Bayer refuses to accept liability for its GM crops

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Subject:     Bayer refuses to accept liability for its GM crops...............
     Date:     Wed, 25 Jun 2003 
    From:     Stephen Tvedten <steve@getipm.com>
Organization:     Get Set Inc. (www.getipm.com)

To:     Paul Helliker <phelliker@cdpr.ca.gov>
          Director, State of California, Department of Pesticide Regulation 

Australia: Bayer refuses to accept liability for its GM crops

It's time government acted to protect non-GM growers

The Network of Concerned Farmers (Australia) have expressed disappointment that Bayer Cropscience has indicated they have no intention to accept costs and liabilities for the control of their product. Bayer Cropscience refused a request to withdraw their license application for genetically modified canola until this issue was resolved.

"If Bayer CropScience was so confident that there will be no problem with their product, they would not be objecting to accepting the cost and liability for the control of it." said Julie Newman NFC spokesperson and WA farmer.

"We are faced with a situation where the GM industry is not prepared to bear the costs and liabilities associated with introduction and control of the GM product and have drafted management plans to put this responsibility on to non-GM growers. Non-GM growers are certainly not prepared to subsidise companies such as Bayer Cropscience and Monsanto; these companies make this product and they must be totally responsible for it."

"On release, Australia will lose its non-GM status And it will be extremely expensive for non-GM growers  to verify a crop as non-GM. Non-GM growers must not be forced to market as GM due to these excessive costs and liabilities. Non-GM is a preferred market and  the GM industry must not be allowed to deprive us of our chosen markets."

"We can only co-exist if we maintain our national non-GM status and ensure the GM industry is 100% responsible for  total containment of the GM canola and all associated costs and liabilities.  This must include containerising on farm, a strict testing regime for neighbouring crops, serious fines for non-compliance and a contingency fund for compensation." "If the company will not accept responsibility for its product, it's time the Government imposed legislation to ensure they do."

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[Point to Ponder:  Has anyone ever read the label of any pesticide whether off the store shelf or applied by a pest control company to find anything that states:  "Safe for use around children, pets, or pregnant women?"]

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