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"A mountain of it would maybe be the best way to describe it" - Pete Macsmith from Macsmith Milling in New South Wales describing the large number of inquiries from concerned overseas customers since the identification of GM canola in an Australian export shipment (item 1)

"it's about giving them what they want, otherwise none of us have a market" - Pete Macsmith from Macsmith Milling (item 1)

"when we are at risk of losing our very valuable export market I think the NSW Government needs to be extremely cautious in any future trial of GM technology in this state" - Peter Draper, Member of Parliament, warning against any further GM crop trials (item 2)

"the test is to see where the liability for this recklessness lies and it had better not rest with the non-GM farmers that do not want this GM product in their crops" - Network of Concerned Farmers (item 3)

1.GM canola creates foreign customer concerns
2.MP calls for restraint in GM food crop testing
3.Jim Sutton must raise isssue of compensation with US Agriculture secretary
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1.GM canola creates foreign customer concerns
ABC Queensland, Monday, 18 July 2005
http://www.abc.net.au/news/items/200507/1416503.htm?queensland

Australian canola crushers are fielding a large number of inquiries from concerned overseas customers since the identification of genetically modified (GM) canola in an export shipment.

Grain exporter ABB Grain Limited detected low levels of GM seed in a small consignment of canola sourced from Victoria.

Pete Macsmith from Macsmith Milling in New South Wales says the Japanese in particular have been sending a lot of emails.

"A mountain of it would maybe be the best way to describe it," he said.

"I don't think panic is the right word...as I say they are just looking for some confirmation as to how this occurred, is it going to occur in the future, they just want to know the state of play.

"I mean that is what this is all about at the end of the day is that whatever part in the supply chain you fulfil, it's about giving them what they want, otherwise none of us have a market."
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2.MP calls for restraint in GM food crop testing
Monday, 18 July 2005
http://www.abc.net.au/news/items/200507/1416419.htm?newengland

The Member for Tamworth, Peter Draper, is warning the New South Wales Government against any further testing of genetically-modified (GM) food crops across the State.

Mr Draper says the contamination of Victorian canola seeds with GM material should send a clear message to the Government to maintain extreme caution.

He says the Victorian case illustrates how GM contamination could jeopardise export markets.

He says while he fully supports the GM technology in fibre crops such as cotton, he urges the Government to be careful with other trials.

"But when we are at risk of losing our very valuable export market I think the NSW Government needs to be extremely cautious in any future trial of GM technology in this state."
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3.Jim Sutton must raise isssue of compensation with US Agriculture secretary
GE free NZ Press Release

New Zealand Agriculture Minister Jim Sutton must raise the issue of compensation for NZ farmers for GE contamination when US Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns visits New Zealand next month.

Australian farmers have recently been hit by GM contamination of canola [see above] that is being attributed to mistakes in regulatory processes overseas but has left them exposed to lost sales to international markets as a result.

Julie Newman from Australia's Network of Concerned Farmers is asking for immediate legislative protection to ensure farmers can claim compensation if incomes are adversely affected.

This echoes calls made by New Zealand farmers for stricter liability laws to be introduced so that innocent farmers and the taxpayer are not left carrying the costs of damage.

In a similar decision to that of the Commerce Commission in New Zealand, the ACCC has confirmed that in order to market products as "non-GM" or "GM-free" as demanded by consumers internationally Australian farmers must ensure there is no trace of GM canola in consignments.

"We knew something like this would happen eventually but the test is to see where the liability for this recklessness lies and it had better not rest with the non-GM farmers that do not want this GM product in their crops," says Julie Newman

"Jim Sutton must raise the issue of liabilty and compensation payouts with his US counterpart," says Jon Carapiet from GE Free NZ in food and environment.

"The NZ government has been slow to recognise the need to ensure compensation mechanisms are in place to protect our farmers from loss of income as a result of markets rejecting contaminated products because of errors by US and other companies overseas."

Failure to address the issue of strict liability to ensure it rests with those responsible for the contamination leaves New Zealand's economic well being at risk and exposes us to potential cost running to billions of dollars for clean-up and in lost exports.

ENDS

Jon Carapiet 0210 507 681
http://www.non-gm-farmers.com/news_details.asp?ID=2274
Press Release - NETWORK OF CONCERNED FARMERS
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