Do We Want a Genetically Modified Future?
by Greg Revell

One of the most dramatic changes to our food supply is happening today and most people are simply not aware of it. Early last year, Australia’s Victorian government lifted the ban on the commercial growing and selling of Genetically Modified (GM) crops that had been in place since 2003. But with mounting evidence of human health and environmental risk, should the ban have been lifted?

So, what is GM food? Every living organism contains DNA. Every gene on the twisted strand of DNA carries instructions for the production of a protein. Proteins describe the whole organism – how it grows, tastes, its colour, its toxins and potentially many thousands of other physiological features. Genes are the fundamental building blocks of life.

Genetic modification (or genetic engineering) is the process whereby scientists are able to cut and paste the genes from one organism directly into the DNA of another. For example, scientists have been able to insert anti-freeze genes from an arctic flounder into a strawberry to confer frost resistance. Other experiments include inserting human genes into tobacco, virus genes into squash and soil bacteria genes into cotton, and there are many others. What makes this technology so radical is that this could never happen in nature. This means that the GM crops we eat have foreign genes in them that express proteins that have never before been part of the human food supply. With proteins the cause of allergic reactions and other physiological responses, what are the implications for health?

There is overwhelming and authoritative scientific evidence of the health risks of GM foods – allergic reactions in people, sick and dying livestock, higher mortality rates in test rats, to name a few. Unfortunately, governments around the world, including our own, have decided to side with the all-powerful multinational biotechnology companies who own GM technology and ignore this evidence. More than actually ignore it, the biotech industry has actively campaigned to destroy the reputations of those scientists who speak out. In 1990 in the US, a GM strain of an amino acid supplement called L-tryptophan created a deadly epidemic of eosinophilia myalgia syndrome (EMS) that killed 100 people and maimed thousands more. Since GM soy was introduced in the UK, soy allergies have sky-rocketed by 50%. Rats fed GM potatoes had inhibited brain and testicle development, partial atrophy of the liver, an enlarged pancreas and immune system damage. Rats fed GM tomatoes got bleeding stomachs and several died.

But surely GM products have been tested? On the contrary, they have not – at least not independently. Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) does no testing of its own prior to approval. It does not require any long-term animal feeding studies to be conducted. FSANZ assumes that GM foods are “substantially equivalent” to conventional foods and merely accepts test data from the GM companies themselves before rubber-stamping them as safe. Would we accept data from tobacco companies on the safety of cigarettes?

But surely all GM foods are labeled? I’m sorry but you’re going to be disappointed there too. Australia purports to have comprehensive GM labeling laws, but they are so pathetically weak that nearly every approved GM product is exempted. That includes this year’s entire maiden GM canola crop, ensuring it will end up in our margarines, biscuits, pastries and breads totally unlabelled. Our fundamental right to know what is in our food has been denied. Why should Australian citizens be unwitting guinea-pigs in a major experiment with our food and health?

What can we do? It’s all down to us. We need to make our voices heard. Call the major food and dairy retailers and demand GM-free food, or at least full disclosure labeling. Support organic food which forbids GM ingredients, and of course call your local council and state members of parliament. To learn more, visit www.truefood.org.au, www.madge.org.au and www.geneethics.org. A clean, green food future is still ours for our families and for future generations.

Greg Revell is a local food writer and public speaker, and member of Gene Ethics. Gene Ethics promotes public debate on GM food and sustainable food futures. Contact him at gregr@geneethics.org

LOCAL AUSTRALIA GROUP WORKING FOR A GM-FREE NILUMBIK

Early in 2008, the Victorian government lifted the ban on the commercial growing of Genetically Modified (GM) crops after the decision to let the five year moratorium to expire was taken. In early 2009, the first crop of genetically modified canola entered the Victorian food supply making its way into cakes, cooking oils, chocolates, breads and many other every day groceries for the first time.

Around the world, consumer groups and health experts are concerned at the growing body of evidence of potential harm from GM foods. Studies show damage to nearly every major organ system in test animals and there has been an alarming rise in allergies since GM foods were introduced, yet our governments at the behest of the biotech industry are actively ignoring those studies. To make matters worse, there are no effective labeling laws which mean that you will not know which products have GM products in them. Environmentalists are concerned about the impact to ecosystem by the intentional release of GM organisms into the environment.

In response many local shires in Victoria have witnessed the creation of GM-free groups asking their local councils to declare their shires GM-free. Already a number of Victorian shires including Yarra Ranges, Moreland, South Gippsland, East Gippsland, Bass Coast shire and Greater Bendigo have declared themselves GM-free in response to community concerns. There are many others working to a similar goal.

Our group – GM-free Nillumbik (GMFN) - is one such group. We are a group of residents who want clean, green GM-free food for our families. To date we have collected over 2000 signatures for a petition which we will present to the shire council and ask them to pass a motion declaring Nillumbik GM-free. This motion would seek to ensure food in kinders, meals-on-wheels and other council food services were totally GM-free. We also want the council to encourage businesses to support a GM-free charter.

But will it change anything? Most definitely yes! In a recent win for the shire of South Gippsland, a consortium of Chinese businessmen contacted the shire to secure GM-free food contracts and to invest millions in the region because they had heard of their GM-free declaration! It would seem that the Chinese don’t want GM foods either!

Nillumbik is also renowned for its nature and recreation reserves, and environmentally friendly values. A GM-free Nillumbik will preserve those values and create opportunities for promoting our famous food, wine and tourism as a clean and green alternative.

To find out more, visit us at www.gmfn.org.au , or you can send us an email at info@gmfn.org.au or even call Greg on 0404 37 09 09. With your help we can create a clean green food future for our community and our families!

Greg Revell
Convenor - GMFN