Robyn Neeson’s electronic newsletter "Organic News" continues to consistently provide excellent articles with useful information. The January edition features organic grain storage.
It is free. To subscribe contact: Robyn Neeson, Editor "Organic News"
NSW Department of Primary Industries Yanco Agricultural Institute YANCO NSW 2703
Email: robyn.neeson@agric.nsw.gov.au

Organic Advantage

The ABC’s Organic Gardener has been revitalised to deliver a contemporary new look and broader content. As well as excellent articles on organic gardening it covers topics such as organic food, environmentally friendly home products and cutting edge developments in Eco-Living and Eco-Travel. The summer 2004 edition of Organic Gardener includes articles on Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), water-wise gardening and keeping ducks as pets. Find out more about the publication at: http://shop.abc.net.au/browse/product.asp?productid=601256

Melbourne scientists have helped to explain why women in an area of Victoria's north-east have a much higher incidence of breast cancer. Monash University researchers analysed the breast milk of hundreds of Victorian women for traces of pesticides.

Dr Narges Khanjani says the highest levels have been found in samples from women in the Ovens Valley district. She says it is an area where organochlorine pesticides have been used on tobacco
Source: ABC News Saturday, January 29, 2005.

The Australian Medical Association's (AMA) public health committee will consider a report from its Tasmanian branch detailing a possible link between chemical exposure and cancer rates.The report reveals a six-fold increase in endocrine cancer since 1995 and a sharp increase in cancer of the digestive tract over the past five years.

AMA president Dr Bill Glasson stated "If we are somehow unintentionally putting poisons into the system that end up in the food chain that you and I consume then that's something that each and every Australian wants to know about, needs to know about, and that means that both the Commonwealth and state governments have dual responsibility," he said.

"This is really a national issue. It's not just Tasmania. Wherever we are doing aerial spraying, whether it be for our trees or our citrus fruit or whatever, we have to ensure that we're not actually endangering the health of those people that ultimately live in that area or consume the products from that area."
Source ABC News January 31, 2005.

Herbicide Causes Aggression and Brain Damage

The herbicide that will be sprayed on the recently approved GMO canola is linked to aggression and brain damage. Glufosinate is used widely in many countries and its residues have been found in food and water supplies. It has been shown to cause brain and hormonal damage.

Japanese government studies have confirmed previous research that glufosinate sets off violent behavior in lab animals. Male rats exposed to the chemical aggressively attack each other, while female rats remain peaceful. But female offspring of rats previously exposed to the pesticide "became aggressive and started to bite each other, in some cases until one died." said Yoichiro Kuroda, principle investigator of the study, adding, "That report sent a chill through me." Glufosinate is used as a herbicide on several varieties of genetically modified canola and corn and is also linked to neurological defects that increase the rate of hyperactivity and decrease IQs

Nine tonnes of irradiated mangoes recently exported to New Zealand developed black spots and blotches. It was the first shipment of irradiated food to arrive in NZ for human consumption.

The fruit was irradiated with gamma rays from Cobalt 60 in Brisbane’s Steritech irradiation plant. The New Zealand Greens and Friend of the Earth are running a campaign to get New Zealanders to boycott irradiated Queensland mangos in favour of heat treated mangos from the Pacific Islands.

According to the New Zealand Herald … Queensland grower Del Norman, who runs a medium-sized mango orchard south of Townsville with her husband Steve, was appalled to learn from the Herald that her fruit was irradiated before breaking out in blemishes.

The Center for Food Safety released an extensive review of Monsanto's use and abuse of U.S. patent law to control the usage of staple crop seeds by U.S. farmers. The Center (CFS) launched its investigation to determine the extent to which American farmers have been impacted by litigation arising from the use of patented genetically engineered crops.

Monsanto vs. U.S.Farmers details the results of this research, discusses the ramifications for the future of farming in the U.S. and outlines policy options for ending the persecution of America's farmers.

"These lawsuits and settlements are nothing less than corporate extortion of American farmers," said Andrew Kimbrell executive Director of CFS. "Monsanto is polluting American farms with its genetically engineered crops, not properly informing farmers about these altered seeds, and then profiting from its own irresponsibility and negligence by suing innocent farmers. We are committed to stopping this corporate persecution of our farmers in its tracks."

The report finds that, in general, Monsanto's efforts to prosecute farmers can be divided into three stages: investigations of farmers; out-of-court settlements; and litigation against farmers Monsanto believes are in breach of contract or engaged in patent infringement. CFS notes in the report that, to date, Monsanto has filed 90 lawsuits against American farmers in 25 states that involve 147 farmers and 39 small businesses or farm companies. Monsanto has set aside an annual budget of $10 million dollars and a staff of 75 devoted solely to investigating and prosecuting farmers.

"Monsanto would like nothing more than to be the sole source for staple crop seeds in this country and around the world," said Joseph Mendelson, CFS legal director. "And it will aggressively overturn centuries-old farming practices and drive its own clients out of business through lawsuits to achieve this goal."

The largest recorded judgment CFS has found thus far in favor of Monsanto as a result of a farmer lawsuit is $3,052,800.00. Total recorded judgments granted to Monsanto for lawsuits amount to $15,253,602.82. Farmers have paid a mean of $412,259.54 for cases with recorded judgments. Many farmers have to pay additional court and attorney fees and are sometimes even forced to pay the costs Monsanto incurs while investigating them.

"Monsanto is taking advantage of farmers with their marketing and their threats and lawsuits," said Rodney Nelson, a North Dakota farmer sued Monsanto. "It's hard enough to farm as it is. You don't need a big seed supplier trying to trip you up and chase you down with lawyers."

Farmers even have been sued after their fields were contaminated by pollen or seed from a previous year's crop has sprouted, or "volunteered," in fields planted with non-genetically engineered varieties the following year; and when they never signed Monsanto's Technology Agreement but still planted the patented crop seed. In all of these cases, because of the way patent law has been applied, farmers are technically liable. It does not appear to matter if the use was unwitting or if a contract was never signed.

Source: WESTON A. PRICE FOUNDATION, INFORMATION ALERT, January 16, 2005

Monsanto failed to submit a study that shows its MON863 GMO Corn causes blood and kidney irregularities in rats when it applied for approval for the corn to be imported into Australia and New Zealand.

France’s genetic engineering commission reviewed the study and concluded that it was not able to show the absence of health risks from the corn. This corn is entering the Australian food chain. Source: Acres USA

A well-respected professor at the University of California in Berkeley has been fired after publishing a scientific paper on the uncontrolled contamination of irreplaceable native Mexican corn varieties by genetically engineered corn. Dr. Ignacio Chapela, whose corn contamination article was published in the science journal "Nature," was denied his tenure due to pressure from the biotech company Monsanto on the University (the UC Berkeley tenure review panel had actually voted almost unanimously to approve his tenure). Professor Chapela was told to have his office cleaned out by December 31 2004. Source: Organic Consumers Association

Australia’s Largest Exhibition of Organic Products and Services will be just one of the many highlights of the congress. This will be an opportunity for Australian producers and service providers to showcase their products and skills to the world and to the whole of Australia.

Renate Künast, The German Federal Minister of Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture will be one of the keynote speakers. Renate has been one of the worlds leading proponents for organic agriculture.

The Congress will feature several of Australia’s and the world leading organic experts including Professor Stuart B. Hill the Foundation Chair of Social Ecology at the University of Western Sydney.

Stuart was a founding member of IFOAM and has been actively involved in organic agriculture in Australia and around the world. In 1974 he established the Ecological Agriculture Projects at McGill University as Canada’s leading resource centre for sustainable agriculture (www.eap.mcgill.ca).

He has published over 350 papers and reports. His latest book (with Martin Mulligan) is Ecological Pioneers: A Social History of Australian Ecological Thought and Action, Cambridge UP, 2001.

In Canada he was a member of over 30 regional, national and international boards and committees. He is currently on the editorial board of four refereed journals and until 2004 represented professional environmental educators on the NSW Council on Environmental Education.

He has worked in agricultural and development projects in the West Indies, French West Africa, Indonesia, The Philippines, China, and the Seychelles, as well as in the UK, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.

For further information contact:
IFOAM 2005, c/o NASAA, PO Box 768, Stirling SA 5152, Australia
Phone/Fax: +61 8 8339 7800
Email: ifoam2005@nasaa.com.au
http://www.nasaa.com.au/ifoam/

Jerry Brunetti Workshops
Renowned American agriculturalist and educator, Jerry Brunetti, will deliver a series of seminars/workshops in Australia during February 2005 as guest of the Australian Perry Ag Lab (APAL). Jerry is CEO and founder of Agri-Dynamics, a 25 year old company specialising in sustainable stock health. He is also brains trust behind the Pennsylvanian company, Earthworks, which manufactures a range of biological fertilisers including compost tea. He was the keynote speaker at the Dairy Large Herds Conference in Shepparton in February 2004 and impressed conference attendees with his down-to-earth entertaining style blended with his vast knowledge, motivational approach and adept ability to impart information for all to understand. He is a regular and charismatic presenter at the annual Acres USA conferences and author of several books.

Four years ago, Jerry was diagnosed with non-Hogkins Lymphoma and given 6 months to live. He did not submit to chemotherapy, but rather, developed his own unique dietary approach to enhance his immune system. Jerry's success has generated much interest and now finds himself speaking about human health as much as soil and animal health.

Jerry will present two-day workshops in Naracoorte and Adelaide as well as in Gippsland and WA. His presentation in Adelaide will be on 23-24 February coinciding with the SASA AGM on the 23rd. He will speak on 'Food as Medicine' at the AGM. Please note these dates in your diary and contact: SASA or APAL on 08 83320199

In Victoria Contact: Gerhard Grasser, OFA Secretary seagrow@dcsi.net.au Tel 03 5627 8663 Mob 0402213736

BFA Roadshow
Saturday 5th March 2005, Olio Bello's Margaret River, WA
The Agenda includes The Olio Bello story, Regional Marketing, Marketing your food products,
Organic Industry update - facts and figures, Organic fertilisers presentations, Organic Pest management technical presentations, networking and more
The day includes an organic lunch and a farm tour through the olive groves of Olio Bello.
Holly Vyner: BFA Media Officer
T: 07 3350 5716 F: 07 3350 5996
E: info@bfa.com.au W: www.bfa.com.au

Exporting to Japan
Thursday 24^th Feb, 9.30am – 11.00am, Mirrabooka Room, Austrade, level 31, 140 William St, Melbourne. Cost: Complimentary
Guest Speaker, Naoki Endoh has worked in the food and beverage industry in Japan for more than 20 years.. Endoh and the Austrade Japanese Food team have connections to a large organic customer base in Japan.
RSVP: by Friday 18^th February to Nicole Peters at Austrade Melbourne.
Email: nicole.peters@austrade.gov.au with name/s of attendees, or phone: (03) 9648 3204.

15-16 June The Tropical North Queensland Organics Conference in Cairns. Contact: Lucille Rick – 07 40653254