1.Government's approach to 'coexistence' fatally flawed - Peter Melchett
2.South Africa's largest dairy rBGH-free + FACT SHEET on rBGH (very informative)
---
1.Government's approach to 'coexistence' fatally flawed - Peter Melchett
From this week's Farmers Weekly:
Dear Editor,
You report that some 'staunch' defenders of organic farming accept that organic and GM crops 'will coexist' (News, 20 October). The Soil Association takes a much more robust view of what is needed to defend the interests of Britain's organic farmers. Working with Friends of the Earth and GM Freeze, we have been advised by a top QC that the Government's approach to 'coexistence' is fatally flawed and unlawful.
Our legal advice is that the Government's proposal to set a 0.9% coexistence threshold for GM in non-GM crops is not compatible with European law. The Government's attempts to exclude certain types of growing or farming activities like allotment holders, farmers producing their own fodder, and farmers who save seed, from the scope of the proposed coexistence measures are not compatible with European law. The Government's proposal not to have a public register of all GM crop locations is clearly illegal.
Most importantly, it is clear that natural justice, and on this occasion our legal advice says EU law also, requires coexistence between GM and non-GM to allow farmers "to make a practical choice between conventional, organic and GM crop production". The Government's proposals to permit a certain level of GM content do not enable farmers to make such a choice. Unlike the Government's unlawful proposals, fair coexistence measures would be aiming at "preventing the avoidable contamination of non-GM produce and not to merely minimising such contamination to (arbitrarily fixed) tolerance levels".
I know that Peter Kendall says that local and organic food are merely 'niche' and 'boutique' products (Letters, 20 October), which is presumably why the NFU supports the Government's proposals to allow routine GM contamination of organic and other locally produced British food. Farmers can of course take their lead from the pro-GM NFU, and bet their future on the currently non-existent market for GM food - the 'not even a niche' product. Alternatively, farmers may want to listen to their customers - Sainsbury's says that organic food is now "mainstream", UK sales are growing at 30% a year, and we currently face severe shortages of British organic product.
Yours,
Peter Melchett
---
2.South Africa's largest dairy 'rBST-free' - Andrew Taynton
From Andrew Taynton:
Clover Dairies, South Africa's largest dairy are now carrying the 'rBST-free' label on their cartons. They have not even had time to update their web site. I phoned and reminded them a few minutes ago. They also export milk to Botswana and Lesotho.
This is a great victory, we just need our government to ban it now.
To see why rBST or rBGH should be banned see document below:
rBGH-FREE OREGON CAMPAIGN
FACT SHEET
PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (PSR), OREGON CHAPTER
Definition: Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH or rBST) is a genetically engineered drug produced by the Monsanto Corporation. It is injected into dairy cows and induces them to increase milk production by 5-15%. It’s estimated that 20-25% of the cows in Oregon are given this drug.
Background: The FDA approved rBGH in November 1993 amidst widespread criticism from government leaders and scientists (including many inside the FDA) who questioned the objectivity of the approval process. In reviewing the scientific evidence, both Canadian and European scientists concluded that significant questions and problems remain regarding human health and animal welfare.
Based on this evidence, all 25 nations of the European Union have banned rBGH, as have Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan . In fact, most industrialized nations of the world have disallowed its use. The U.N. food safety organization, Codex Alimentarius, has declined three times to declare the drug safe.
In the U.S., so many consumers in Maine have refused to buy dairy products from rBGH-treated cows that there is virtually no milk sold there from cows that have received it. In northern California, most dairy farmers and dairies have also stopped using the drug in response to consumer demand.
The problems with rBGH:
Increased cancer risk: When rBGH is injected into a cow, it elevates levels of another powerful growth hormone, IGF-1, which in excessive amounts has been linked in hundreds of studies to an increase in breast, prostate, colon, lung and other cancers in humans. Numerous scientific studies suggest IGF-1 in milk survives digestion and enters the bloodstream in sufficient quantities to potentially trigger increased cancer rates.
· Antibiotic resistance: Cows given rBGH may experience higher rates of mastitis, a painful udder infection. Mastitits is commonly treated with antibiotics such as penicillin, amoxicillin and erythromycin, which are also used to treat infections in humans. Bacteria resistant to these antibiotics can pass into humans through dairy products. This can result in increased antibiotic resistance in humans, a major health problem that is worsening each year.
Harm to cows: In addition to mastitis, rBGH has been demonstrated to increase the incidence of 16 different harmful effects in cows, including birth disorders, increased pus in milk, hoof problems, heat stress, diarrhea, and other gynecological and gastrointestinal disturbances.
Labeling: The FDA ruled that dairy products from cows treated with rBGH are not required to be labeled. Consequently, most people that consume these products don’t realize it. However, some dairies label their products rBGH-, rBST- or artificial hormone-free. Also, certified organic dairy products, by definition, don’t come from cows treated with rBGH.
What you can do: Avoid unnecessary risks to your health by checking the labels and buying only dairy products free from rBGH-treated cows. Contact supermarkets and schools to support the use and sale of rBGH-free products. You can also sign up for our e-mail update list to learn more and stay current on the campaign.
PSR's Goal: Discontinue the production of any dairy products within Oregon from cows treated with rBGH. This will be done through a wide-ranging grass roots consumer education and action campaign.
To find out how you can help, or for more information: Contact Rick North, Project Director, at 503-968-1520 or [email protected]. This is also available under "Programs" at our website www.oregonpsr.org.
(SEE REVERSE SIDE FOR DOCUMENTATION)
DOCUMENTATION
rBGH increases mastitis rates in cows:
Broom D. et al, Report of the (European Union) Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare on Aspects of the Use of Bovine Somatotropin, http://europa.eu.int , accessed March 1999.
Doohoo I. et al, Report of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association expert panel on rBST, www.hc-sc.gc.ca, accessed April 10, 2004 , section 7.
Freedom of Information summary for Posilac®, FDA, November 1993, Section 6-j.
Kronfeld D., Concerns about bovine somatotropin, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association., July 15, 1993 , 203(2):190-192.
Kronfeld D., Recombinant bovine somatotropin and animal welfare, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association., June 1, 2000, 216(11):1719-1720.
rBGH increases IGF-1 levels in cows:
Freedom of Information summary for Posilac®, FDA, November 1993, Section 7 a-f.
Juskevich J. and Guyer G., Bovine Growth Hormone: Human Food Safety Evaluation, Science, Aug. 24, 1990, 249(4971): 879-883.
Miller M. et al, unpublished report MSL 8673, Monsanto Agricultural Company, 1989.
Torkelson A. et al, Concentrations of IGF-1 in bovine milk, Journal of Dairy Science, 1988, 71(52).
White T. et al, unpublished report MSL 8671, Monsanto Agricultural Company, 1989.
IGF-1 in milk may survive digestion:
Anderle, P. et al, In Vitro Assessment of Intestinal IGF-1 Stability, Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jan. 2002, 91:1.
Cooperative Research Centre, Women's and Children's Hospital, N. Adelaide , Australia , Journal of Endocrinology, 1995, 146:215-225.
Kimura T. et al, Gastrointestinal absorption of recombinant human insulin-like growth factor-1 in rats, Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 1997, 283:611-618.
Playford R. et al, Effect of luminal growth factor preservation on intestinal growth, Lancet, April 1993, 3(341):843-848.
rBST Internal Review Team, rBST "Gaps Analysis" Report, Health Protection Branch, Health Canada, April 21, 1998 .
Xian C. et al, Degradation of IGF-1 in the adult rat gastrointestinal tract is limited by a specific antiserum or the dietary protein casein, Journal of Endocrinology, 1995, 146:215-225.
IGF-1 levels in milk may be at a high enough level to affect human health:
Heaney R. et al, Dietary changes favorably affect bone remodeling in older adults, Journal of the American Dietetic Association, October 1999, 99:1229-1233.
Holmes M. et al, Dietary correlates of plasma insulin-like growth factor 1 and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 concentrations, Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention,, Sept. 2002, 11(9):852-861.
Lahm H. et al, Growth regulation and co-stimulation of human colorectal cancer cell lines by insulin-like growth factor I, II and transforming growth factor alpha, British Journal of Cancer, March 1992, 65(3):341-346.
Ma J. et al, Milk intake, circulating levels of IGF-1 and risk of colorectal cancer in men, Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Sept. 5, 2001, 93(17):1330-1336.
Smith, G. et al, Editorial: Cancer and Insulin-like Growth Factor-1, British Medical Journal, Oct. 7, 2000 , 321:847-848.
IGF-1 is associated with increased cancer risk:
Chan J. et al, Plasma insulin-like growth factor-1 and prostate cancer risk: a prospective study, Science, Jan. 23, 1998 , 279(5350):563-566.
Giovannucci E. et al, A prospective study of plasma IGF-1 and binding protein-3 and risk of colorectal neoplasia in women, Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 2000, 9:345-349.
Hankinson S. et al, Circulating concentrations of insulin-like growth factor 1 and risk of breast cancer, Lancet, May 9, 1998, 351(9113):1393-1396.
Lukanova A. et al, Circulating levels of IGF-1 and risk of ovarian cancer, International Journal of Cancer, October 20, 2002 , 101(6):549-554.
Moschos S. and Mantzoros C., The Role of the IGF System in Cancer: From Basic to Clinical Studies and Clinical Applications, Oncology, Nov. 4, 2002, 63(4):317-332.
Yu H. and Rohan T., Role of the Insulin-Like Growth Factor Family in Cancer Development and Progression, Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Sept. 20, 2000, 92(18):1472-1489.
Yu H. et al, Plasma levels of IGF-1 and lung cancer risk: a case-control analysis, Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Jan. 20, 1999, 91(2):151-156.
Go to a Print friendly Page
Email this Article to a Friend
Back to the Archive
|
