Agronomist you really are a laugh. I've never said Canada can't sell its canola, I said they have high ending stocks when we had none. Our non-GM canola has easy market access in comparison. Europe has not banned atrazine for health reasons, they banned it because they radically dropped the level for chemicals and it can't be shown that Atrazine can keep below those levels (not surprising considering users tip neat Atrazine in waterways to control water weeds.) I just read that UK has banned most chemicals since this change. You only need to look at the yield averages reported for Canada when GM canola was introduced and you will see that yields did not go up. I did a research project on Downes when I was involved in the medical field hence the interest. My key debate is that choice will be denied if GM is commercialised under current plans which unfairly put all the costs and liabilities on non-GM farmers.
Thanks Merri Bee. The GRDC trial results will be released very soon, they have been released on non-GM canola but still to come on GM. They have specific criteria that must be followed to ensure that trial results are fair http://www.nvtonline.com.au/home.htm These are far different protocols than what has been found in other trials where non-GM canola is unfairly manipulated to prevent them reaching their optimum yield.
Nufarm has the sole rights to sell Monsanto's Roundup chemical in Australia so they have a massive vested interest.
The reason trials have been denied in WA by the GM companies is that they GM canola offers nothing better than we already have. Kim Chance welcomed independent performance trials which would have given decision makers the opportunity to assess if it was going to provide a benefit.

The unpredictable process of transformation is known to result in changes in the genetic code of the transformed host DNA, but only changes in the intended novel code are reported to be sought.

People with 'expertise' in human health may feel sympathy with the policy resolutions of the AMA (Australian Medical Association) (03 9280 8790) calling for full labelling of GM foods, and for an alert system whereby medical practitioners can notify authorities if they believe a reaction to consumption of a genetically modified or other novel food may have taken place (Policy Resolutions 7730-4-07 and 7730-5-07).

Agronomist, I have encouraged you to contact me directly. No email has arrived (mclove@dodo.com.au). Is there a possibility that you may be not be acting here in the role of 'seeker of wisdom and truth'?

The first gardenias of summer have flowered in my garden, and one is beside me in a small white vase. It reminds me of my grandmother.

"There are lots of ways to find out what the protein is without sequencing it." Name them.
"Indeed, the majority of protein sequences that are talked about…" Name some.
"There has been more than 30 years of testing the hypothesis…" Provide an evidence base on recent research.
"You can correctly infer the sequence of a protein by translating the genetic code." I can correctly infer that you are behind on your genetic theory and research.

There’s no need to reply. Seekers of wisdom and truth aren't going to learn anything from a sharp-shot down the barrel of a 350 word pipeline, no matter how well it’s written.

My grandmother made wonderful food. I remember her hedgehog, sweetcorn fritters and preserved mandarins with ice-cream. I also remember her ox-tongue in aspic jelly. We were able to choose not to eat it. Anyone else with grandmother food memories?

Madeleine Love <<Agronomist, I have encouraged you to contact me directly. No email has arrived (mclove@dodo.com.au). Is there a possibility that you may be not be acting here in the role of 'seeker of wisdom and truth'?>>

Madeleine, perhaps I am quite happy getting information from the normal sources, like the scientific literature and the profs at the local university and don’t need your version of wisdom and truth to inform me.

<<"There are lots of ways to find out what the protein is without sequencing it." Name them.>>

Mass spectroscopy. MALDI-TOF.

<<"Indeed, the majority of protein sequences that are talked about…" Name some.>>

All the ones in here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/portal/utils/pageresolver.fcgi?log$=activity&recordid=1229337136674125

<<"There has been more than 30 years of testing the hypothesis…" Provide an evidence base on recent research.>>

500,000 papers in Pubmed with this search
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/portal/utils/pageresolver.fcgi?log$=activity&recordid=1229337351141807

<<"You can correctly infer the sequence of a protein by translating the genetic code." I can correctly infer that you are behind on your genetic theory and research.>>

Not unless you live in a different universe. PS, I hope those links work.

Bronwyn

<<Agronomist

Quite apart from the benefits or risks of GM food, aren't you concerned at the dominance of Monsanto and the corporate control it's acquiring over the world's food supply and its farmers?>>

Bronwyn, I don’t really see Monsanto acquiring any control over the world’s food supply. I can go to the supermarket today and do my complete shopping without touching a single product that is under the control of Monsanto. The farmers I work with can, if they wish, plant their whole farm to seeds that have none of Monsanto’s traits in them. I feel this “taking over the food supply” business is simply a scare tactic. Perhaps I should ask you a question: How many supermarket chains do you have access to? How much of the product sold in them is their own brands? Why are we worried about a couple of supermarket chains taking over the food supply?

Hi rstuart,

I made a post on reports by diabetics with bad reactions to GM (human insulin). You replied to me that you ingest "billions of bacteria and viruses everyday" and that none had been tested.

Firstly reporting on negative reactions to a medication seems to require that the reports need to be investigated not ignored.

Secondly maybe you should be a little more concerned about what you are eating. Here is a fantastic paper on DNA/RNA and GM and the effect on the human immune system. http://www.eco-risk.at/de/stage1/download.php?offname=FOOD-DNA-risk&extension=pdf&id=69

The section of the human immune system called innate recognises the DNA and RNA of viruses and bacteria that we eat. We are born with this system. It works because of billions of years of evolution where patterns of DNA and RNA are recognised.

The trouble with GM DNA is that it is synthetic and has never existed in nature before. Therefore our innate immune system cannot recognise it.

The above mentioned paper shows how normal DNA and RNA fragments from food travel through to the blood, liver, spleen and muscles. It has been found that GM DNA and RNA does the same. RNA and DNA have a role in turning on and off the immune system and have been linked to illnesses such as some kidney diseases and liver problems.

Pro-biotics like lactobacillus work because the bacterial DNA travels to the liver and spleen and provokes a helpful immune response.

It has been found that the RNA of shrimp is a major human allergen therefore showing RNA affects the immune response.

It seems likely that no one has any idea of what the GM DNA and RNA could be doing to our immune systems. To pretend otherwise is to ignore the vast amount we are still discovering about DNA, RNA and the functioning of our bodies.

In view of this why is GM food on our plates?

Agronomist, you write well, and someone with unique perception skills has pinpointed you. Do you want the Agronomist label to be carried into your future?

I only talk usually talk with real people, and won't reply again.

I always seek information in published peer reviewed science, and I wouldn't go to a 'prof' at one of the Monsanto/Bayer Universities for answers.

When it comes to GM crop food safety approvals I have to stoop. No peer reviewed science exists, and all I have is the data from the commercial companies of interest. A seeker of wisdom and truth would want to know the best that is available (mclove@dodo.com.au), but I think we understand this is not you.

Thanks for all those 'lots of ways to find out what a protein is' but there is no mass spectroscopy or MALDI-TOF data in the Monsanto RR Canola pages identifying a sequence of potential GOXv247 proteins – there IS a black picture of a western blot scattered with white static dots and arrows on the side to indicate where proteins could be if they could actually be seen. I can email it if you like.

The two links didn't work but I'm a pubmed user and we understand each other well enough here.

On the last topic, I DO live in a parallel universe to you and your friends, and since your universe is one with all of the answers and none of the knowledge, head for Wikipedia – Alternative Splicing as a first lesson. Move on to the ENCODE project findings. Nature follows no simplistic rule of man.

I wouldn’t talk to you this rudely if you had a real name. Consider being yourself. Dump the job.

Yesterday I bought a $10 box of seconds cherries and a $10 box of jam apricots. Today is a day for stewing and making jam. There’s a leg of grass fed mutton in the fridge – perhaps we’ll have a roast, and cherry pie for dessert. Drop in for dinner – plenty to spare - lots to talk about.

I have usually given up commenting on these types of threads, but this intrigues me: lillian (or Madeleine since it links on the MADGE website too) could you tell me what journal that review was published I am having trouble finding it anywhere except anti-GM websites.

I am also having trouble finding follow-up studies about the tRNA (not mRNA as stated in the review) causing allergic reactions. I would have thought it was huge news with lots of follow-up if it were true. I notice that the primary author has followed up other avenues like proteins (ie tropomyosin) being the major allergens in shrimp, but nothing on tRNA. If you can point me in the direction that has actually demonstrated RNA allergy I would love to see it. Thanks.

PS what is a 'mayor allergen'? I would have thought it a typo, but the review mentions mayors a lot.