Welcome to GM-Free Nillumbik!
Who is GMFN?
GM-Free Nillumbik is a group of residents from the shire of Nillumbik who are concerned at the recent decision by the Victorian state government to lift the ban on the introduction of Genetically Modified (GM) foods and crops. There is a growing body of scientific evidence to suggest that there are significant human health and environmental concerns with the introduction of GM technology into our food supply.
GMFN, along with other groups
around
> Health: GM foods have been associated with increased allergens, toxins and nutritional deficiencies. There is no peer-reviewed scientific research proving that GM foods are safe.
> Testing: FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand), the body charged with the responsibility for ensuring the safety of all our foods does no testing of its own on GM foods. FSANZ relies solely on data submitted by the multi-national GM companies to assess the safety of GM foods.
> Labelling: Australia’s GM labelling laws are so weak, that all current GM products are exempt from labelling. Your right to know what is in your food is being denied.
> Environment: GM pollen can spread throughout the environment and can cause "super weeds" that cannot be controlled with herbicides. GM DNA in the environment also threatens our unique biodiversity.
Our vision
Under the commonwealth Gene Technology Act (2000), there is provision for a local shire to declare itself GM-free. GMFN is concerned about our community’s food future and want Nillumbik declared a GM-free zone. The benefits of a GM-free Nillumbik would be:
> All food services contracts in the shire would be GM-free, including “meals on wheels”, kindergartens and crèches.
> Local businesses would be encouraged to support a GM-free future by removing GM ingredients from their products and services.
> A GM-free future would reinforce Nillumbik’s green credentials by protecting the environment from any environmental release of GM crops.
What is GM Food?
Traditionally, living organisms (people, animals,
plants) would mate to produce offspring where each parent
contributes
genes to the offspring. Humans mate
with humans,
dogs with other dogs, fruit and vegetables pollinate
other related fruit and vegetables.
Genetic Modification is a crude new technology that allows scientists to cross species boundaries by cutting and pasting genes from one organism into another unrelated organism to create life-forms that simply could not occur in nature. The hope is that by doing so will create a desired change within the organism. For example, fish genes have been transferred to strawberries, human genes into tobacco and rice, cow genes into soybeans and rat genes into lettuce. There are even attempts to create GM plants that can grow pharmaceuticals and industrial plastics.
Deflating GM Myths
|
Myth |
Reality |
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“GM will feed the world” |
According to the UN World Health Organisation, the world produces enough food to feed every human being 2.5 times over. The reason there is hunger is not from lack of food, but lack of secure access to land and food due to war and poverty. The rate of world food production has been steadily increasing since the rise of modern agriculture, yet the gap between the “haves” and the “have nots” is greater than ever. In fact, we are now faced with the absurd situation where there are no more obese people in the developed world than there are starving. Its final report, The International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD), a unique collaboration of more than 400 scientists from 60 countries, declared that “A fundamental change in farming practice is needed to counteract soaring food prices, hunger, social inequities and environmental disasters. Genetically modified (GM) crops are highly controversial and will not play a substantial role in addressing the challenges of climate change, loss of biodiversity, hunger and poverty”. To put a finer point on it, there is no such GM crop modified to increase yield. In fact, only two traits – herbicide tolerance and insecticide synthesis – make up over 99% of all commercially planted GM crops. GM crops are a weed management regime designed to sell more herbicides, not a hunger solution. No third-world lives saved there. |
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“GM uses less pesticides” |
The GM companies are also the world’s biggest agrochemical companies: Monsanto, Bayer Crop research, BASF, Aventis, Syngenta and others. Their chemical pesticide divisions have been posting record profits since the introduction of GM crops – and it’s not hard to see why. Over 85% of all GM crops are modified to be resistant to a proprietary herbicide. The other 15% produce their own built-in insecticide. Looking at it logically, why would a company whose main profit source is agrichemicals, want to produce a product that would result in fewer pesticide sales? Why would they kill the goose that kills the golden egg? Figures from the US Department of Agriculture show an overall increase of about 4-6% in overall pesticide use. |
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“We’ve been genetically modifying plants for years!” |
Traditional plant breeding uses natural reproduction to achieve crosses between related species – grasses with grasses, apples with apples, dogs with dogs. Genetic Modification bypasses reproduction, creates new genes and gene combinations that have never existed, and is not restricted by the usual barriers between species. Entirely new genes and combinations of genes are made in the laboratory and inserted into the genomes of organisms. Contrary to what you are told by pro-GM scientists, the process is not at all precise. It is uncontrollable and unreliable, and typically ends up damaging and scrambling the host genome, with entirely unpredictable consequences. |
Act now!
- Download our petition here and distribute it to local crèches, kindergartens, food outlets community centres – anywhere in Nillumbik and ask residents to add their signature. GMFN can arrange to pick up the petition when its complete.
- Join our mailing list to receive weekly email updates and news about the campaign.
- Contact your local councillors and let them know that you support the GMFN campaign for a GM-free Nillumbik.
- Write to local papers such as Diamond Valley Leader. Mention that a GM-free Nillumbik helps ensure the food future and the environment for all.
