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Are you comfortable overturning the Moratorium on GM crops in WA?
Are you comfortable overturning the Moratorium on GM crops in WA?
The WA Government is poised to let in the first GM crop, Bt Cotton, into WA unless you let them know you don't want this to happen. You need to voice your concern by 31st August to: The Minister has just released a discussion document from the Ministerial GMO Reference Group that will guide the Government in its decision making (http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/content/_...r20070803.htm). The document is essentially an advertisement for GM cotton. It does not contain counterarguments in the bulk of the document - they are left to the addendum at the back of the document. The report is not a balanced document. The Minister has said in the West Australian, "public reaction to the report's findings would play a strong role in whether the Government made GM cotton exempt from its moratorium on GM crops." It should be noted 60 - 65% of the cotton boll enters the food chain - so overturning the moratorium on GM cotton is allowing GM into our food chain! You have until 31st August to respond by email to: We urge you to respond and let your voice be heard. You can: · Download the letter to Hon Kim Chance and just send it - http://www.no-gmo.asn.au/links.html · Just email a one liner saying you don't want the Moratorium on GM overturned · Download the Cotton Discussion paper and go to the 3 addendums on pages 45,46 and 49. Use any of these points in your response. http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/content/_...mr20070803.htm · Find out more about GMO's http://conservationwa.asn.au/content/view/71/128/ · Use this information from the Conservation Council in your letter - it outlines a number of concerns about introducing GM Cotton into the Ord http://conservationwa.asn.au/images/...port170507.pdf General Points about GM GM (Genetically modified) crops are devised by scientists in the laboratory. They move genes between different species, most of which would not normally mix together in nature. For example in Bt cotton a gene from the soil bacterium (Bacillus thuringiensis) is placed in the cotton to produce a toxin that kills some cotton pests. GM foods on the market have not undergone adequate testing to ensure they are safe to eat, or safe for the environment. The Australian authorities who declare GM safe do not conduct independent testing, they rely on data provided by biotech companies. Data is emerging suggesting worrying results about GM food - http://www.no-gmo.asn.au/ The ecological effects of GM farming have not been independently researched - what is the impact of these new agricultural crops on our eco-system. Contamination of non-GM farms is common. http://www.genewatch.org/uploads/f03...eport_2006.pdf http://www.saskorganic.com/oapf/ There is a belief GM crops will eradicate poverty, reduce pesticide use and address climate issues. However yields are no more than those of non-GM crops, in the long term often require more pesticides to grow, and have not as yet addressed climate issues, often requiring more water than non-GM http://www.i-sis.org.uk/GMCFATW.php David Suzuki says "Anyone that says GE is perfectly safe is unbelievably stupid or deliberately lying. The reality is we don't know enough about what we are doing." |
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