GM canola contaminates organic farm
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 GM canola farmer swathed the crop to prepare for harvest and the severed dry stalks and seeds became airborne.
Mr Marsh’s organic certifiers, the National Association of Sustainable Agriculture Australia (NASAA) is conducting an official investigation.
“Our livelihood is at stake as we are a certified organic farm and rely on the premium that comes with selling guaranteed GM-free organic food, in Australia and in overseas markets,” Mr Marsh says. “Governments that allow GM canola to be grown must ensure whatever a farmer does within their boundary does not impact on neighbouring farms. But clearly, the technology can’t be contained.
Gene Ethics Cropwatch technician Jessica Harrison says governments have favoured only the GM industry and their growers. “In a letter to Mr Marsh, WA Agriculture Minister Terry Redman recently wrote: ‘… zero per cent thresholds are unrealistic in biological systems’. Yet on March 11 this year, when announcing an end to the GM canola ban, Redman had said: ‘The trials proved GM and non-GM canola can be segregated and marketed separately’.
“The government mislead us and now our farmers and consumers are paying the price. Laws need to be enacted to protect the majority of farmers want to stay GM-free. Farmers must be compensated for any loss of premiums and certification that result from GM contamination.
“A majority of people will not buy GM contaminated food products and are flocking to organics but this incident puts that trust under a cloud.
“Canola has been found to sprout for up to sixteen years, according to the Office of Gene Technology Regulator which licensed the crop,” Ms Harrison concludes.
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If my next door neighbour (Orange NSW) took action which impacts on standard of living then I am able to take legal action. Given that Steve Marsh’s livelihood as an organic grower has been compromised cannot the same logic apply?
Steve Marsh deserves the support of all folk who believe in the rights of the individual to make a living off the land in a way that is aligned with his farming or environmental principles. When that cannot happen, as is the case in this instance, compensation should be forthcoming. Perhaps we need a test case.
I’m reminded of the Percy Schmeiser case. His canola crop was contaminated by Monsanto’s gmo variety, and he was the one that got sued, because Monsanto managed to get legislation passed that made it illegal to grow THEIR canola, even if it was due to contamination. They tried to seize his farm. The case dragged on for years and cost him dearly to defend himself against these people. So at least, apparently in Australia, they can’t do that. I would urge the Australian government to kick these people (I use the term loosely) out of the country.
http://www.percyschmeiser.com/
Monsanto should stick to Astroturf, they seem rather incompetent in agriculture.
The introduction of GM canola, we were told, was all about “choice”. Now it appears that critics were right and the choice is really for GM companies to pollute and therefore remove the ability of people to choose non-GM or organic.
The moratorium on GM canola must be reinstated and Steve Marsh compensated and funded to ensure his farm is de-contaminated so he suffers no loss of the ability to grow organic food.
If this does not happen it will be clear that Australian governments are allowing GM companies free rein to pollute our land and food for their own benefit.
If you are confused by all the GM talk try reading “The Genesis Flaw” by LA Larkin. It is a thriller about GM canola. It is great read and shows one of the potentially dangerous effects of this GM experiment we are all being subjected to. The science around which the plot revolves is valid. Read it over the hols and begin to understand the depths of this folly.
Can’t agree more about “Choice”. From the offset this has been about choice for GM farmers, while non GM farmers have been told that they HAVE to accept GM contamination (up to 0.9% which means that they can’t label food GM free) so consumers miss out and have to accept contaminated canola products and certified organic farmers, like Steve Marsh, lose their certification, and lucrative markets for food products that are actually in demand. Ever heard of people demanding the right to eat GM food?
Monsanto is EVIL, they could not care less if they kill people with their GM rubbish, as long as they get their money!
To find out more about Monsanto and GM crops, watch Food Inc. This is a fabulous movie, a real eye opener.
so much scientific evidence against GMO’s and still we have NO CHOICE
please read the links
http://oversight.house.gov/images/stories/Testimony/20100728Roush.pdf
http://oversight.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=921%3A07-28-2010-domestic-policy-qare-superweeds-an-outgrowth-of-usda-biotech-policy-part-iq&catid=18%3Asubcommittee-on-regulatory-affairs&Itemid=1
http://oversight.house.gov/images/stories/Testimony/20100728Kimbrell.pdf
IF THE TPP TREATY IS SIGNED THEN MONSANTO WILL HAVE THE POWERS TO SUE FOR LOSE OF PROFITS AND TAKEOVER OUR GOVERNMENT LEGISLATIONS.
PLEASE RALLY FOR GREATER EXPOSURE OF THE TPP AND REMOVE THE
ISDS provisions.
http://aftinet.org.au/cms/node/667
Stop the corporate bulliesnow!
To ensure Australia’s independence, the way that the TPP disadvantages Australians TPP needs to be exposed.
All I can say is that this entire GMO busines is disgusting and run by greedy money hungry people, and supported by greedy money hungry governments who care nothing about the health of the people, but only about filling their own pockets. I bet they don’t eat any of that GMO shit. I just wish Steve Marsh wins and kudos to him for trying to make this a better world.
Please DO NOT allow Monsanto or companies of their ilk to operate in Australia. They are pure evil. They, will, and do with their money and power, manipulate governments to their advantage. They strip people of their rights and ruin livelihoods in the process. Steve Marsh should be compensated immediately for his situation and all assistance rendered to allow him and his family to carry on as they had planned. There should be no need for expensive court cases as common sense should prevail. The only real winners will be the lawyers. Monsanto will just write any expenses off to operating costs and continue on their path of destruction. The genetically modified products from Monsanto are not needed here or anywhere else for that matter. Control them now or pay the price.
How unfair !!
NO to Monsanto!!
Please do not allow foreign corporations to come into our country and control and manipulate our food security….more transparency of this TPP
Monsanto has been operating unethically in multiple countries for several years . It’s time to put a stop to their products that harm the very products that we eat. I wish Steve Marsh all the luck in the world when he goes against high-priced lawyers.
It’s the same old story, the little man fighting the large conglomerate…..who wins? quess.
GMO has no place on earth
Monsanto are jerks,and need to be made accountable for their actions Don’t ruin Australian land like you have done in America . Blind is what the people are not!
Hi, How are you? Hopefully well and getting some sort of break that consists of more than a weekend over the Christmas break. I have a few questions to ask and if u do or don’t get back to me is entirely up to you. Here we go 🙂 1) How can u compete with GM Growers who grow more, cheaper produce. 2) what’s the difference between introducing elements/fertilisers naturally to boost NPK and regulate acidity from using manufactured high concentrated versions and fertilisers.3) when using manure do u take into account the grains and grasses these animals consume are not GM. Thank u for your Time have a Merry Xmas and New Year
I wish huge corporations would just stop being so nasty. Give the little guy a break for once!
I wonder if the Monsanto crowd eat food made from their own GMO crops. Interestingly, there where no reported cases of wheat intolerance before GMO . Unproven I know, nut enough for a “backward”(?) country like Peru to ban all GMO seeds for the next 10 years.
I’m so fed up with Monsanto and other GMO related companies getting away with poisoning us and getting the FDA approval to do so.
please don’t let Monsanto take over the world they can sue whom they like if their seeds fall on your land they can claim money of you yes you the ordinary person who will be left pennyless and have to fight those who have the power of money behind them. they don’t care about the environment, people only profit and making fat cats richer so please stop the march on ordinary people by the big wigs
It should be law that Australia go organic, then the price would be the same and the food actually be sustainable and good for you!.
I don’t have a degree, nor any other qualification, just common sense, perhaps I had some non gmo food growing up so my brain can still function better than a politician.
So – where is the donate button for Steve’s legal defense?
I will rally the people to vote against any government that allow any corporate takeover of our country and people’s first preference will be other than Labor, Liberal, Greens, Clive and only the smaller parties will receive that first choice and receive that money and the people will be encouraged to stop this 2 tier system of voting, we do not want GMO foods or TTP treaty that will take away our rights or we the people come back with a vengence. Step aside you traitors.
Stop Monsanto!
This contamination has got to stop! We deserve and reserve the right to ‘natural’ food. Please stop Monsanto from this travesty.
There is plenty of evidence that GMO is Frankenstein Food and Monsanto have no interest in agriculture they are only interested in profits and conning govts in they are anything but evil.
Steve Marsh,
it is similar to a neighbour keeping unrestrained goats. In America this neighbour then sues you because you have their ‘goats’ in your crops without their permission – you are not permitted to sue for damage or loss of crop. IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE! Feel free to use the parallel.
This is precisely what the opposition to GM techniques is all about. Once you start messing about with the genetics of plants you disrupt the entire genome-nothing is safe. They cannot provide the safeguards they claim; this is an abuse of knowledge.
It is one thing to breed hardy strains, to maximize yields and pest resistance-it is a whole order beyond to reach in and alter the genetic structures-the consequences cannot be accurately predicted. Very few people want this GM technology, and they are forcing it onto the world. Now, are we being ‘represented’ here, or dictated to…as usual we remain oblivious while our freedoms are taken away.
Make this the news story of the year