"Bet nobody can tell me the difference between the canola oil I cook my chips in and a GM version of the same."

Gee, Steve, that's the bloody point. GM designers, or Greenpeace for that matter, siimply don't know everything GM does to genes.

Thank you very much for this article, which expresses a situation that, when aired, is regularly shouted down. The Victorian food biotech sector seems vastly oversubsidised when you consider (1) the public doesn't want its products, and (2) it is yet to produce anything of value (I'm talking solely food, here — not other crops or pharmaceuticals.)

As you write, why should taxpayers, then, foot the bill for these talkfests? This seems inherently undemocratic.

And especially since many economists and agronomists have published empirical studies that refute the claim that GM food crops lower water and pesticide use.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/gm-a-case-of-good-crop-bad-crop/2006/03/27/1143441085229.html http://www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/More-GMOs-Less-Pesticide.htm

Economic studies (see www.biotech-info.net/costs.html) also refute the claim that GM crops have increased yields and export markets. The Network of Concerned Farmers and sections of the SA Farmers' Federation have also expressed concerns about these claims, only to be shouted down. http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/07/13/australias-new-chief-scientist-a-conflict-of-interest/

I note comments from Steve Madden, Monday 14 Aug 06

"Greenpeace has shot itself in the foot yet again, they have admitted that the opposition to GM crops, which they promote, will cost farmers money. How about stopping the anti GM propaganda Greenpeace.

Bet nobody can tell me the difference between the canola oil I cook my chips in and a GM version of the same."

I suggest you do a little research for yourself before critising Greenpeace who are doing a wonderful job alerting the public to this draconian technology. If you are happy to cook your chips in oil designed for motor vehicle use, go for it. Ignorance is bliss. I have read many scientific papers and spoken to scientists regarding this technology and I do my best to avoid consuming it which is not always easy since there are no labels. I rely on the integrity of some producers who are prepared to source GE free ingredients. I try and grow my own food, that way I have control of what I eat.

The biggest lobby in the US against Monsanto and GM seeds including wheat, corn and soy seeds is not Greenpeace: It is the US farming lobby.

US farmers are going bankrupt due to patented seeds from GM crops invading their properties. This usually happens via wind or birds.

After 2001, the US Supreme court decided that genetically modified life forms of any kind can by privately patented, owned. The Corporations can demand royalties on their lifeforms. This includes body parts.

Monsanto have a habit of trespassing onto farms and finding samples of their migrating seeds. They then file law suits against the farmers for not paying royalties or patent fees. The farmers can't afford to protect themselves, and Monsanto end up claiming their farms by court action. US farmers are going bankrupt not because they purchased the seeds, but because the US legal system, forces the farmers to pay royalties. Even if farmers fight to get the wretched seeds off their property, after a while, the battle is relentless.

Mexico is very concerned as their maize is of cultural significance, and their customs have a hard time trying to keep US GM seeds out of Mexico.

The other problem is that the only way you can genetically modify the DNA in a cell is to cause a carcinogenetic cyst. There is no other way a DNA graft can penetrate and graft onto the gene. There is a probability that such malignancy is part of the DNA, and the GM products could logically cause cancer. The basis of the graft is carcinogenic.

The problem is patents, the US supreme courts rendering all property of GM products have limitless patents and royalties, and few farmers can control the spread of this corporate take-over. This take-over could also cause more cancer in health and destroy cultures of food world wide.

Forget about Greenpeace, this concern belongs to Australian farmers. Infact it concerns our economy and our health.

My concerns with GM is the point expressed in Saintfletcher’s post re farmers and their exposure to legal disputes with companies like Monsanto.

The first thing, the responsibility for control of what amounts to contamination by GMs should never be left with the farmer whose crop is contaminated.

Second, being a firm believer in the strength of diversity and avoidance of centralist policy decision making (and in single supply of seed grain), I have serious reservations re the concentration of all production into one or a very few crop strains due to the catastrophe possibility, if something should be found a problem or flaw.

Thirdly, US are usually pretty good at working out patent law, provided the monopoly lobbyists (like Monsanto) are prevented from extending the period of patent protection, then things will be fine but if monopoly corporations do extend patent protections, disaster will ensue. This applies equally to patents on aspects of human DNA, which is not invented but discovered. I hope the US FTC (a strong advocate against monopolies) prevail.

I agree with your final comment saintfletcher, it does seriously concern our entire economy

I am glad that farmers are getting a premium for their crops. This is only because of the "Frankenstein Food" scare. This was based on bad science that has been discredited.

This scare campaign makes recycled sewage pale into insignificance.

saintfletcher

"The other problem is that the only way you can genetically modify the DNA in a cell is to cause a carcinogenetic cyst. There is no other way a DNA graft can penetrate and graft onto the gene. There is a probability that such malignancy is part of the DNA, and the GM products could logically cause cancer. The basis of the graft is carcinogenic."

What a load of psuedo scientific mumbo jumbo. EVERY human produces cancerous cells EVERY day, these are killed by CD8+ CD4+ T Cells. GM foods no more logically cause cancer than water.

Patenting of organisms exists regardless of whether or not they are GM, I bought patented turf for my lawn last weekend.

Scare campaigns are easy facts are not. I await someone who can answer the question I put in my earlier post.

EmilyW I have done more research on this over the past 8 years than you can imagine, that is why I asked.