Farm News from Cropchoice
An alternative news service for American farmers
http://www.cropchoice.com
10/17/2003
Resisting moral blackmail; GM crops as new colonialism; Wasting energy over energy bill clash; Sprawling destruction of farmland; Other
CropChoice news, commentary
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(Friday, Oct. 17, 2003 -- CropChoice news) -- Following are excerpts from some of the CropChoice news and commentary items this week and last.
1. Resisting moral blackmail
by Brewster Kneen
The Ram's Horn
(Thursday, Oct. 16, 2003 -- CropChoice guest commentary) -- In a departure
from our usual style, this issue is mainly devoted to one case study.
Maybe it is a celebration of Cancun and the defeat of the US, the EU and the WTO at the hands of the Third World, or what some still call the ëdevelopingà countries. In any case, we felt it is important to present the documentation, along with analysis, of the biotech industryÃs propaganda campaign in Africa and around the world, trying to impress the public with its promise that biotech is the only way to feed the poor starving Africans. The focus is on Kenya, USAID, Monsanto, and an agent named Florence Wambugu. While we have been accumulating articles and reports about the biotech lobby and Wambugu for at least 8 years (some of which have appeared in previous issues of The RamÃs Horn), it was the arrival of the extensive, carefully researched article by Aaron diGrassi that suggested it was time to pull it all together to illustrate the propaganda strategy of the biotech industry...
http://www.cropchoice.com/leadstry.asp?recid=2126
2.Are GM crops the new colonialism?
by Paul Beingessner
Canadian farmer, writer
(Thursday, Oct. 16, 2003 -- CropChoice guest commentary) -- As I discussed in an earlier column, the biotech industry is struggling mightily to get genetically modified food crops accepted around the world. For giant agriculture-chemical companies like Monsanto, it is a win some/lose some kind of battle. Monsanto appeared to win recently when the Brazilian government announced it would allow the planting of GM soybeans - an already widespread practice due to seed smuggled from Argentina. On the other hand, the GM industry took a hit in Britain when crop trials were declared invalid and will now require another three years to complete...
http://www.cropchoice.com/leadstry.asp?recid=2123
3. Sprawl destroys our bounteous land
By Denise Low
Prairie Writers Circle
(Thursday, Oct. 16, 2003 -- CropChoice guest commentary) -- I teach at a Native American university next to a modern battleground.
The fight is over a highway proposed through wetlands. In the news media, this is reduced to the frontier model of pioneers -- business interests -- versus Indians. Other serious problems are negated...
http://www.cropchoice.com/leadstry.asp?recid=2133
4. Energy bill clash is a waste of energy
By Dave Frederickson
National Farmers Union President
(Thursday, Oct. 16, 2003 -- CropChoice guest commentary) -- For a second year, the omnibus energy bill is bogged down in disputes over electric deregulation, drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and gasoline additives. Unfortunately, these battles are complicating a popular and needed provision to promote energy independence and provide opportunities in rural America... http://www.cropchoice.com/leadstry.asp?recid=2134
5. What's in that Chinese honey?
(Thursday, Oct. 16, 2003 -- CropChoice news) -- From a news release:
Imagine sitting back on the veranda of your favorite resort hotel to enjoy a cup of tea and a sunset. But before you open that little packet of honey to sweeten things up, you might want to consider who produced that honey, and what they put inside of it!
This Saturday at 9AM Pacific, the Food Chain with Michael Olson hosts Gene Brandi, Chairman of the National Honey Board, for a conversation about the tide of Chinese honey flooding into the United States...
http://www.cropchoice.com/leadstry.asp?recid=2131
6. Largest ever study finds GM crops 'harm wildlife'...
http://www.cropchoice.com/leadstry.asp?recid=2132
7. Monsanto to quit Europe, and other news on company...
http://www.cropchoice.com/leadstry.asp?recid=2124
8. Smithfield Foods outbids Cargill for purchase of FarmLand Industries pork assets... http://www.cropchoice.com/leadstry.asp?recid=2121
9. HarvestPlus' grants will aid biotechnology...
http://www.cropchoice.com/leadstry.asp?recid=2119
10. North Dakota firms set sail with wind industry...
http://www.cropchoice.com/leadstry.asp?recid=2117
11. Wilmington eyes wheat, corn, meal imports into US...
http://www.cropchoice.com/leadstry.asp?recid=2128
12. Southern Brazilian state bans GMO import, sale, planting...
http://www.cropchoice.com/leadstry.asp?recid=2129
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