" claiming that it is based on misinformation and driven by the Federal government protecting their own investments in GM technology.

"Once again ABARE has put out a bogus report showing benefits for GM crops that are not relevant and ignoring the costs and market loss involved. This ABARE report is a desperate push of GM crops onto farmers." said Mrs Julie Newman, National Spokesperson for the NCF.

"There is no reason why any of the advantages would be relevent to the introduction of GM crops as we are not being offered anything better than what we already have but there is a reason why the risks and additional costs should be included. How can a benefit be applicable to GM wheat introduction when no market wants it?"

No additional seed costs or user fees were incorporated and it was assumed all farmers would grow GM which removed the costs of segregation. No market loss or penalties were integrated but a market premium was assumed for GM crops yet a price reduction was claimed for consumers. The funding for this project was provided by the Rural policy division under the National Biotechnology Strategy (NBS) introduced in 2000.

"The Federal Government adopted the Biotechnology Strategy to protect their biotechnology investments, not to protect farmers and consumers," added Mrs Newman. "This is obviously the aim of this report as it does not address economics for farmers or consumers."

Contact: Julie Newman: 08 98711562
Press alert: Julie Newman will be speaking at 2.30pm at the GM Crops Summit in Melbourne on 21st May 2008. visit www.informa.com.au
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2.Consumers and farmers are Marching against GMOs

Dear GM Watch

Consumers and farmers are marching in Melbourne, Australia against GM food and crops, on Wednesday 21st May beginning at the State Library at 1pm and proceding to Parliament House [more details below]. Please could you ask your network to tell all their Australian friends and family to get down to it!!
Best wishes, Madeleine Love

Consumers and farmers are Marching

By party policy 95% of elected representatives don't care that Australian consumers can't identify unlabelled genetically modified ingredients in their food, and don't care that non-GM food may be contaminated with GM products.

By contrast 92% of Australian consumers want food with GM ingredients (by intention or contamination) to be fully labelled, so those who want to buy non-GM food (free of GM contamination) can choose it.

As a body, our elected representatives are neither representing us, nor responding to our concerns. We have no recourse but to take to the streets on Wednesday 21st May for a peaceful march.

We would be delighted if you could send the notice of the forthcoming March (below and/or attached) around to your membership and anywhere else it may be welcome.

Hoping to see you on the 21st May!

Consumers and Farmers March for Safe Food not GM Food

We are fully informed about research showing GM food is likely to cause allergies, illness, and disrupted fertility in humans, and from animal studies, sterility and death.

Our State and Federal Governments and Food Regulators don't seem to be able to find this research and so we will take it to them.

Wednesday 21st May

Join us at 1pm outside the State Library (corner of Swanston and La Trobe Streets) to march to Parliament for speeches, songs and presentation of research.

A GM crops summit is being held from the 21-22nd May in Melbourne. GM canola has been planted in Victoria for the first time this year. It will end up in our food. GM sugar, wheat and pasture are coming unless we act now.

*It hasn't been scientifically tested for safety
*It's not going to feed the world
*It's not more nutritious
*It doesn't help farmers with drought
*It's not the same as ordinary plant breeding
*It puts more chemicals into the environment, and into your food
*The only thing it does is make agri-chemical companies very rich.
ASK US WHY
For more details contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Madeleine 0447 762 284
Jessica 0407 307 231
Fran 0401 407 944