Barbara H. Peterson
It’s a sad day in Organic Town when the government decides that organic farmers have no recourse against GMO contamination from the companies that sell genetically engineered (GMO) crops or the GMO farmers that cause organic crops to be contaminated. A sad day, indeed.
That is exactly what happened to Australian farmer, Steve Marsh when his organic crop was contaminated by his neighbor’s GMO crop.
Western Australian farmer Steve Marsh (#IamSteveMarsh) has lost a landmark case which could have protected his organic status, after his property was contaminated by GM canola from a neighbouring farm.
The verdict was handed down Wednesday and can be found here:
Marsh, an organic farmer from Kojonup, south of Perth, Western Australia (WA), lost organic certification for most of his farm when GM canola contaminated his crop. He took action by suing his neighbour Michael Baxter in the Supreme Court of WA, in a landmark world’s first trial which started earlier this year. LINK
While organic farmers try and figure out how to survive in the face of what appears to be an unstoppable government-backed onslaught on their very right to exist, biotech firms along with their flunky farmers are doing the happy dance. Why? Because they are apparently immune from any type of liability if their GMO crops contaminate and ruin organic farms.
The ruling in Marsh v Baxter is an enormous win for the agricultural biotechnology industry, and has disappointed organic farmers and their advocates…
First, [Judge] Martin concluded “that there was no unreasonable interference by Mr Baxter with the Marshes’ enjoyment of Eagle Rest merely by his growing RR canola on Sevenoaks during 2010”.
Second, he held that Baxter’s swathing wasn’t “unreasonable interference with the use and enjoyment by the Marshes of Eagle Rest” – irrespective of their organic certification and the contracts that relied upon it.
Third, the Marshes’ action in negligence also failed, in part because of the novelty of the case led to “the absence of a duty of care to avoid a foreseeable economic loss”.
Finally, the judge rejected the claim for a permanent injunction to stop Baxter swathing in the future, because of “the absence of an empirical basis to support any buffer distance”…
While the critics of genetically modified crops were disappointed by the decision, the agricultural biotechnology industry was jubilant. Matthew Cossey, chief executive of CropLife Australia, said the decision was a “victory for common-sense and confirms the long standing tradition of coexistence of all farming methods”. LINK
When you read “victory for common-sense and confirms the long standing tradition of coexistence of all farming methods,” this actually means – victory for the right of GMO farmers to contaminate whomever they like and wipe non-GMO farmers out of existence legally. Oh well, I guess it is the organic farmer’s fault for not wanting GMOs. Too bad, so sad, let’s just go to the pub and have another round of GMO beer and celebrate the victory for GMO agribusiness, shall we? I think not.
If anything, this case makes it just that much more apparent that the government is not our friend. It will not take care of us, it does not care if we die. Those in it will lie to cover their tracks, and justify those lies with falsified information taken from their corporate masters. It gives itself a free pass to maim, destroy, sicken and otherwise take advantage of the trust that people blindly place in its benevolence. It is not benevolent. It is malevolent. The only good it does is for show in order to gain a bigger foothold on controlling the people and all resources. Actions speak much louder than words, and they are speaking louder every day. Just ask Steve Marsh.
©2014 Barbara H. Peterson
Tags: australia, Barbara H. Peterson, coexistence, contamination, Farm Wars, farmwars, genetic engineering, GMO, organic, steve marsh
A sad day for reason.
I cant believe the judge could not have availed of the “reasonable man” arguement: or he has not read any literature relating to GE crops?
A sad, sad day indeed.
Thanks for sharing that, windy. This war goes so much deeper than labeling the 2% of GMOs that pollute our store shelves. Granted, that 2% contaminates 85% of the processed food we eat, but what about the other 98%? It’s like people simply do not want to hear it, and just as long as they can feel good with labeling, it doesn’t matter what is really happening – and that is, if GMOs are allowed to continue polluting our crops, our “choice” will be completely removed, irregardless of labeling, and everything will be contaminated by GMOs. How is that real choice? The choice of eating this or that GMO contaminated food? Talk about a complete takeover! Just Ban It! We have the right to grow non-GMO and be GM-Free.
Here in VT we are so busy congratulating ourselves on the GMO labeling law that we ignore the fact of thousands of acres of mutated pollen are contaminating our organic crops. I very much fear it is too late.
“It’s a sad day in Organic Town when the government decides that organic farmers have no recourse against GMO contamination”
Who says crime doesn’t pay?
Thanks Barb for what you are doing! It must seem like David vs Goliath at times.
If Russia prevents GMO’S they will literally control the most valuable food source on the planet. This will become a very profitable endeavor for Russia! Smart move by Russia!
And poor Monsanto’s will lose BIG in the end!!
Seems considering common sense that the “farm” that planted “Genetically Altered from Normal Seeds” Knew or Should Have Known their Dangerous Seeds would eventually TRESPASS on other NOT G.M.O. Fields of neighbor properties and thereby eventual Intermingle masogenate and Cross Infect Contaminate and Do Irreversible Tortable Damage presenting a Clear and present imminate danger and potential threat to humanity and other species perhaps causing Transmutation forever changing the genetic integrity with UNknown Irresponsibe Criminal lawful implications and torable damages likely invoking substantial cause to seek fro Triple Damage$ based on culpable liability for Proceeding in view of the third Part pier revied actual fact based science WARNINGS to consequences to pursuing these Demonic TransHUmanist:
AH JIN Duhs/ agendas?
Thyme for a new Weigh. Consider mass withdrawal of consent toward all governments. Sovereignty is not anarchy, fascism is real. Look into the New Earth Nation.
Well if this isn’t proof the deck is stacked, I don’t know what is?
I heard yesterday from GMWatch they started to GMO humans with E-coli!
On the plus side, Putin declared people that push GMO technology will be considered as terrorist with 15 years to the death penalty! It must be a cold day in Hell now that I’m cheering anything the Russians are doing!
In other words, labeling laws will now blowup and backfire on the organic farmers who have pushed them through. A monsanto-goverment schill will provoke some poor organic farmer into saying “no GMO” and then they will sue the farmer (in lawsuit that was a setup from getgo) They will bankrupt the farmer and own all his land.
Worse still is that all of the GMO produce is BY ITSELF ALREADY BEFORE GMO a dangerous threat to humanity. Every nation that has added maize to its diet has been either exterminated or enslaved. Worse, the “theory” that maize came from a barley look-alike in Yukatan is pure HOAKUM. Cotton, before GMO, displaced hemp. Cotton has planned obsolesence (destroys more soil for each new crop of clothes that wear out) and it causes cervical cancer and uterine fibroids in tampax. It’s a weapon of war, before GMO. Same for soy, which was NEVER a food, always grown only a green fertilizer. Same for sugar beets. On and on. All of the GMO crops were a cultural degenerative before they were put on steroids with GMO and glyphosate. The fake crops pushed out the real ones.