Helen and Hugo’s Organic Farming Blog

In Western Australia the Government’s plans to conduct trials on GM have been disallowed in the Upper House due to insufficient support being shown for non GM farmers. (23.04.09 Stock and Land, p 18)

Victory for the Network of Concerned farmers?

Not if the WA Minister for Agriculture Terry Redman has his way. He intends to sign an exemption order for the trials to go ahead! Just who is he representing?
And why conduct trials anyway? Surely not to prove that GM canola is better! Hasn’t that been “proved” in other state and countries? Would I dare suggest that it is just another strategy to gradually weaken and wear out people’s opposition to GM.

Just look at what is happening in Victoria where it has been announced this week that there will be no segregation of GM and non GM canola this year. Why? Only last year they said that concerned people had no worry about contamination because GM grains would be segregated from non GM. Now it seems that it doesn’t matter, thus exposing everyone who uses canola products to the effects, currently unknown, to GM. If you want a choice, bad luck and, by the way, they knew all along that it was impossible to stop GM canola from contaminating non GM farms. The quicker the better for all concerned who stand to gain from the technology.

This arrogant disregard of people’s wishes must be examined and everyone of us should write to our elected Government “representative” and ask why. Until the majority of politicians stand threatened to lose their seat there is no reason for them to challenge Party policy which is abundantly clear, does not represent us.

The article in The Age “Thornley blasts power bosses over coal use” (p.2 by Adam Morton
25.04.09) is spot on. The Victorian Government led by John Brumby seems more interested in
jobs for the boys than jobs for the people. Brumby’s lack of leadership in applying rational,
logical thinking that would serve to create long term solutions is starkly evident once again.


Thornley claims that coal should not be burnt but rather have the carbon extracted and burn
the gas. This way we would not only have carbon to sell for $1200 a tonne to India and China to use in water purification, we would cut emisssions by two thirds, save the equivalent of 2
desalination plants worth of water and double the number of coalminers jobs. Presently we are
getting nothing for the carbon and at best a negative $30 when there is a carbon price and
“killing the planet”.


Seems like simple and obvious arithmetic to me. Just like it is not to provide water by building an energy guzzling, environmentally disastrous, shortlived desalination plant or a pipe from the Goulburn River to supply Melbourne. The latter is nowhere near finished and already been
declared a failure! On top of that, the ratepayers are being told that they will carry the burden of these Government projects. When will the Government serve the people instead of lining the pockets of yet another mate’s company?


What we need are leaders who have vision and the courage to plan for our future and
to not bow to the self serving needs of big business. A great leader creates a sound future for all and enrols the people in making it happen. It has nothing to do with protecting entrenched views from people trying to protect their jobs and their ego. Nor is it about taking easy options.

“Greenpeace Wrong About GM farming” is one of 2 letters in Opinion, Stock and Land, 2.4.09 p. 10

It is written to make 2 organic farmers who are going from town town with Greenpeace look like misinformed, ignorant farmers spreading mistruths GM. They are riding “side saddle …pump(ing)
out loads of misinformation about litigation-prone agribusiness, compensation, seed supplies and other bulldust”

The writer, Wayne McKay of Billimari, NSW, says that they are “trying to whip up a fever of bother about GM canola” His proof that they missed their mark is that 1000 farmers, up from 100 farmers last year, have turned a “deaf ear to the doomsayers” because “Guess what? Farmers see through such stunts” Wayne’s last comment that these 2 farmers “have only demonstrated that their opposition to GM technology is stronger that their knowledge of farming”.

It amazes me that Wayne hasn’t stopped to realise how illogical his claims are.
Firstly the 1000 farmers were always going to plant GM canola because they see it as their best way to farm profitably. They are unaware of the benefits of biological farming and know no other way to farm apart from getting rid of weeds - competition - and adding inputs to make plants produce.

Secondly why would 2 organic farmers spend their time going around to the towns to oppose GM? Organic farmers do not need GM technology to grow their crops without weedicides so maybe these 2 farmers are extremely concerned about the future for all of us if GM crops are widely grown. They know that there is a better, healthier way to farm because they know their soils and look after them.

I am extremely grateful that people do take the time out to get the information out there. Due to the huge influence that the big agribusinesses can exert on our governing bodies and the media, it is difficult for the ordinary bloke to access a balanced stream of information.

One excellent source of current information is to be found at: www.madge.org.au

The other day Mark Howard Beers died. He was a doctor and researcher who, with a team from Harvard, investigated the files of 850 residents in nursing homes. In doing so he found that the drugs prescribed for the elderly caused side effects that often went unnoticed - side effects such as confusion, physical tremors, lethargy and urination.

Based on that study Beers went on to establish a list of drugs known to have side effects on the elderly. This list is called the Beers Criteria. It was expanded in 2003 and is consulted by those working with the elderly. The list has made the medical establishment aware of drugs with “side effects far more destructive than any potential therapeutic benefit”

This article caught my eye as it exactly reflected the experience I had when my mother became incapable of looking after herself after several strokes and became a resident in a nursing home. For a woman who had never had any major health issues, (OK high cholesterol and blood pressure for which she was medicated - another story in itself!) she suddenly was being medicated with drugs including anti depressants which had to be discontinued each time due to the side effects. She experienced lethargy, fitting, confusion, urination and was sometimes hospitalised from these new problems. It was an extremely distressing time and I found very little support from her doctors even when they acknowledged the problem!

What to do?

Firstly stay well yourself by eating mineral dense nutrient rich food and work out a plan to avoid these experiences. If you choose homeopathy and other natural treatments they rarely have any side effects. Secondly be aware at least of the Beers Criteria so that you can ensure that the drugs on it are avoided. You may just save a life!

Ref: The Age, Mar 27th 2009, Obituaries p.14