It's about time the Brumby government and others look at the damage gmo's do to the planet and our direct environment.
If there are any farmers and pollies amongst the readers this is worth your while reading.

http://en.greenplanet.net/food/gmo/234-percy-schmeiser-gmos-affects-our-freedom-and-our-foods-biodiversity.html
http://survivingthemiddleclasscrash.wordpress.com/2009/02/05/the-multiple-ways-monsanto-is-putting-normal-seeds-out-of-reach/

http://www.anhcampaign.org/news/leading-scientists-publicly-denounce-unethical-use-of-children-in-gm-experiments

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20126964.200-transgenes-are-escaping-into-the-wild.html

I can tell by the non-response how much interest there is for our future and country.
If the following doesn't shock you I don't know what to think of you lot!
http://www.opednews.com/articles/1/Theft-of-Life-A-story-of-by-Percy-Schmeiser-090303-93.html

"These are the methods Monsanto uses to instill fear in farmers, because the best way to control people is by the culture of fear." Percy Scmeiser

Irony,Irony,Irony.

rojo

"Irony,Irony,Irony."

Wrong, wrong, wrong.

There's no irony in Scmeiser's statement. Critics of Monsanto, and there are many and with good reason, are not at all trying to 'control people' or to create a 'culture of fear'.

Yes, there is much to be fearful of, but alerting people to the realities of corporate bullies like Monsanto, the dominance and control it has over farmers, and the dangers of its monopoly hold on the whole GMO process isn't fear-mongering. It's part of the democratic process and a much needed public service. You can put your head in the sand if you want to, rojo, but most people would prefer to be well-informed.

eftfnc

"I can tell by the non-response how much interest there is for our future and country. If the following doesn't shock you I don't know what to think of you lot!"

You might have captured people's interest more if you'd presented your ideas in your own words, rather than merely listing multiple links, especially when some of them weren't that well written. Don't give up. There's a lot to be said on this topic and there have been some excellent OLO threads on it before, for example - "One gene, one protein, one function - not so" a few months back in the articles section.

My suggestion for what it's worth is that you find some eye-opening facts, and there are plenty of them, and put them out here for comment. You'll soon get some discussion happening I would think.

Bronwyn, how can you say the anti-gm lobby do not create a culture of fear.

eftfnc "..look at the damage gmo's do to the planet and our direct environment." damage?

Schmeiser "The contract from Monsanto, takes all farmers’ rights away."

Well no, the farmer has the absolute right not to purchase seed/technology. If he/she does commit to the contract it is because the outcomes outweigh the costs. ie "You cannot use your own seed."
"You can only use Monsanto’s chemicals."
"You have to pay a fixed fee, per acre, per year as license fee or technology charge to Monsanto."

Now out of those, using "Monsanto only" chemicals is the only seemingly unfair practice, but if you wish to use their product you need to abide by the contract, or simply don't use the technology.
Few of the seeds used in agriculture today are saved, a large amount are purpose bred hybrids from some wheats to all sunflowers and sorghum. The the inability of "saving your own seed" is traded for higher production, and ultimately profit. It's incorrect to believe this is limited to GM.
Monsanto has various ways to charge farmers, a licence fee per acre is the one I'm most familiar with, but in some areas it is incorporated in the seed price. In Australia, at least with cotton, if the crop is destroyed due to drought,hail etc the fee is refunded. The same couldn't be said for conventional chemicals that had been applied.

cont'd

Apparently Schmeiser doesn't like the fact that a company representative could investigate suspected stealing of Monsanto's product. Funny that. If one is innocent they have nothing to fear. I'm sure some will take it as an affront to their honesty, and a PR disaster for Monsanto if there are not grounds for suspicion. Blaming Monsanto for neighbours dobbing them in is hardly Monsanto's fault.

How's this for fear-"There is no such thing as containment. Believe me, as a farmer for over half a century. I know that you cannot contain a life form once you put it into the environment."

How many species have become extinct at the hands of man, diseases plants, animals. It's all relative to the effort. I don't see the council around here spraying roundup on volunteer roadside sunnies, why would they do so for RR canola? The perception of threat is somewhat different to reality.

Bronwyn, you bring up the corporate bully reasoning, but what is that if not fear mongering. Seriously, only a particularly large company has the resources to head down this path. Monsanto is only as good as the product they sell. I'll take it that 13 million farmers around the world using GMOs in 2008 aren't all as thick as you assume.
By the way Monsanto isn't the only company with GM products.

I too like people to be well informed, I just would like them to get their information from credible sources. Whether I am one is no doubt debateable- but I have been growing GM cotton for over 10 years, saving tonnes of aerially applied insecticides and residual herbicides. Not to mention easing management.
In that period I have only had Monsanto reps check that our contract is fulfilled, and assist with their agronomic experience . No bullying, no stress. As it should be if you are doing nothing wrong.

"Yes, there is much to be fearful of.." really?