NASAA have confirmed reports that longstanding WA grower, Steve Marsh, has recently been the victim of GM contamination despite his best efforts to avoid it. Following confirmation that the genetically manipulated (GM) canola plants have indeed contaminated Steve Marsh’s certified organic farm from a neighboring property, NASAA has decertified the affected portion of his farm (325 ha’s) until it can be demonstrated that these areas are GM free. For future certification to be regained... ...Read more »

A West Australian organic farmer is in limbo, awaiting state government test results and facing genetic manipulation giant Monsanto’s legal wrath. Steve Marsh’s organic farm has been decertified over GM canola contamination from a neighbour’s farm.Monsanto revealed today that it would give legal support to the GM grower if Mr Marsh sought redress for his losses through the courts. “For years we called for Farmer Protection laws because GM contamination was inevitable once... ...Read more »

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) this week released details of proposed changes to the Food Standards Code and invited comment from interested organisations and individuals. Among the changes under consideration are the approval of a GM corn, steviol as a high intensity sweetener, and food for special medical purposes. Anyone can apply to amend the Food Standards Code. FSANZ assesses the safety of any new food, substance or food production technology and conducts a regulatory impact... ...Read more »

A West Australian organic farmer has found genetically manipulated (GM) canola seeds contaminating nearly two thirds of his arable land. Australian organic standards mandate zero tolerance for any GM so he will consider suing for financial loss, the first case of its kind in Australia. Steve Marsh says he used test strips to identify the seeds of GM canola which have blown more than 1.5 km inside his boundary and contaminated about 220 hectares. He believes the seed may have blown in after a neighbouring... ...Read more »

Bee mortality is rising while the number of beekeepers in Europe is declining, all of which could have a serious impact on food production since most plants and crops are pollinated by bees. The European Parliament has issued a call for the EU to step up support to the beekeeping industry when the common agricultural policy is next revamped. With 76% of food production and 84% of plant species dependent on pollination by bees, Parliament’s resolution adopted on Thursday asks the Commission... ...Read more »

Federal District Judge Jeffrey S. White has issued a preliminary injunction ordering the immediate destruction of hundreds of acres of genetically engineered (GE) sugar beet seedlings planted in September after finding the seedlings had been planted in violation of federal law. The ruling comes in a lawsuit filed by Earthjustice and Center for Food Safety on behalf of a coalition of farmers and conservation groups. The lawsuit was filed on September 9, shortly after the U.S. Department of Agriculture... ...Read more »

The Food Regulation Ministerial Council will receive the Blewett report on national Food Labelling Law and Policy in Adelaide today but will not release it. Gene Ethics has called for immediate publication and says a delay of many months is unacceptable.”The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) has no right to keep citizens waiting any longer for stronger food labelling laws,” says Bob Phelps, Gene Ethics’ Director. “Governments must release the Blewett report to the community... ...Read more »

Current high levels of consumer confidence in Europe’s food industry could be damaged if the use of nanotechnology is not properly regulated or managed, the CIAA Congress in Brussels was told on Friday. In its final conference session, delegates debated the question of trust between food manufacturers and the public. Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle, executive director of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) stressed a recent report by the EU’s Eurobarometer survey that had shown European... ...Read more »

DuPont and the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics (ACPFG) announced that they have extended their long-standing research collaboration and commitment to increasing productivity in leading production crops. DuPont business Pioneer Hi-Bred and ACPFG partnered in 2005 to discover and develop traits to increase drought tolerance and to decrease the need for soil-applied nitrogen fertilizer, as well as to grow overall crop yields in corn, soybeans, rice, wheat, canola, sorghum and barley.... ...Read more »

Monsanto’s herbicide Roundup used on genetically manipulated (GM) Roundup Ready crops is linked to human cell death, birth defects, cancer and miscarriages, says a report released at the European Parliament by an international group of scientists. The report comes at a crucial time for Australia, where a popular infant soy formula has tested positive to unlabelled GM soy and corn, and Roundup Ready canola and cotton are grown. The report, “GM Soy: Sustainable? Responsible?”, highlights... ...Read more »