I've received this:
Dear friend,
In case you thought GM crops had gone away, moves are afoot in Europe to push through a strongly pro-GM motion - in spite of newly published research on the negative health impacts of GM. On the plus side, there's good news for schools in England who will be benefiting from a revolutionary new school meals programme.
- Urgent GM action - email your MEP by 14 March
A new proposal to encourage genetically modified (GM) crops in Europe is being considered by the European Parliament. MEPs are voting on motion (2006/2059 INI ), submitted by Finnish MEP Kyösti Virrankoski, on March 14. If this motion is approved by the European Parliament, it will open the flood gates for a GMO invasion of European food and farming. In an earlier vote, 22 MEPs voted for it, 15 rejected it and 6 abstained. The motion looks to us as if it could have been written by Monsanto! See for yourself...
The MEPs believe that "...the use of biotechnology and genetic engineering should be developed in order to facilitate more sustainable farming practices, better food, increased yield and higher-quality and more diverse products with less use of nitrates and other fertilisers and less use of water".
Contrary to scientific evidence, they claim that "...developments in biotechnology have the potential to yield many benefits for agriculture, such as increased yields, reduced use of herbicides and pesticides, less fossil fuel use and reduced soil erosion".
And the icing on the cake, "...the precautionary principle cannot be used as an excuse to delay the process [of approving new GMOs]".
Take action!
Eighty per cent of Europeans have declared that they do not want GM food - are you one of them? If you disagree with these proposals then contact your MEP by 14 March and tell them, in your own words, why. You can find out who your MEP is and their contact details here.
- GM potatoes - more evidence emerges
As GM potato trials loom over the English countryside this month, more scientific research has come to light about their health risks. Eight years after being conducted, a secret feeding study of Monsanto GM potatoes was finally published last month which showed that the potatoes caused 'considerable damage to the organs of the rats in the study'. Dr Irina Ermakova of the Russian Academy of Science said that the GM potatoes were ?toxic? to lab rats and ?cannot be used in the nourishment of people?. Only three animal feeding studies on GM potatoes have been carried out - and they all show negative health effects. Even so, official scientists are still in denial about the emerging scientific evidence on harm and uncertainty of GM crops. You can read more about this research and the GM potato trials at Soil Association, GM potatoes
*******
I strongly believe that GM crops should NOT be grown and that Monsanto et al don't have the world's best interests at heart - Monsanto's slogan is food, health, hope, but it should be fraud, stealth, hype. What do you think?