Again, if this is a duplicate posting, sorry--my intent is not to
inconvenience. But if we destroy the genetic basis of life, there's not much
left of nature to save, is there? So this is worth repeating as many times as
it takes to get the message to people.

Tom

Subj:         Organic farming in Britain could be doomed
Date:   02-05-26 17:25:18 EDT
From:   [log in to unmask] (Jim Diamond)
Sender: [log in to unmask] (Biotech Forum)
Reply-to:   [log in to unmask] (Biotech Forum)
To: [log in to unmask]

       Here's an issue which affects organic farming and consumer choice
worldwide.  Sierra Club is asking for Senate hearings on the issues of
genetic contamination and how they'll affect all farmers, not just organic
farmers, and indeed how they'll affect the environment and all of us.  If
you've not done so already, please go to our web page <A
HREF="www.sierraclub.org/biotech/contamination.asp">
www.sierraclub.org/biotech/contamination.asp</A> and from there you'll be
able to
add your voice.  Ask your friends to do the same.  Thanks,
             Jim Diamond, Genetic Engineering Committee

The Observer (London) Sunday May 26, 2002
    Gaby Hinsliff, chief political correspondent

Organic farming in Britain could be doomed if the Government approves the
cultivation of genetically modified crops, according to a European Union
report warning that it is 'virtually impossible' to stop cross-contamination.
Ministers are considering plans to declare swaths of countryside 'GM free' -
reserving other regions for the controversial crops. The move is likely to
divide farmers and trigger local resistance aimed at safeguarding non-GM food.

'Consumers want to know what they are getting,' said Adrian Bebb, of Friends
of the Earth. 'The Americans are upset because they have gone bigtime into
growing GM maize and they didn't look to see if they had a market - and it
turns out they don't.' The labelling row will only increase fears over the
threatened move towards full commercial farming of GM crops in Britain when
current experiments finish in 2003.

Organic farmers fear that the risk of contamination of their crops, which can
only be certified organic if they contain no trace of GM, is so great many
would be forced out of business.

A new report from the European Commission's Joint Research Centre on potato,
maize and oilseed rape, warns that preventing contamination to organic
standards would be 'very difficult and connected to high costs, or virtually
impossible' if GM crops are widely adopted.

More of this story including reference to a possible WTO action by the U.S.
is at http://www.observer.co.uk/politics/story/0,6903,722450,00.html

SIERRA CLUB WEB PAGE FOR OUR PERSPECTIVE AND TO SEND A MESSAGE TO SENATOR
HARKIN:
<A
HREF="www.sierraclub.org/biotech/contamination.asp">www.sierraclub.org/biotech

/contamination.asp</A>

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