Genetically modified crops in Ireland

[antiestablishmentarian]

I've had a look around this website but haven't found anything on this, so I thought it was worth starting a new thread. It seems that in one of his final acts as Minister for Agriculture, Brendan Smith stated his support for the sale of GMO crops in Ireland and indicicated that government would support a motion from the Commission in favour of authorising the sale of as yet forbidden crops in the EU.

I must say I'm shocked at learning this. I hadn't realised that the Irish government made such a u-turn in its final days, and it's very alarming to think that they pushed through such measures without even a perfunctory debate or even a statement by the opposition. On top of that, knowing Fianna Fáil and their contempt and disdain for the electorate, one has to wonder what safety standards the crops they have agreed to let in will be up to.

http://www.thejournal.ie/ireland-to-...market-2011-2/

[Theresa]

I would hope that GM never hits the island! Yet another treasonous act if it does.

http://contact.ie/blog/gm-moratorium...n-website-live

[sinsin]

You are already eating it.

[antiestablishmentarian]

It already has I think. It seems to indicate in the report linked that some GM livestock feeds are already available to farmers and the agricultural industry. I'm stunned to be honest that this was snuck through without any debate or discussion. It was extremely underhanded, and could have terrible consequences.

[sinsin]

It already has I think. It seems to indicate in the report linked that some GM livestock feeds are already available to farmers and the agricultural industry. I'm stunned to be honest that this was snuck through without any debate or discussion. It was extremely underhanded, and could have terrible consequences.

Our supermarkets and restaurants are full of it.
I have being trying to source organic for years.
Even the chicken feed contains GM soya.
Oats and Barley are RoundUp contaminated.
We have passed the tipping point.

Third generation of GM soya fed rats are sterile.
Green/Eugenics movement is almost unstoppable.

[Count Bobulescu]

Archer Daniels Midland, which at one time I think owned both the ADM (gettit) and Londis franchises in Ireland, ( not sure if they still do, maybe sold to Musgraves ?) are one of the largest suppliers of GM crops, but you can’t escape Cargill. They will allow you to buy food that is made from non GM crops, but only if you are willing to pay a premium price. It’s just good business. Technology advances and prices fall, you don’t want to participate in the new tech? That’s just fine, you can continue to participate in the old tech, but at the old higher prices, plus a premium, for demanding we provide that service.
This article is now ten years old, and there is a link at the bottom of page two, to a longer paper that I haven’t read.


http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...1/ai_71634862/


I think many people in the US and Europe are completely confused on this issue. Stem cell research is another form of GM. The US prohibited it under Dubaya now reversed by Obama. Europe has more stem cell research but is resistant to GM crops.

[sinsin]

Latest info I could find....but I have not checked it.

Discussion amongst experts from EU member states in Brussels

Munich/Brussels, 14.11.2011. Today experts from EU Member States will meet in Brussels to discuss two applications for marketing genetically engineered soybeans developed by Monsanto and Bayer. Both kinds of soybean have been engineered to be tolerant to herbicides, so that they can be sprayed directly with glyphosate (known as Roundup) or glufosinate (known as Liberty or Basta) without being damaged. As a consequence, residues from the herbicide absorbed by the plant tissues remain in the plants. The marketing applications cover import and use in food and feed. Testbiotech and NABU, German partner of BirdLife are warning against market authorisation of these products. There are hardly any data available on the actual content of spray residues in the plants:

“Glyphosate, in particular, is sprayed on a massive scale because more and more weeds are becoming resistant to it. There is a huge increase in the usage of the relevant herbicides in countries such as Argentina, Brazil and the US, where genetically engineered soybeans are already cultivated. Marketing these products as food and feed in the EU without detailed data on the actual content of toxic residues in the plants is not acceptable”, says Steffi Ober from NABU. “Meanwhile residues from these herbicides can even be found in the blood of consumers.”

The products under discussion are Monsanto’s soybeans 40-3-2 (known as Roundup Ready soy) and Bayer’s soybeans A5547-127 (nicknamed: Bayer´s Basta Beans). Just recently, Brazil allowed cultivation of the Bayer soybeans. For the first time in the EU, they might be used in food and feed. Roundup Ready soy has already been cultivated in Argentina, Brazil and USA for several years, and imported into the EU mostly for animal feed. Its market authorisation has now come up for renewal. It is unclear whether consumption of these soybeans can cause health problems, because there has been no monitoring since its first market authorisation. Although the monitoring of potential impacts on health from genetically engineered plants is required by EU regulations, it was never carried out.

Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in the world. New discussions on the risks to human health from herbicides containing glyphosate started again just recently, after scientific publications indicated that they might damage embryonic development. Germany already prohibits usage of some glyphosate formulations in the food chain production.

After 2017, the EU will no longer allow the use of glufosinate because of its known negative effects on health. It would be contradictory to allow genetically engineered plants containing residues from spraying with glufosinate to be marketed in the EU.

Testbiotech and NABU have raised further concerns about the way risk assessment of these genetically engineered plants is carried out by EFSA, the European Food and Safety Authority: “Significant changes in the composition of the plants were not assessed sufficiently. Possible impacts on the human immune system or the reproductive system were not investigated by empirical data. What is missing is an assessment of the interactions between the different plants, which are mixed into food and feed, and their accumulated effects. In conclusion, these products cannot be regarded as safe.”


http://farmwars.info/?p=7300

[fluffybiscuits]

Well Im not too sure what side of the fence I am on in relation to this. From many a discussion with friends over the years about this we always thought it was perhaps a last resort in the battle with world hunger and we should be flexible in terms of testing crops out to be drought resistant using genes taken from hardy species of plant. TBH though its something I know very little on so links are welcome.

Have not heard too much on the GM crops here in Ireland either. Is it being carried out?

[Theresa]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lu2qKI2Ju9s"]Question What's Inside - A NEW Music Video on GMO's! - YouTube[/ame]

getting the message across in music

[Pearse Monnet]

Un-elected EU Institution Today Allowed New Type of Genetically Engineered Maize

On the 11th February after the European Council defeated the proposal the un-elected European Commission stepped and made a ruling.

US-based MultiNational Company Monsanto currently has a monopoly in Genetically Engineered crops within the EU.

The EU’s General Affairs Council – made up of the member-state’s Ministers for European Affairs – was considering the proposal to permit crop cultivation of a new type of Genetically Engineered Maize. This strain, called TC1507 corn, was manufactured in the laboratory by DuPont and Dow Chemical. The company looking to develop it further in field tests is US-based MultiNational Company Pioneer.

The decision was to be made by The General Affairs Council under the rules of “qualified majority voting”. Many of the Ministers were keenly aware of how their decision would fare with public opinion back home given the European elections this June.

In some of the member states well-organised lobby campaigns – such as GM Free Ireland here – brought pressure on the Ministers.

Only 5 states indicated they would vote in were in favour: Britain, Finland, Estonia, Spain and Sweden. However abstentions proved crucial. Abstaining were Belgium, Portugal and the Czech Republic with 12 votes each. Germany, the EU's most powerful and biggest country with 19 votes, changed its position to abstain from against, thereby taking itself out of the balance.

Some 19 member-states opposed (including Ireland), mustering 210 votes out of a required 260 to block the measure. Leading the opposition and the arguments were France and Hungary, saying ministers would not be able to easily explain the outcome to the public.

As agreement could not be reached the final decision was taken by the European Commission in effect the ‘Cabinet’ of the European proto-superstate.

[random new yorker]

i am afraid i might scare you a bit if i say we humans have been steadily 'genetically engineering' our crops since the dawn of agriculture?

hope you dont mind me leaving you with a picture of corn BEFORE selective breeding

[morticia]

Have to say, given all that selective breeding, I really don't understand the fear of GMOs.

[random new yorker]

Have to say, given all that selective breeding, I really don't understand the fear of GMOs.

puff

think we scared Pearse for good!

fear of GMOs = food for the 'do-good' masses that refuse to acknowledge what dad/grandpa did back in the farm

[fluffybiscuits]

Have to say, given all that selective breeding, I really don't understand the fear of GMOs.

Same has been happening with dogs for years. We now have all sorts of breeds from the very docile to the fairly aggressive pitbulls and this is all done through selective breeding. The fear of Mendels laws comes from a poor understanding of the use of genes and how they can work for good. Hard to see any calamaties, whats the worst taht can happen, we glow in the dark?

[Saoirse go Deo]

Selective breeding is much different to genetically engineering something.