| WEEKLY WATCH number 150 (10/11/2005) | |
|
from Claire Robinson, WEEKLY WATCH editor Dear all: Anyone struck by the contrast between the absence of appropriate precaution displayed by so many British and American politicians over pollution, global warming and emergency planning for 'natural' disasters, and the excess of precaution the same people display over bird flu, should read our section, POLITICANS MAKE MONEY FROM DISEASE SCARES. And there's great news about the Polish farmer who faced prison for protesting against GMOs (EUROPE). And South Africa looks set to turn its back on the GM cattle drug rBST, under pressure from its milk suppliers (AFRICA). Claire [email protected] ------------------------------------------------------------ + OZ FARM GROUPS IN BED WITH GM LOBBYISTS This is combined with a call for Western Australia's Agriculture Minister to stop "politicising" the GM issue, and to stop "working in isolation within the comfort zone provided by the [GM] moratorium", and to embrace instead "the wealth of knowledge available through industry expertise"! It's not every day that a government minister is baldly advised to give up his political judgement in favour of heavily-lobbied industry advice! But such a corrupt proposition apparently makes perfect sense to the President and the Communications Officer of WAFarmers. Meanwhile, an ex-Monsanto manager for GM crops in Australia publicly boasts about how he has helped to "evolve" the policies of "the Gene Technology Grains Committee, Australian Seeds Federation, Australian Oilseeds Federation and more recently Ausbiotech, and the Grains Council of Australia." In short, it seems to be GM industry lobbyists who shape the policies of the bodies that supposedly represent Australia's farmers. "We are being sold out by our industry leaders and they should be held accountable for accepting liability on behalf of farmers," said Juliet McFarlane, canola grower from Young, NSW. "Why are existing policies being ignored? Why are ex-Monsanto managers and GM companies now actively working with farm lobby groups to evolve policies and strategies? ... The GM industry must be laughing at our industry leaders. The GM benefits are just not there to pay for the multitudes of parasites wanting to profit from GM introduction." The NCF claim that State lobby groups such as NSW Farmers, WA Farmers, GRDC, AWB and GCA are making statements that clearly oppose the policies and constitutions of their own organisations. + NEW REPORT ON BT COTTON PROBLEMS IN ANDHRA PRADESH EXCERPTS FROM THE NEW REPORT: Other Bt-cotton fields are severely infested with the sucking pest complex - jassids, aphids and thrips...the boll size, number of bolls and cotton weight in Bt-hybrids is less compared to non-Bt Cotton hybrids... Bt Cotton is severely affected by leaf curl and reddening of leaf was found as a result of both damage by jassids and leaf curl of TSV [Tobacco Streak Virus] transmitted by thrips [the incidence of TSV on Bt cotton has been confirmed by various agencies...] ...[very close] non-Bt cotton fields are affected by these pests and diseases to a very low degree. The overall growth of the Bt-crop was stunted... However, other non-Bt hybrid crops in the vicinity have grown above three feet... Farmers say they can expect a good crop from non-Bt fields. Read the report in full. "In such a situation it is difficult to conclude that GM foods are safe," he told an audience that was described in the Financial Express as "spell-bound". |
|