Text of the Moosletter from farmers
milk monitor | 17.06.2005 19:23 | Bio-technology
The Daily Moosletter from UK farmers. Wednesday 15th.
Why farmers want the GM out of Animal Feed.
As a coalition of independent farmers unions, we've got a lot to deal with at the moment. It's silage season for a start. But we're seriously concerned about the effects Sainsbury's milk policy is having on our farms.
British agriculture has already had its fingers burnt by taking short cuts with animal feed. We think it's important to apply the lessons of BSE to the current situation of GM animal feed imports.
At the moment so little is known about the effects of GM animal feed on our herds, or the people who drink their milk, that no one will insure for the risks associated with it. Despite repeated reassurances from the biotech companies that GM crops are safe, all the corporations refuse to accept liability for their products if things go wrong.
If it's so bad, why are we using it?
Naturally we'd rather avoid using GM feed, but the current milk market makes this extremely difficult for many farmers. Milk prices are so low now that many farmers are producing milk at a loss. Farmers' earnings are often less than the minimum wage, and an average of 40 UK farms a week are going bankrupt because of unfair pricing.
Ironically, it is no more expensive to grow non-GM crops. Most farmers overseas are not paid any premium for their non-GM produce. It is the deliberate mixing of the GM and the non-GM during shipment, by grain barons like Cargil. which artificially creates a more expensive non-GM feed.
We need Sainsbury's to halt the steady collapse of the British dairy industry by paying us a fair price for our milk. In the short term we need them to band together with other UK retailers and make contracts with non-GM growers in Brazil, to ensure the future supply of non-GM soya and maize. IN the long term we need the financial breathing space to convert to more sustainable forms fo farming, that are not dependent on imports.
As your producers we believe GM animal feed should be phased out. We need to be paid a fair price so we can do this.
You will gratefully note that despite the provocation this leaflet has not resorted any cow puns about pulling the udder one or having herd it all before.
Why farmers want the GM out of Animal Feed.
As a coalition of independent farmers unions, we've got a lot to deal with at the moment. It's silage season for a start. But we're seriously concerned about the effects Sainsbury's milk policy is having on our farms.
British agriculture has already had its fingers burnt by taking short cuts with animal feed. We think it's important to apply the lessons of BSE to the current situation of GM animal feed imports.
At the moment so little is known about the effects of GM animal feed on our herds, or the people who drink their milk, that no one will insure for the risks associated with it. Despite repeated reassurances from the biotech companies that GM crops are safe, all the corporations refuse to accept liability for their products if things go wrong.
If it's so bad, why are we using it?
Naturally we'd rather avoid using GM feed, but the current milk market makes this extremely difficult for many farmers. Milk prices are so low now that many farmers are producing milk at a loss. Farmers' earnings are often less than the minimum wage, and an average of 40 UK farms a week are going bankrupt because of unfair pricing.
Ironically, it is no more expensive to grow non-GM crops. Most farmers overseas are not paid any premium for their non-GM produce. It is the deliberate mixing of the GM and the non-GM during shipment, by grain barons like Cargil. which artificially creates a more expensive non-GM feed.
We need Sainsbury's to halt the steady collapse of the British dairy industry by paying us a fair price for our milk. In the short term we need them to band together with other UK retailers and make contracts with non-GM growers in Brazil, to ensure the future supply of non-GM soya and maize. IN the long term we need the financial breathing space to convert to more sustainable forms fo farming, that are not dependent on imports.
As your producers we believe GM animal feed should be phased out. We need to be paid a fair price so we can do this.
You will gratefully note that despite the provocation this leaflet has not resorted any cow puns about pulling the udder one or having herd it all before.
milk monitor
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