GMW: Farmers slam Bayer for contamination/Lab reprimanded

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GMW: Farmers slam Bayer for contamination/Lab reprimanded

" GM WATCH " <info

Thu, 14 Jul 2005 10:44:08 +0100

 

 

 

GM WATCH daily

http://www.gmwatch.org

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1.Farmers slam Bayer Cropscience for contamination

2.Lab reprimanded - GE and non-GE plants not separated properly

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1.Farmers slam Bayer Cropscience for contamination

Press Release - for immediate release

Network of Concerned Farmers, 14 July 2005

http://www.non-gm-farmers.com/news_details.asp?ID=2275

 

Farmers are outraged at the report that there was 0.01% contamination

found in an Australian Barley Board non-GM canola consignment destined

for Japan.

 

" If Bayer Cropscience think that farmers are going to accept losses in

markets or additional costs because of these unwanted GM genes, they

can think again, " said Julie Newman, National Spokesperson for the

Network of Concerned Farmers. " Wake up Bayer, it is a major problem for

farmers and markets and because there is a moratorium the problem is for

Bayer Cropscience to recall the product. "

 

" We don't want liability for a product we do not want and do not need,

yet farmers sign guarantees that we have no GM in our produce " she

explained. " Liability should be on Bayer Cropscience's shoulders, not on

farmers. "

 

" If we can not control contamination coming from across the other side

of the world, how on earth can we control it with a 5 metre buffer zone

as suggested. Saying that is the fault of United States and Canada due

to some imported breeding lines is ludicrous and little more than an

excuse that gives others the blame for negligence. "

 

The Australian Oilseeds Federation is pushing for tolerance levels

where some " adventitous presence " of GM is allowed in non-GM seed. The

ACCC

has confirmed that in order to market as " non-GM " or " GM-free " there

must be no trace of GM canola in the consignment. Markets and supply

chains are demanding guarantees of no trace of GM in many Australian

products.

 

" Setting a tolerance level that does not comply with law and does not

comply with market demand is totally negligent " said Mrs Newman.

 

The Network of Concerned Farmers is asking for immediate legislative

protection to ensure farmers can claim compensation if incomes are

adversely affected.

 

" 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. "

 

" This company has no concern for sabotaging Australia's clean, green

GM-Free image. "

 

Contact Julie Newman 08 98711562 or 08 98711644.

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2.Lab reprimanded

GE and non-GE plants not separated properly in NZ greenhouse

SUNDAY STAR TIMES, 13 Jul 2005

 

GE and non-GE plants could have mingled during a breach of containment

rules at a New Zealand research facility.

 

The problem was discovered during a routine inspection of a

HortResearch® glasshouse in Palmerston North, the Sunday Star Times

reported.

 

The Crown research institute has been reprimanded and ordered to

immediately construct a screen to separate the plants.

 

The " low risk " research is on the arabidopsis plant, a member of the

cabbage family.

 

Greens co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons told the Sunday Star Times that

the non-compliance showed rules were not being treated seriously.

 

" It represents a pretty casual attitude and it could well indicate they

might be casual about other rules. "

 

{letters to editor: email: letters}

 

 

 

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