Thai farmers worry new bill will allow GMO contamination

[webfact]

GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS
Farmers worry new bill will allow GMO contamination
Pratch Rujivanarom
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- ACTIVIST AGRICULTURAL groups and organic farmers have expressed concern over a proposed Biological Safety Bill they say will lead to contamination of their crops by genetically modified organisms (GMO).

Biothai Foundation director Witoon Lianchamroon warned against the Biological Safety Bill yesterday. He said if this bill passes Parliament and becomes effective, it will open the way for giant transnational biotechnology conglomerates to shirk their responsibility for the damage GMO contamination can cause to the environment.

The Bill was approved by the Cabinet yesterday despite widespread protests over GMO liberalisation in Thailand by NGOs and organic farmers. The draft, presented by the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, was accepted by the Cabinet.

The bill will now proceed for its final consideration by the National Legislative Assembly.

"The GMO liberalisation will definitely cast a huge negative impact on the agriculture, economy and healthcare of our nation. If the giant conglomerates are allowed to freely introduce GMO crops to our country, contamination of these genetically modified species to the environment is inevitable," Witoon said.

"And the bill did not mention anything about responsibility for the GMO contamination, which could cost more than Bt10 billion."

Witoon explained that GMO contamination would severely affect the country's agricultural sector, as the crop of other farmers would mix with the GMO gene. This would make it impossible to sell the crop to GMO-free markets like Japan and Europe.

He further pointed out that the contamination would also reduce the biodiversity of the crop, alter the ecosystem, and consumption of the GMO product might cause health problems for consumers.

"The bill's intention is to protect the country from GMO, but in fact [the reverse is possible]. This bill is largely in favour of the giant biotechnology conglomerates and severely ignores the participation of those [on the ground] who are affected," he said.

A supporter of the farmers, Chatchana Pradtanaruk, the owner of Ban Chatjane organic farm, was worried the introduction of GMO would be the end of organic farming in Thailand.

"Organic farming largely relies on a healthy ecosystem to control pests and enhance soil fertility by natural means. The GMO contamination will destroy this balance and force the organic farmers to go back to chemical farming," Chatchana said.

He said that the practice of GMO farming in Thailand would decrease the native species of crop and enslave the farmers because they had to buy seed from big biotechnology companies every year.

Witoon said that his organisation would carry on protesting the bill in order to prevent the worst effects of GMO that are yet to come.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Farmers-worry-new-bill-will-allow-GMO-contaminatio-30273738.html


-- The Nation 2015-11-26

[laislica]

Make the bank accounts of all politicians public, then means test their lifestyles and eliminate corruption. Do this worldwide, please!

[BuaBS]

Shouldn't we just worry about all the stuff they spray on it and the toxins in it ? And when I look at the corn ads on fields , is GMO not already in Thailand ? I hate monsanto , they are an evil company.

[Thai at Heart]

Shouldn't we just worry about all the stuff they spray on it and the toxins in it ? And when I look at the corn ads on fields , is GMO not already in Thailand ? I hate monsanto , they are an evil company.

Yes. The Thai govt did their own trials on GM papaya and allowed it to cross pollinate already.

[bark]

Shouldn't we just worry about all the stuff they spray on it and the toxins in it ? And when I look at the corn ads on fields , is GMO not already in Thailand ? I hate monsanto , they are an evil company.

Yes. The Thai govt did their own trials on GM papaya and allowed it to cross pollinate already.

GMO, Papaya was about 4-5 years ago. They said it was in an area which they were able to control( but who knows) When the wind blows it can take the pollen from the GMO trees to other farms. Also from bees, which land on the flowers( before fruit grows) to other fields or farms.

There is not a lot of true organic farming here. Less then 3 % of all vegetables and fruits. Very expensive. Normal farms use both natural and artifical fertilizers. They also spray pesticides on the crops. This is the big problem. Last year the UK rejected many air containers of THai produce for pesticides. I buy 20,000 kg of mixed vegetables every month. My QC staff test for pesticides every week. We buy from Approved suppliers only, as some farms do not follow the rules. If you buy vegetables from your local village market or from small shops; you are most likely buying crops which have too much pesticides; which build up in your body. Liver and or kidneys, the same as heavy metals(lead,mercury).

Results can be autoimmune diseases. So always buy from Tesco, Big C, Villa, etc.

[beammeup]

This stinks of corruption, why would they willingly pass a bill that gives control of Thai crops (seeds) to a foreign transnational monster. I thought this military government was suppose to do what is good for Thailand?

[tbthailand]

"The bill's intention is to protect the country from GMO, but in fact [the reverse is possible]. This bill is largely in favour of the giant biotechnology conglomerates and severely ignores the participation of those [on the ground] who are affected," he said.

surprise...

[sevenhills]

Shouldn't we just worry about all the stuff they spray on it and the toxins in it ? And when I look at the corn ads on fields , is GMO not already in Thailand ? I hate monsanto , they are an evil company.

Mexico is waking up to this Monsanto poison.

http://valhallamovement.com/link/monsanto-loses-gmo-permit-in-mexico-judge-sides-with-the-bees/

[tomacht8]

He said that the practice of GMO farming in Thailand would decrease the native species of crop and enslave the farmers because they had to buy seed from big biotechnology companies every year.

To make the plants sterile, is a right perversion.

[RPCVguy]

I truly hope for wisdom to prevail in the National Legislative Assembly. This is definitely going to affect future exports from Thailand. People don't trust the research that's been published - because so much of it is industry financed... no way of knowing what unfavorable results were not released. Is that just an uninformed opinion? No!

"No scientific evidence of GM food safety"

It is “premature” to declare GM safe due to “incomplete” scientific knowledge, finds report commissioned by Norwegian Environment Agency"

https://medium.com/insurge-intelligence/no-scientific-evidence-of-gm-food-safety-a1c814d0f70c

Promised benefits often are only short term, while the cross pollination is long term

"Strategies to prevent pests becoming resistant are either not being correctly implemented, are failing, or are suffering from a combination of both. The result is more pesticide use rather than less. Throwing more GM at the problem may work in the short term, but the history of artificial pest control in agriculture has repeatedly shown the pests will win over the longer term.

"The sooner we switch to agroecological farming techniques, such as avoidance of monocultures, long rotations and the use of natural predators to control pests, the better."

http://www.care2.com/causes/monsanto-loses-to-a-tiny-foe-corn-rootworm.html

And for what purpose? Not to provide a lasting crop solution, merely to market a way that fills to coffers of a few.

Here's just another report of concern:

http://grist.org/news/five-pest-species-now-immune-to-gmo-corn-and-cotton/

Are people aware of how the corporations legally block testing from being done? ... using laws to control access, contract clauses to prohibit publishing outside of their approval, and money to buy up research labs? Just a quick sampling of articles available about the problem:

"In 2009, 26 academic entomologists wrote to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that because patents on engineered genes do not provide for independent non-commercial research, they could not perform adequate research on these crops. "No truly independent research can be legally conducted on many critical questions involving these crops," they wrote."

http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_agriculture/our-failing-food-system/genetic-engineering/suppressing-research.html

http://www.globalresearch.ca/monsanto-whistleblower-says-genetically-engineered-crops-may-cause-disease/3912

http://www.alternet.org/story/150733/why_is_damning_new_evidence_about_monsanto%27s_most_widely_used_herbicide_being_silenced?akid=6945.229139.QqRcwK&rd=1&t=5&paging=off&current_page=1#bookmark

http://redgreenandblue.org/2011/02/14/monsanto-blocks-research-on-gmo-safety/

One last comment - about the papaya GMO ... To my understanding, the genes used were NOT trans species genes. Rather they forced cross breeding of a "rust resistant" variety. It was the technology but without the Frankenstein qualities of a totally new and biologically strange organism.
Might other GMO's be safe? Sure, but I'll believe it more when testing is not controlled by an industry gaining patent rights over the outcome.
As always, FOLLOW THE MONEY

[Thai at Heart]

Shouldn't we just worry about all the stuff they spray on it and the toxins in it ? And when I look at the corn ads on fields , is GMO not already in Thailand ? I hate monsanto , they are an evil company.

Yes. The Thai govt did their own trials on GM papaya and allowed it to cross pollinate already.

GMO, Papaya was about 4-5 years ago. They said it was in an area which they were able to control( but who knows) When the wind blows it can take the pollen from the GMO trees to other farms. Also from bees, which land on the flowers( before fruit grows) to other fields or farms.

There is not a lot of true organic farming here. Less then 3 % of all vegetables and fruits. Very expensive. Normal farms use both natural and artifical fertilizers. They also spray pesticides on the crops. This is the big problem. Last year the UK rejected many air containers of THai produce for pesticides. I buy 20,000 kg of mixed vegetables every month. My QC staff test for pesticides every week. We buy from Approved suppliers only, as some farms do not follow the rules. If you buy vegetables from your local village market or from small shops; you are most likely buying crops which have too much pesticides; which build up in your body. Liver and or kidneys, the same as heavy metals(lead,mercury).

Results can be autoimmune diseases. So always buy from Tesco, Big C, Villa, etc.

What percentage of product marked as organic passes the tests?

[farmerjo]

Depends on which side of the fence they farm.

You are already paying premium prices for corn and sunflower hybrid seeds here,

why not take advantage of lower operating costs and higher yields.

[RPCVguy]

Depends on which side of the fence they farm.

You are already paying premium prices for corn and sunflower hybrid seeds here,

why not take advantage of lower operating costs and higher yields.

Already answered in prior comments. With GMO:

► you won't be able to sell it to many of the current list of customer nations

► the effects are short lived as to benefits... since the pests and weeds adapt.

► Later you can't go back because the cross pollination will have introduced GMO genes to what had been organic crops.

[farmerjo]

Depends on which side of the fence they farm.

You are already paying premium prices for corn and sunflower hybrid seeds here,

why not take advantage of lower operating costs and higher yields.

Already answered in prior comments. With GMO:

► you won't be able to sell it to many of the current list of customer nations

► the effects are short lived as to benefits... since the pests and weeds adapt.

► Later you can't go back because the cross pollination will have introduced GMO genes to what had been organic crops.

I will grow it if it comes on the market and i'm sure there will be many more.

I would rather spray glysophate on a crop than other harsher selective herbicides that are in use today..

Just because its glysophate tolerant doesn't mean excisting chemicals cant be used that are used today.

Agree about the seed but where are the non hybrids for corn and sunflowers in thailand already that yield well.

That's a personal farmers point of view.

Edited December 1, 2015 by farmerjo

[purushanti]

http://www.wakingtimes.com/2015/12/01/how-monsanto-destroyed-rural-argentina/

Hopefully, Thailand will not go the path of Argentina,

and will keep the poisons of agribusiness from damaging the land , the food, the people......

[DrTuner]

Make the bank accounts of all politicians public, then means test their lifestyles and eliminate corruption. Do this worldwide, please!

I've got a better idea. Replace useless politicians with direct democracy. Easy enough these days with internet being all over. Just cast your vote on every issue you want, 24/7.

[laislica]

Depends on which side of the fence they farm.

You are already paying premium prices for corn and sunflower hybrid seeds here,

why not take advantage of lower operating costs and higher yields.

Already answered in prior comments. With GMO:

► you won't be able to sell it to many of the current list of customer nations

► the effects are short lived as to benefits... since the pests and weeds adapt.

► Later you can't go back because the cross pollination will have introduced GMO genes to what had been organic crops.

I will grow it if it comes on the market and i'm sure there will be many more.

I would rather spray glysophate on a crop than other harsher selective herbicides that are in use today..

Just because its glysophate tolerant doesn't mean excisting chemicals cant be used that are used today.

Agree about the seed but where are the non hybrids for corn and sunflowers in thailand already that yield well.

That's a personal farmers point of view.

Indeed, yield is all important.

It needs a Government decision and financial support to allow farmers to use natural seeds that have a lower yield yet still make reasonable profit for the producers.

Subsidies would probably be needed to stop the GMO products being imported....

A very vexed question and sadly, I expect that the big companies will win cos they have the money to Bribe Lobby!

I wonder if there are studies showing the cost of health care against unadulterated food?

Many years ago I did a veg juice diet to detox.

The organic veg were expensive but overall it was cheaper to feed my self since I had cut out meat.

I even lost weight that I was able to keep off and was much healthier..

Just thinking out loud.

[DeepInTheForest]

Shouldn't we just worry about all the stuff they spray on it and the toxins in it ? And when I look at the corn ads on fields , is GMO not already in Thailand ? I hate monsanto , they are an evil company.

Unfortunately, there is more to worry about than simply the presence of herbicides in food, which is indeed a considerable worry.

1) There is also the patented nature of the seeds, which force farmers to buy, every year, from the big-daddy gen tech companies. That enslaves them financially, whereas before, farmers collected, traded, and used seeds from year to year for free. Small farmers are squeezed out, leading to land grabs by corporations, leading to displaced people, leading to social turmoil... suicides... a lack of independence of the body politic... wage slavery...

2) The fact that local farmers no longer save seeds means a concomitant loss of biodiversity. That's not good-- seeds have been adapted for their specific locale for millennia. A lot of historical human labor and development thus goes by the boards. Monocultures are more vulnerable to pests. Which means higher levels of pesticides are required. With the coming of climate change, we will need all the biodiversity we can manage.

3) GM seeds are often marketed as being tolerant of herbicides. But that means that an overabundance of herbicides is usually applied. Weeds adapt to the biotechnology rather quickly, developing into "superweeds". The answer to this is usually the application of more herbicides. http://www.gmfreeze.org/site_media/uploads/publications/resistance_full_Briefing_final.pdf

4) The concentration of wealth in agribusiness and gen mod seed companies corrupts the governance systems of the world. Which means more social inequality, social instability, etc.

[laislica]

Shouldn't we just worry about all the stuff they spray on it and the toxins in it ? And when I look at the corn ads on fields , is GMO not already in Thailand ? I hate monsanto , they are an evil company.

Unfortunately, there is more to worry about than simply the presence of herbicides in food, which is indeed a considerable worry.

1) There is also the patented nature of the seeds, which force farmers to buy, every year, from the big-daddy gen tech companies. That enslaves them financially, whereas before, farmers collected, traded, and used seeds from year to year for free. Small farmers are squeezed out, leading to land grabs by corporations, leading to displaced people, leading to social turmoil... suicides... a lack of independence of the body politic... wage slavery...

2) The fact that local farmers no longer save seeds means a concomitant loss of biodiversity. That's not good-- seeds have been adapted for their specific locale for millennia. A lot of historical human labor and development thus goes by the boards. Monocultures are more vulnerable to pests. Which means higher levels of pesticides are required. With the coming of climate change, we will need all the biodiversity we can manage.

3) GM seeds are often marketed as being tolerant of herbicides. But that means that an overabundance of herbicides is usually applied. Weeds adapt to the biotechnology rather quickly, developing into "superweeds". The answer to this is usually the application of more herbicides. http://www.gmfreeze.org/site_media/uploads/publications/resistance_full_Briefing_final.pdf

4) The concentration of wealth in agribusiness and gen mod seed companies corrupts the governance systems of the world. Which means more social inequality, social instability, etc.

Agree 100%

What is not explained is that the "added gene" is not "put in a specific place in the DNA".

If they are using a gene from another plant or insect etc, there is no was to control where that gene binds.

It's random, therefore, unexpected results can happen.

If the Modification causes the plant to generate it's own pesticide then you will always be consuming pesticides when you eat the plant, even if it has not been sprayed!

Some of these pesticides work by causing damage to the insects stomach and the insect dies.....

We are thousands of times bigger than insects so we don´t die.

But what long term damage is being done?

Glad I'm an old fart!