permaculture

[Fiona Campbell + Russ Grayson <pacedge@magna.com.au>]

Bob Phelps wrote:

>               GE Foods will be labelled in Australia and NZ
>
> Congratulations and thank you to everyone who has worked so hard and well
> on this campaign so far. Remember though that it is far from over!!
>
> By a vote of six (Qld, NSW, ACT, Tas, SA and WA) to four (the Commonwealth,
> New Zealand, NT, and Victoria), Health Ministers today resolved to move
> towards the labelling of genetically engineered foods in Australia and NZ.
>
> But this is by no means the end of the matter.
>
> No open process has been established for community participation in
> deciding what the rules will be. The food industry will certainly continue
> to try and influence the outcome to minimise disclosure.
>
> Also, Monsanto's applications for Roundup Ready (herbicide tolerant) soy,
> corn, canola and cotton, and Bt (insect killing) corn and canola are in the
> pipeline (public comments officially close 23/12 but by the end of January
> should be OK). They will not find much favour if labelled as they offer no
> benefits to food buyers while posing many risks, and may contain elevated
> levels of synthetic chemical residues or insecticidal toxins.
>
> Next Steps
>
> 1. Seek participation in the process of finalising the standard, to ensure
> that the labelling regime works well, and  delivers useful information to
> food buyers.
>
> Contact your Health Minister, and ANZFA Tel: 02 6271 2222 Fax: 02 6271 2278
> Email: "ANZFA Standards Liaison Officer" <slo@anzfa.gov.au>
>
> 2. Make a submission on Monsanto's six GE food proposals.
>
> The public release documents (inadequate as they are) are available from
> ANZFA. We will try to supply parts of Monsanto's proposals if needed, as
> they are only available on the public register in Canberra. This should be
> protested.
>
> We will have a briefing ready on Monday for circulation to you all. Sorry
> for delay.
>
> 3. Continue to ring the food companies listed in the campaign flyer
> recently distributed. Particularly focus on all retailers as they are at
> the interface with customers who want good information.
>
> Following
>
> The Ministers' announcement;
> GeneEthics media release;
> Dick Copeman's (Consumer Food Network) comment;
> NZ Commentary.
>
> mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
>
>                AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND FOOD STANDARDS COUNCIL
>
>                         Thursday 17 December 1998
>
>                   HEALTH MINISTERS DECIDE KEY FOOD ISSUES
>
> The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Council (ANZFSC) met in Canberra
> today and made a number of important decisions about the safety of the food
> we eat.
>
> ANZFC consists of Health Ministers from the Commonwealth, each state and
> Territory and the New Zealand Associate Minister for Health. It is chaired
> by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Federal Minister for Health and Aged
> Care, Senator the Hon. Grant Tambling.
>
> The following important decisions were made.
>
> ......
>
> The labelling of genetically modified food where it is substantially 
> equivalent
>
> Health Ministers, by a majority vote, have asked ANZFA (the Australia NZ
> Food Authority) to require labelling of genetically modified food where it
> is substantially equivalent, by developing a draft amendment to the Food
> Standards Code which takes into account the need to:
>
> (a)     label if the manufacturer knows the food contains genetically
> modified
>         material; and
> (b)     if the manufacturer is uncertain about the food's contents, they 
> must
>         indicate that the food may contain genetically modified material.
>
> If the manufacturer knows the product to be free of genetically modified
> material there will be no requirement to label the product however it may
> be labelled as free of genetically modified material.
>
> Health Ministers asked ANZFA to develop for their further consideration a
> definition of the term genetically modified food, recognising that there
> are many food ingredients such as sugars and oils which can be made from
> genetically modified plants but are not themselves genetically modified.
>
> Early next year, Ministers will consider the draft amendment to the Food
> Standards Code proposed by ANZFA.
>
> mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
>
>                          NEWS MEDIA RELEASE 17/12/98
>
>                 Genetically Engineered Foods to be Labelled
>
> The GeneEthics Network today congratulated Health Ministers on their
> decision, by a six to four vote, to require labels on all genetically
> engineered foods.
>
> Over 90% of Australians will welcome this.
>
> "We are pleased that Ministers rejected the food industryís ëno-labelí
> position. It has no scientific or logical basis," said Bob Phelps,
> GeneEthics Director.
>
> "It would have been madness to label sweeter foods, but not to label high
> risk foods such as those, with viral particles, antibiotic resistance genes
> or insecticidal toxins," he said.
>
> "The labels will guarantee the right to choose what foods we eat," he said.
>
> "It is also good sense to copy Europe and Asia, our major trading partners,
> who label," he said.
>
> "We now want a ban on GE foods unless they offer direct benefits to food
> buyers, and stronger assessment standards, equal to best practice in the
> world," Mr Phelps said.
>
> "Engineered foods have no history of safe use, contain new genes and
> proteins never in food before, and many have high residues of synthetic
> agricultural chemicals," he said.
>
> Monsanto now wants Roundup Ready soy, canola, cotton and corn approved,
> that may contain 200 times current maximum residues of Roundup herbicide.
>
> "They help US farmers to kill weeds better but we get the chemical
> residues," he said.
>
> "We will now work to keep these hazards out of the food supply," he 
> concluded.
>
> END
>
> mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
>
> Well done everyone!
>
> Today the health ministers voted by a 6 to 4 majority to
> require labelling of G-E food.
>
> They sent ANZFA back to the drawing board to draw up a new
> standard for labelling "substantially equivalent" G-E food.
> (They had already decided to require labelling of
> "non-substantially equivalent" food at their last meeting)
>
> If the food manufacturer knows that the food contains G-E
> ingredients, they will have to label it. If they are
> uncertain, they will have to label it to say that it may
> contain genetically modified material.
>
> One slight catch - they also asked for ANZFA to come up
> with a definition of G-E food that takes account that some
> foods are made from genetically modified plants but are not
> themselves genetically modified. As I read it, that could
> go either way, so we shall have to keep a watch on it.
>
> But overall, a good result compared with the original
> proposal which would have meant virtually no labelling.
>
> No mention however, about the assessment protocols for
> approval of G-E foods which appear to be woefully
> inadequate. So we shall have to keep up pressure on that,
> firstly by totally damning Monsanto's applications.
> Comments are due in by next Wednesday 23rd, but Sue Kedgely
> in NZ has been granted an extension until the end of
> January. If you do want an extension, it would be best to
> let them know before next Wednesday.
>
> Once again, well done everybody!
>
> Cheers
>
> Dick
>
> Dick Copeman
> Consumer Food Network
> 223 Logan Road, Buranda QLD 4102
> Ph 07 3217 3187, Fax 07 3217 3028
> "Dick Copeman" <eco-cons@bit.net.au>
>
> mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
>
> NZ Farm News Commentary
>
> Genetically modified foods that are substantially equivalent to the original
> product will have to be labelled in New Zealand.
> This was the decision of the Australia New Zealand Food Council after a
> six-four vote in Australia on Thursday.
> Associate Health Minister Tuariki John Delamere said he would discuss the
> decision with cabinet colleagues on his return to New Zealand.
> "New Zealand has real doubts about the practical feasibility of the standard
> and how it will be viewed by our trading partners but we accept the results
> of a democratic vote.
> "We also acknowledge that many New Zealanders will be pleased with this
> decision," Mr Delamere said.
> The council also adopted three new requirements for GM foods.
> They are:
> If a manufacturer knows a product contains GM material it must be labelled
> accordingly.
> If the manufacturer is uncertain about whether it contains GM material it
> must be labelled "may contain genetically modified material"
> If the manufacturer knows the product is free of GM food there will be no
> requirement to label the product.
> Mr Delamere had opposed the adoption of the new standard because of serious
> reservations about the workability of mandatory labelling.
> New Zealand has serious concerns that this new food standard could act as a
> technical barrier to trade and thus be subject to challenge before the World
> Trade Organisation, he said.
>
> (Written by Joanne Marshall)
>
> mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
>
> NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is
> distributed without profit to those who expressed a prior interest in
> receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.
>
> mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
>
> Bob Phelps
> Director
> Australian GeneEthics Network
> c/- ACF 340 Gore Street, Fitzroy. 3065 Australia
> Tel: (03) 9416.2222 Fax: (03) 9416.0767 {Int Code (613)}
> email: acfgenet@peg.apc.org
> WWW: http://www.zero.com.au/agen
>
> "Non-cooperation with injustice is a sacred duty."
>
>                            Mahatma Gandhi
>
> "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for enough good
>  people to do nothing"
>
>                            Edmund Burke
>
> "When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint.
> When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist."
>
>                            Dom Helder Camera
>
> "Knowing is not enough, you must also act"
>
> mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm


--
PACIFIC EDGE PERMACULTURE
Russ Grayson and Fiona Campbell
PO Box 446, Kogarah NSW 2217 AUSTRALIA

Phone   02-9588 6931    (IDD-61+2+9588 6931)
Email: pacedge@magna.com.au

Permaculture education, publishing, design.
NSW contact, Australian City Farms and Community Gardens Network.
APACE Kastom Garden Program, (village agriculture), South Pacific.
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