A licence to grow Genetically Modified potatoes in Ireland
national |
environment |
news report
Wednesday March 07, 2012 23:44
by indigoshaman - www.nettv.ie
www.nettv.ie
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/stop-gm-potato-trials-in-ireland/
Teagasc, the agriculture and food development authority in Ireland, have
applied for a licence to grow Genetically Modified potatoes in Ireland.
Their application arrived on 27/2/2012 and the public has until 27/3/2012
"to make representations" about the application.
-
This is the first time a government agency has applied to use genetically
modified seed in Irish soil...a watershed moment which needs to be
recognized and responded to in force.
A group of us are attempting to test our collective muscle on this issue. I
posted some thoughts on Facebook which apparently have gone viral (copied
below along with links to more info).
Would love to get your take on how we could rally an army, but not just the
usual suspects....I sent an email out to the Dublin Community Gardening
network last night, my creative network are discussing ideas for public
action/events today...but time is short (March 27th, 5 pm)!
Thoughts...Ideas?
Links to information:
http://no2gm.com/2012/03/04/press-release-irresponsible...-thre
Complete information on making an objection to the EPA application is
available here:
http://www.epa.ie/downloads/forms/lic/gmo/gmtrial/name,....html
My friend and fellow Granny, Stella, has set up a site with information and
a petition supporting a moratorium on the use of Genetically Modified seed
in Ireland can be signed here:
http://www.gm-moratorium.com/
My rant....
IRELAND, THE HOME OF SAFE FOOD?
As an island with an independent culture, Ireland has a unique opportunity
to take a proactive stand in the GM debate.
On Friday 23rd September 2011 Shane McEntee TD, Minister of State at the
Department of ...Agriculture, Food and the Marine pointed out that it is our
high food safety standards that underpin the growth of the Irish Agrifood
Industry.
He referred to the expected increase in Irish food and drink exports to an
all time record of €8.9 billion in 2011, an increase of more than 12%, or
almost €1billion, on 2010 levels:
“This follows growth of €700m in 2010 and overall then we will have seen 25%
growth in exports from the sector in two years. This is a tremendous
performance by any standards. The opportunity for the Irish agri-food sector
to continue on this growth path has been clearly identified in the Food
Harvest 2020 Report against a background of surging population growth,
changes in the dietary habits of developing economies and greater
urbanisation”.
Minister McEntee pointed out that the continued success of the industry
depends ultimately on meeting consumer demands “an absolute prerequisite in
this respect is food safety. Food safety is the foundation on which the
industry can build other positive attributes such as the environmental
sustainability and animal welfare friendly production. Irish food products
already have an excellent reputation which we can continue to develop to
maximise returns from a competitive market place”.
The Minister believes that the responsibility for food safety rests
primarily with food business operators...This is where I disagree. It is up
to us, PARENTS and indigenous CONSUMERS of Irish food products to make sure
this fundamental principle leads our future agricultural development.
Although Irish women still earn apx 20% less than men do, women have apx 80%
of the buying power. Collectively Irish families have the ability to control
the market and lead an Irish wide campaign promoting Ireland as the home of
safe food.
I am convinced that a moratorium on the use of genetic modification until
its impact is adequately understood will render Ireland an ideal prototyping
ground for GM free research and development, giving us a valuable edge in
this industry.
OK - Representations to the EPA must be:
(a) made in writing
(b) received by the EPA at the following address:
The EPA
P.O. Box 3000,
Johnstown Castle Estate
Co Wexford.
no later than 5.00 p.m. on 27 March 2012
(c) accompanied by a fee of €10
Kaethe Burt-O’Dea, MSc Arch AEES
Healthcare Design Research
desireland
44 Sitric Road
Dublin 7
Ireland
T+F +353 (0)1 6772603
M +353 (0)87 2444185
E kaethe@desireland.ie
SKYPE kaetheburtodea
We urge everybody to sign the on-line petition at Stop GM potato trials in Ireland by clicking on the following link and signing the petition.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/stop-gm-potato-trials-...land/
Further information is available from:
Kitty Scully
no2gm National Co-ordinator
info@no2gm.com
http://www.no2gm.com
087 670 5338
http://www.nettv.ie
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Comments (3 of 3)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3Taking on these powerful lobbies is almost impossible within the usual framework. What is needed is an additional attack on all fronts especially the Vatican that has openly embraced this technology. The Vatican say the technology is needed to feed the world’s population. It is now time to start questioning everything by thinking for ourselves and asking these organisations to justify their stance within their God dogmas. If one looks at the recent campaign against UK Supermarkets employment tactics and the public backlash that shows they soon pull in their horns once they are exposed. Gm technology will not save the world; it is just another technology on the road to the technological singularity, where machine intelligence will surpass human intelligence, with the attendant consequences for our demise. It is now time for people to really ask themselves, are we in charge on this planet or mere observers where everything is already predetermined by unknown forces?
GM potatoes will not feed the world. All talk about higher yields has been shown in practice to be untrue. All these companies such as monsanto want is to get lucrative patents on the food we grow and the seed we buy so they gain control over the food chain and profit handsomely by forcing us to grow a GM monoculture and pay royalties each year to them, and drown our soil in ever increasing quantities of toxic roundup we have to also purchase from them.
We've seen how they acted in canada with their rapeseed and in india with their cotton etc.
You honestly think the company that brought you agent orange gives a shit about feeding the world??
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent_Orange
You honestly think the company that brought you zyklon b gas gives a shit about feeding the world??
http://www.gmwatch.org/gm-firms/11153-bayer-a-history
GM potatoes:
http://www.gmfreecymru.org/news/Press_Notice16Feb2007.htm
Lots of information on past attempts at introducing GM here:
http://www.gmfreeireland.org/
..that Monsanto bought Blackwater(the Mercenary arm of Pentagonia)?
...seems they must have bought Teagasc too.
But the real crazy bit is that our publicly funded TDs are off to the nine corners of the planet for Paddy's Day...and justify it by blatantly bragging that they are away to SELL Oireland....think about it for half a minute...no need for polish or camoflage..