Monday, 15 September 2008

The GM moguls advance with Weidemann et al assisting

According to The Age on 11 September 2008, Rupanyup farmer Andrew Weidemann brags that:
Much of his 92 hectares of GM canola is now in flower and is on track for harvest in about 11 weeks.

Now this farmer's crop reads as if it was first intended as non-commercial:
To allow a detailed comparison of the 10 canola varieties on his farm, all were planted in the same paddock on the same day in early May, in distinct plots.
Yesterday about 20 farmers from South Australia visited Mr Weidemann's farm to inspect the GM canola. South Australian law prohibits commercial production of GM canola.

In February this year he told ABC News that:
"There is an up-front fee that we pay and you can grow as many acres as the seed is available for this year and there is a royalty payment on the end which is the best situation in rewarding the researcher, the marketeer and the grower," Mr Weidemann said.

The Commonwealth Office of Gene Technology states that there is a
current licence granted to Bayer Crop Science Pty Ltd which cover amongst other areas, Rupanyup and Wimmera.
So one might wonder if Andrew Weidemann,
now VFF grains group deputy president, was originally in partnership with Bayer or affiliates.

Either way, Weidemann joins the ranks of those Australia may learn to curse in the future.

Here is a 1995 photo and brief bio of this foolish man who thinks that simply everyone will
buy GM food if it is cheaper (found at the Birchip Cropping Group).

Mr Andrew Weidemann Farming 2500ha with his family in the Victorian Wimmera, producing a range of pulses, cereals, oilseeds and fat lambs, Andrew is a dedicated community member. He holds a range of positions with the VFF, currently the Wimmera District Council Grains Councillor, and is current President of the Rupanyup Football and Netball Club. Andrew is an inaugural Committee member on the 1st Bendigo Bank Community Bank. He has held past positions of VFF Rupanyup Branch President and Wimmera Farming Systems Deputy Chairman. Andrew has an Advanced Diploma of Agriculture, was the 2000 recipient of the Wimmera Conservation Farming James Muller Award and 2000 recipient of the Powercor Best Achievement in Primary Production....
Email: weidpast@wimmera.com.au. t 03 54922787 f 03 54922753

Monsanto, another GM giant operating in Australia, is not having much luck in France these days.

At the same time the film The World According to Monsanto is actively circulating with a bad PR look for this company:

Seeds of Deception has also released a pdf document listing where in your personal food and grocery item chain GMO ingredients may be found once GM crops spread in Australia.

1 comment:

susanai said...

I thought that the 'Rudd' Government would settle these things. Now he is off, again, overseas settling things such as 'seats' at the UN. Methinks we need another leader or perhaps Rudd should stay in America. Australia won't be any the worse for it.