14 July 2005, Network of Concerned Farmers (Australia)

Press Release: Farmers slam Bayer Cropscience for contamination

Farmers are outraged at the report that there was 0.01% contamination found in an Australian Barley Board non-GM canola consignment destined for Japan.

"If Bayer Cropscience think that farmers are going to accept losses in markets or additional costs because of these unwanted GM genes, they can think again," said Julie Newman, National Spokesperson for the Network of Concerned Farmers. "Wake up Bayer, it is a major problem for farmers and markets and because there is a moratorium the problem is for Bayer Cropscience to recall the product."

"We don't want liability for a product we do not want and do not need, yet farmers sign guarantees that we have no GM in our produce" she explained. "Liability should be on Bayer Cropscience's shoulders, not on farmers."

"If we can not control contamination coming from across the other side of the world, how on earth can we control it with a 5 metre buffer zone as suggested. Saying that is the fault of United States and Canada due to some imported breeding lines is ludicrous and little more than an excuse that gives others the blame for negligence."

The Australian Oilseeds Federation is pushing for tolerance levels where some "adventitous presence" of GM is allowed in non-GM seed. The ACCC has confirmed that in order to market as "non-GM" or "GM-free" there must be no trace of GM canola in the consignment. Markets and supply chains are demanding guarantees of no trace of GM in many Australian products.

"Setting a tolerance level that does not comply with law and does not comply with market demand is totally negligent" said Mrs Newman.

The Network of Concerned Farmers is asking for immediate legislative protection to ensure farmers can claim compensation if incomes are adversely affected.

"We knew something like this would happen eventually but the test is to see where the liability for this recklessness lies and it had better not rest with the non-GM farmers that do not want this GM product in their crops."

"Bayer Cropscience has no concern for sabotaging Australia's clean, green GM-Free image."

Contact Julie Newman:  julie@non-gm-farmers.com
 http://www.non-gm-farmers.com/news_details.asp?ID=2275

Bayer BioScience, Media Release: Traces of approved GM material confirmed in canola grain
14th July 2005

Bayer CropScience has confirmed that routine testing by the ABB Grain Ltd has identified trace levels of approved GM material in a small consignment of canola from Victoria.
Ms Susie O'Neill, General Manager of the BioScience Division of Bayer CropScience confirmed the GM material identified is the approved event Topas 19/2, and added it is not a safety issue. "The safety of Topas 19/2 has been extensively reviewed and approved by many regulatory authorities around the world including Australia, China, European Union and Japan. "In Australia, the Federal Regulators, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) and the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) have approved this GM material as being as safe as conventional canola for food, humans and the environment," said Ms O'Neill. Major Australian grain marketers have indicated that their ability to meet international customer and regulatory standards should be unchanged by this finding. The GM material used in Bayer CropScience's current canola research and innovation program was not detected. The Victorian Government have acknowledged that there has been no breach of the current exemption for GM trials in Victoria. Ms O'Neill said: "The traces of the GM material detected were about ten times below the reportable level in grains or about one hundred times below the level required for food labelling generally for GMO's in Australia. "Trace levels of GM material is a reality in agricultural production systems around the world where seeds are exchanged between countries," she said.

Ms O'Neill added that whilst approved in Australia, the particular GM material detected has not been used in Bayer CropScience's Australian GM canola research and innovation program since 1998. Canola varieties containing this gene however have a long history of safe use in North America. Managing Director of Bayer Australia Limited, Mr Sam Howard, said Bayer CropScience is cooperating with all parties to provide technical assistance and expertise on this matter. "As the global leader in the canola hybrid seed business, Bayer CropScience remains fully committed to its Australian research and innovation activities for the canola crop," Mr Howard said.

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Prof. Juergen Junginger, designer, Krefeld,
Prof. Dr. Juergen Rochlitz, chemist, former member of the Bundestag, Burgwald
Wolfram Esche, attorney-at-law, Cologne
Dr. Sigrid Müller, pharmacologist, Bremen
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Dorothee Sölle, theologian, Hamburg (died 2003)
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