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[SANET-MG] secret field tests must be stopped



May 30, 2004

Prof. Joe Cummins

“Secret field test releases must be stopped”

In the past weeks there have been a number of communications on the
efforts of German people to disclose the secret field test releases of
genetically modified crops. Agricultural bureaucrats seem to have teemed
with the multinational corporations to cloak the tests in secrecy and to
block disclosure of test areas to the public who will be effected by
pollen, plant debris and potentially polluted ground and surface water
from the test areas. The prima facie basis for the government sponsored
secrecy is to protect the test area from vandalism from people. The
striking feature of that government view is that the bureaucrats
identify their interests with the corporations and not the interests of
the people they serve. There is no reason why corporations undertaking
field test releases should not provide adequate security for their test
sites. By providing secrecy on behalf of corporations the bureaucrats
put the interests of the corporation ahead of the interests of the
people they serve. Such bureaucrats should be removed form the public
service and placed with the corporations that they serve. Politicians
who legislate and allow secrete field test releases should face the
public that they allow to be injured by such tests.

Even if the current field test releases in Germany were benign, as is
claimed, the tests open a slippery slope which will lead to the abusive
practices of North America. In particular, secret field test releases of
crops modified with genes for pharmaceutical crops is rampant and the
practice of commercially producing pharmaceutical products on large
secret test plots is growing in scope. Such field test releases are
maintained on secret locations and even the description of the modified
crops is most often deemed confidential business information. For
examples, maize and other food crops have been modified with genes such
as aprotionin which may cause fatal anaphylaxis following exposure to
the modified crops or on exposure during surgery some time after
exposure to the secret crop. The corporation undertaking the field tests
are protected from liability from the toxic exposure because of the
secret nature of the field test releases. The exposed public are kept in
the dark about the threat to their very existence posed by the secret
test releases.

Facing the fatuous justifications and obfuscations posed by government
bureaucrats where can people turn for justice and even the clear cut
remedy of notifying the public about the nature and location of field
test releases of crops modified with genes for pharmaceutical products?
The first pace to seek remedy may be the courts, but in the United
States and Canada the courts seem to have been prepared to sacrifice
people to further field test releases of experimental crops. The second
place to seek remedy may the United Nations. The Untied nations may seem
a reasonable place to seek help in the area of human rights and safety.
However, the Food and agriculture Organization of the United nations
seems to have a systematic bias in favor genetically modified crops and
to have turned a blind eye to its hazards. The last place that people
can turn to remedy the poisoning of their environment with
pharmaceutical field test releases is the politicians of their
countries. People cannot provide the rich rewards of the corporations
but they can provide the threat of unmasking politicians who work
against their health and safety.

There is an interesting side issue that is worth mentioning. A number of
agricultural or environmental bureaucrats participate in online
discussion groups , for the most part those individuals identify
themselves and their role in government. However, at least one
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) high level bureaucrat in the
pesticides group, Doug Gurion-Sherman, is presented as an “activist”
without referring to his role in EPA. He has a strong industry bias and
his points most frequently obfuscate the dangers of field test releases
of crops bearing pharmaceutical genes. By providing an EPA official in
the guise of “activist” opinion , the impression is left that there is
internal dissention among activists concerned about secret field test
releases. It would be better for Dr, Gurion-Sherman to identify his role
in EPA when he provides opinion. In the past government agencies have
had undercover presence in political and environmental groups so there
is nothing new here. However, the issue of secret field test releases is
one that should be approached with transparency and no hidden agenda.

In conclusion, the field test releases of genetically modified crops
should be undertaken with complete transparency. Both the locations of
the tests and the complete nature of the genetic modifications tested
should be made public. Field test releases of crops modified with genes
for pharmaceutical products should not be undertaken near urban centers.

Reading List of Related Subjects

The following articles are found at http://www.i-sis.org.uk/

Poison Pharm Crops Near You

Pharm crops are crops genetically modified to produce gene products that
are pharmaceutically active. Such bio-pharmaceuticals are frequently
active in minute quantities and expensive to produce in cell cultures or
whole animals, and so the companies turn to crop plants.

Prof. Joe Cummins, 7th March 2002

'Pharmageddon' / Risks of Edible Transgenic Vaccines

Our fields are being turned into pharmaceutical and industrial factories
that poison our food supply and entire life support system. Our
governments have been warned and should be held liable for all damages
along with the companies involved

Dr. Mae-Wan Ho and Prof. Joe Cummins, 2nd December 2002

Pharming Cytokines in Transgenic Crops

Crop plants are being used to produce a range of vaccines and drugs
including powerful molecules that affect cells of the immune system. The
inevitable contamination of our food crops has been uncovered

Prof. Joe Cummins, 31st January 2003

Letter to the California Department of Food and Agriculture

A letter written to the Secretary of Food and Agriculture and Govenor
Arnold Scharzenegger outlining concerns over Biopharmeceutical rice in
California

Prof. Joe Cummins & Dr. Mae-Wan Ho , 13th April 2004

Pharm Crop Products In US Market

Dangerous GM pharmaceutical crops have been produced and marketed in the
United States for at least two years, unbeknownst to the public, via a
gaping loophole in the regulatory process

Prof. Joe Cummins, 26th May 2004

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