US dumps GM corn on Australia
On Thursday freight ship the 'Ocean Emporer', carrying 48,000 tonnes of
gentically modified corn, docked at Port of Brisbane. Because of US policy
fo mixing grains and non-labelling, the corn most definitely included the
infamous Aventis Starlink (tm) corn and possibly other varieties of GM
corn. Starlink has been linked with human allergic reactions and prohibited
for human consumption in the US. It may also be connected to the decline of
Monarch butterflies in the US. Starlink corn has not been approved in
Australia. [read article here]
The corn is destined for chicken feed in Queensland, NSW & Victoria,
however, many countries that import Australian animal products also reject
GMO fed animal products due to fears over the saftey of the technology and
widespread consumer disapproval. Studies in the US indicate that breeding
sows fail to conceive when fed GE corn. Meat fed GMO's does not require
labelling in Australia.
In Australia 93% of consumers surveyed want GMOs labelled while 68% reject
them outright.
This incident is part of a world-wide push by Biotech companies, suffering
market rejection, to force their products upon unsuspecting consumers.
Contamination of grain meant for both human and animal consumption has been
occrurring regularly, including Starlink Bt corn being found in food aid.
Farmers are finding it impossible not to use GM crops in the US where
biotech giants are increasingly prosecuting them for accidental
cross-pollination of their crops with nearby patented varieties.
Check out Aventis track record at Corporate Watch:
Corpwatch
[ GeneEthics Network | Union of Concerned Scientists | AQIS ]
http://brisbane.indymedia.org/
