Home Page  Biodiversity Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)
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Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) |
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Written by Bridget Carlin
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Sunday, 01 May 2005 |
Are we putting the welfare of our descendants in jeopardy at the behest of the multi national agro-chemical industry?
‘Is there a debate in Ireland?’ would be a very legitimate and pertinent question. It seems that no one is thinking about the fact that our food security is in such jeopardy. Well, thank God, some one is taking action, and he desperately needs the support of likeminded people to bring the issue to the fore in our media and in the consciousness of our politicians.
I was privileged to meet Michael O’Callaghan recently, he is chairman of Global Vision Consulting Ltd, which is co-ordinating the GM Free – Ireland campaign.
GM-free Ireland is a multi-stakeholder network for social, political and legal action to keep the whole of this Island GM-free. Time is of the essence because the EU is under huge pressure from the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the US government to open the door for transnational biotech/agribusiness corporations to invade us with GM food, GM animal feed, and patented GM seeds, crops and livestock. This imposes unacceptable environmental, social and economic threats because;
1. Genetically modified living organisms (MLOs) endanger global ecological stability - there is no way to stop modified genes from spreading after their release.
2. the long term effects of GM food on human and animal health are unknown
3. GM contamination threatens all farmers and will make organic farming impossible. It will impose a huge burden of paper work and bureaucracy on all farmers whether they opt to grow GM crops or not
4. Throughout the continent of America farmers whose crops have been contaminated by GM pollen have been sued by biotech companies. Farmers planting GM crops have had their crops destroyed and been sued for contaminating their neighbours crops.
5. Insurance and re-insurance companies are refusing to cover farmers for claims made against them involving GM crops.
6. The majority of EU consumers don’t want GM food (90% in the UK – no figures available for Ireland)
GM-free Ireland calls on all individuals and organisations to realise their responsibility as citizens of a democracy and take action. See www.gmfreeireland.org for more information and action to take. Contact the Taoiseach, Senators, Ministers, TDs, and MEPs and express your concerns about the GM issue.
Michael O’Callaghan says: ‘releasing GMOs into the environment is irresponsible because it is irreversible. There is no way to stop GM crops from spreading their genes and contaminating the rest of the eco-system once they are released. Biotech propaganda would have us believe that GM plants will end world hunger, but the reality is that it will increase corporate control of the world food supply and damage farmers, consumers and the environment.
The benefits of GM, if any, are doubtful, but the advantages of keeping Ireland GM free are certain. It will protect our natural capital, advance our transition to sustainability, strengthen our world famous, nuclear free, green image and boost the long-term value of the nation’s farming and eco-tourism sectors. We would have to be complete idiots to allow the GM invasion’
DID YOU KNOW
Monsanto & other biotech/agribusiness corporations have filed at least sixteen applications to get GM products into Ireland. The Food Safety Authority has ten applications pending and the Environmental Protection Agency has six. The role of the Department of Agriculture is to register permissible seeds and introduce rules to stop cross contamination from the ‘co-existence’ of natural and GM crops in nearby fields. Bob Dylan’s song ‘Blowing In The Wind ‘ springs to mind!
Over 35 years ago, when I was studying science at school, I recall it being drummed into us that any experiment carried out without a control group/experiment was worthless. As far as I can see the biotech industry is flagrantly ignoring that basic tenet in the rush to get GMOs established in every corner of the world. It strikes me that Ireland is in an excellent position to be the ‘control’ for this venture because;
1. We are geographically isolated and surrounded by water
2. In Ireland most of the wind blows in from the Atlantic, therefore the danger of contamination from wind borne GM pollen from Europe is slight and even GM pollen is unlikely to make it all the way across the ocean
3. We have the lowest previous GM exposure in the EU.
In the event of GM disasters occurring in other states it would befit the EU to develop a safety strategy and designating Ireland as a GM free biosafety reserve now would be an appropriate first step.
Don’t be duped into a false sense of security, there are many examples of such disasters occurring. One such is that involving American scientists who discovered GM contaminated maize in a remote, mountainous part of Mexico, the area is a centre of diversity for wild species of maize. GM proponents claim that the pollen could not travel any where near the distance from the nearest GM planting – but it did! Professor Chapela of the university of California, one of the scientists who discovered the contaminated maize, has since been persecuted and vilified by the enraged and embarrassed biotech industry, who have adopted completely unethical tactics to try and damage his credibility. They have also agreed a $25,000,000 funding deal with the university and surprise, surprise! Professor Chapela’s job is now under threat. Thankfully he is a principled man and still speaking his mind
‘I have long stood against the folly of planting 100 million acres with transgenic (GM) crops each year, without knowing even the simplest consequences of such a massive intervention in the biosphere. An increasing number of scientists seem to be reaching the same position (even though they are) not voicing their best understanding. Fear is justified when even the president of the country (USA) equates with criminal acts any questioning of the wisdom of deploying transgenic* crops’
A growing number of nations and regions – especially those with a reputation for quality food exports – are in the process of outlawing GM food, seeds, crops, livestock and animal feeds. These include Austria, Wales, the Italian provinces of Tuscany and Piedmonte, the Swiss canton of Ticino and the Tanzanians are now refusing to grow GM food crops for export to Europe because there is no market for it. Wouldn’t it be great if Ireland were to join this list?
Support the GM Free Ireland campaign for the sake of food security here, in the EU and worldwide. Let’s not put the welfare of our descendants in jeopardy at the behest of the multi national agro-chemical industry and their desire for quick profits.
References:
www.global-vision.org do consult that and www.theecologist.com & www.grain.org for more detailed information.{mos_sb_discuss:8} |
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