Sunday, June 19, 2011

What countries have banned GMO crops

These days in Southern Minnesota, it's hard to find any fields that aren't planted with genetically modified corn or soybeans. While GMO crops are quickly taking over the landscape in the United States and Canada, not all countries have embraced these questionable crops.
Here's a list of countries (and U.S. counties) that have banned genetically modified crops in one way or another.
In the United States: Only the California counties of Mendocino, Trinity and Marin have successfully banned GM crops. Voters in other Calilfornia counties have tried to pass similar measures but failed.
In Australia: Several Australian states had bans on GM crops but most of them have since lifted them. Only South Australia still has a ban on GM crops, though Tasmania has a moratorium on them until November of 2014.
In Japan: The Japanese people are staunchly opposed to genetically modified crops and no GM seeds are planted in the country. However, large quantities of canola are imported from Canada (which is one of the world's largest producers of GM canola) and there is now GM canola growing wild around Japanese ports and roads to major food oil companies. Genetically modified canola such as Monsanto's Roundup Ready canola have been found growing around 5 of the 6 ports that were tested for GM contamination.
In New Zealand: No GM foods are grown in the country.
In Germany: There is a ban on the cultivation or sale of GMO maize.
In Ireland: All GM crops were banned for cultivation in 2009, and there is a voluntary labeling system for foods containing GM foods to be identified as such.
In Austria, Hungary, Greece, Bulgaria and Luxembourg: There are bans on the cultivation and sale of GMOs.
In France: Monsanto's MON810 GM corn had been approved but its cultivation was forbidden in 2008. There is widespread public mistrust of GMOsthat has been successful in keeping GM crops out of the country.
In Madeira: This small autonomous Portugese island requested a country-wide ban on genetically modified crops last year and was permitted to do so by the EU.
In Switzerland: The country banned all GM crops, animals, and plants on its fields and farms in a public referendum in 2005, but the initial ban was for only five years. The ban has since been extended through 2013.
In India: The government placed a last-minute ban on GM eggplant just before it was scheduled to begin being planted in 2010. However, farmers were widely encouraged to plant Monsanto's GM cotton and it has led to devastating results. The UK's Daily Mail reports that an estimated 125,000 farmers have committed suicide because of crop failure and massive debt since planting GM seeds.
In Thailand: The country has zigzagged in its support and opposition of GM crops. The country had widespread trials of GM papayas from Hawaii but reversed its plans when the seeds got wild and began contaminating nearby crops. Several countries such as Japan moved to restrict the importation of Thailand's papayas as a result, not wanting to import any GM foods. Thailand is currently trying to embrace both sides -- producing organic foods for some countries at a high price while moving towards embracing more and more GM crops. The country has also tried declaring some areas GMO-free zones in order to encourage other countries to trust their foods.
What countries have embraced GM crops?
  • The U.S. now grows mostly GM varieties of corn, canola and soy. Hawaii now grows GM papayas. Approvals have also been given for GM alfalfa, zucchinis, beet sugar and tomato varieties, though not all are currently being grown. A recent attempt to approve GM salmon was defeated.
  • China is one of the largest producers of GM crops.
  • Germany, Sweden and the Czech Republic are approved for growing GM potatoes.
  • Finland's government and population is receptive to GM foods. None are currently grown in the country, however, because no approved GM crops are suitable for the country's growing conditions.
  • The Zambian government has launched a campaign to get the public to support GM technology.
  • Canada has widespread GM crop usage. Nearly all Canadian canola is GM, as is a large portion of the country's soy and corn. Prince Edward Island tried to pass a ban on GMO cultivation but failed, and GM crops in the region are currently increasing.
  • Spain currently grows GMO maize (about 20% of the country's maize is GM).
  • The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Portugal, Romania and Poland all grow some GMO maize.
  • The Phillipines grow GM crops.
  • The European Union (EU) has approved the cultivation of many GM crops (including potatoes and maize) but individual countries are able to opt out from growing them. However, most EU countries are not permitted to reject the sale of GM foods.
  • South Africa is growing an increasing number of GM crops.
  • Britain officially supports GM crops and has trials of GMOs like potatoes planted. However, there is widespread public distrust of the crops and Prince Charles has been a vocal opponent of GMOs.
  • South America has widespread planting of GM crops.
  • As mentioned above, Thailand is alternately embracing and rejecting GM crops.
  • India also has widespread GM cotton use. Also mentioned above, the widespread planting of Monsanto's GM cotton has led to tragedy throughout India. The Indian government even banned conventional seeds from many government seed banks in an attempt to please Monsanto (in return, the country was given International Monetary Fund loans to help its economy) and slow the nation's poverty rates. An estimated 1,000 farmers commit suicide each month in the country as a result of the crop failure and debt caused by planting the GM seeds. Farmers were convinced to spend what was often 1,000 times the cost of conventional seed on the "magic seeds" after listening to Monsanto's promises of increased yields and resistence to pests. Despite the promises, the crops were often destroyed by bollworms. In addition, the farmers weren't warned that the crops would require twice as much water as conventional cotton, leading to many crops drying up and dying. The "terminator" seeds also must be purchased again every year. For farmers used to saving seed from year to year, this was often a final financial blow that led to insurmountable debt.
The variation in each country's laws and views regarding GMOs has led to complications when it comes to exporting foods. For example, Thailand has been working to reassure other countries about the safety of its food but recently had its canned tuna rejected by Greece and the Netherlands after testing showed GM ingredients. The tuna was packed in soybean oil imported by the United States, where most soy is genetically modified.
Some Americans are now looking for foods like canola oil and soy products that are not grown in the United States, thinking that it's a way to avoid GM foods. This is obviously not a good idea. It's important not to assume that just because a food was not produced in the United States, it's not genetically modified.
Until consumers have the right to labeling informing us of which foods contain GM ingredients, it's important to be aware of which countries are now growing GM foods and which foods are produced.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/article/what-countries-have-banned-gmo-crops

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Monsanto officials beaten up by Cotton farmers as Bt.cotton seed failed: Bogus Bt.cotton seed creates havoc in vidarbha

 Nagpur- July 11, 2011
American cotton seed MNC giant Monsanto of having international monopoly of notorious killer BT. cotton seed has never even dreamed in 2005 when he was first commercial cultivation permission of it’s controversial Bt.cotton seed that it sale will jump from 1million hector to record 15 million hector in India that too more than 5 million hector in agrarian crisis hit Maharashtra itself that has crossed the turn over of Rs.15,000 crore as farmers are buying 11 packets of 450 gm per hector as per company’s guide for recommended “population method” but the sudden demand and ill-managed Indian sub agents have brought company in big trouble as 50% of the Bt.cotton seed failed to germinate even after it’s second sowing and now cry has been started in other part of India too ,hence Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti farmers advocacy group has approached local state Govt. of Maharashtra to arrange high level probe in to all complaints received from farmers of west vidarbha where more than 10,000 cotton farmers have committed suicide since june 2005 after the introduction killer BT. cotton seed in this region and around Rs.10,000 crore has been pumped by Indian and state Govt .to bailout cotton farmers from the agrarian crisis which is likely to be get more fuel if corrective action are taken immediately ,Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti informed today.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Monsanto Bt.cotton seed crisis early June when all bt.cotton seed ordered by Maharashtra dealers sold out it to the adjourning Andhra farmers and there was no seed available to cater to local market and Monsanto sub-agents were failed to respond to state Govt. request suddenly Bt.cotton seed were freely available in market in third week of June but source supply has discovered immediately by Yavatmal police when the raided house of Nerendra Indurkar in the very small village Munjala and caught raid handed packing local cotton seed in the pocket of branded Bt.cotton .police have sealed the very advance imported pocket packing machines and thousands of packets of all popular brands BT. cotton seed being sold on the premium but culprit Nerendra Indurkar were allowed to go with out any interrogation but officials of American BT. cotton seed giant in India were called and facts were told but they denied any link with such bogus BT. cotton seed supply racket.
Monsanto officials beaten up by Cotton farmers as Bt.cotton seed failed

When news of arrival Monsanto senior official from Mumbai are in near village munjala cotton farmers of village karanji 140 K.m. from Nagpur has taken him to their field where complete failure of ‘Paras Sudarshan’ BT. cotton seed was shown to him when he failed to admit the lapse he was severely beaten up even local agriculture officer has not came to his rescue as per reports published in regional news papers .daily all regional papers in vidarbha and marathwada region of Maharashtra where more than 4 million hector are in under bt.cotton cultivation are reporting the flood of bogus seed supplied local agents of American cotton seed MNC giant Monsanto giant is being reported but administration has failed to take any action of this serious issue hence Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti has written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Prathiraj Chavan to order judicial enquiry in the supply racket of bogus BT. cotton seed in Maharashtra and arrange to start criminal action against culprit,Tiwari added.
 
SOURCE: Posted by vidarbha times at 11:28 PM