Category: Genetics

GM sunflowers – Faucheurs Volontaires in action

2 September 2012

Press release

In the early hours of 2nd September, a hundred Faucheurs Volontaires (voluntary reapers of GM) from all over France simultaneously decontaminated 8 test fields in the Isère region and 1 in the Drôme.

2 September 2012

Press release

In the early hours of 2nd September, a hundred Faucheurs Volontaires (voluntary reapers of GM) from all over France simultaneously decontaminated 8 test fields in the Isère region and 1 in the Drôme.

Par cette action que nous assumons pleinement, nous voulons : mettre en évidence qu’une partie importante des surfaces de tournesol de la région a été semée avec des variétés mutées, issues de technologies brevetées, tolérantes à des herbicides, véritables OGM qui ne disent pas leur nom. Dénoncer le passage en force des firmes semencières et des opérateurs de la filière, qui cachent aux paysans la véritable nature de ces variétés. C’est la politique du fait accompli : on colonise les champs, ensuite on discutera.

Par ailleurs, aucune traçabilité ni étiquetage n’est exigée pour les produits de consommation humaine (graines et huile de tournesol) et animales (graines et tourteaux) Les récoltes de ces parcelles seront mélangées avec les récoltes conventionnelles et se retrouveront donc dans nos assiettes

Nous attendons du ministre de l’agriculture et des Services de l’Etat : qu’ils garantissent aux consommateurs la liberté de consommer sans OGM qu’ils agissent pour que ces technologies ne soient plus exclues du champ d’application de la directive européenne 2001-18 sur les OGM (alors qu’elle les définit comme tels : art 2 et 3)

Ces variétés de tournesol muté constituent des impasses techniques : toujours plus de pesticides, risques de résistance de l’ambroisie… Les producteurs doivent les refuser et ne pas se laisser embarquer dans cette spirale qui les rendent encore plus dépendants des firmes semencières agrochimiques

PAS D’OGM DANS NOS CHAMPS ET NOS ASSIETTES QU’ILS SOIENT ISSUS DE TRANSGENESE OU DE MUTAGENESE

Les Faucheurs Volontaires

Netherlands: destruction of potato GM trial site

Two GM potato trial fields at the University of Wageningen were destroyed by activists in July and August 2012. 

The potato trials were for mildew resistance.  They were in Lelystad and Valthermond. It was only recently, on 16th August, that the destruction was discovered.  The action has not been claimed. 

Two GM potato trial fields at the University of Wageningen were destroyed by activists in July and August 2012. 

The potato trials were for mildew resistance.  They were in Lelystad and Valthermond. It was only recently, on 16th August, that the destruction was discovered.  The action has not been claimed. 

Earth First! Summer Gathering Update – programme, directions, website and more

It’s only weeks until the Earth First! Summer Gathering begins.
Five days of workshops, info sharing and learning new skills, 1-5 August.

It’s only weeks until the Earth First! Summer Gathering begins.
Five days of workshops, info sharing and learning new skills, 1-5 August.

The Earth First Summer Gathering takes place each year to provide a space in which the radical ecology movement can share skills and plan for future campaigns and actions.

Discussions around the importance of community building in inner cities, the state of the anarchist movement and patriarchy in activism.

Skill shares including women's self-defence, researching corporations and navigation.

Campaign round ups from Frack Off! Smash Edo and Luddites 2000 amongst others.

If you have workshops you like to run or discussions you'd like to facilitate then email us at earthfirstsummergathering@riseup.net

Full programme.

Camping is on a sliding scale of £30 to £15, pay what is genuinely appropriate.

Food will be from Anarchist Teapot and meal tickets will be £5 a day.

Kids can have separate meals if they want for £3 a day.

There will be a couple of kids spaces, and special workshops being ran for kids. If you’d like to run any kids workshops get in touch at earthfirstsummergathering@riseup.net.

If you want you dog to come along then you’re going to have to email us at earthfirstsummergathering@riseup.net

And of course there will be entertainment and a bar open in the evenings.

The camp is ½ mile from the Berrington village, and 1 mile from the larger village of Cross Houses.

We encourage non-cycling campers to use public transport if possible as Cross Houses is on a bus route.

BY TRAIN
The nearest train station is Shrewsbury. You can then get the bus to Cross Houses (see below). If coming from a long distance it can sometimes be cheaper to get a ticket to a large station such as Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Manchester or Crewe and then a separate ticket on to Shrewsbury. Check national rail for train times and prices. If coming from the London direction, it’s generally cheaper to buy a Super Offpeak Return, specifying “London Midland & Arriva only”.

BY BIKE
See here for directions and a map to the camp from Shrewsbury for cyclists and drivers.

BY BUS
When you arrive at Shrewsbury train station, ask someone to point you to the bus station. It’s only a few minutes walk from the train station. The bus service that runs from town to within a mile of Crabapple is the 436 towards Bridgnorth. It runs every hour from 7.40am to 5.40pm with a “late” one at 7.40pm. The journey to Cross Houses is approx 15 mins. You will need to press the stop button when you see the sign for Cross Houses. Some of the services on this route are low-floor accessible buses. Please note that the last bus leaves Shrewsbury at 7.40pm, Monday to Saturday and there are no Sunday bus services. For the bus timetable see here http://shropshire.gov.uk/bustimes/timetable.jsc?timetable=436mfi0412.
The camp itself is about 1 mile from the bus stop. From the bus stop at Cross Houses, walk back towards Shrewsbury past the petrol station (on your right) and take the first left turn signed “Berrington”. After about ½ mile, the road forks at the edge of the village. Take the right turn signposted “Betton Abbots” and we’re about ¼ mile up the road on the right.
If you intend to come by bus but need help getting to and from the bus stop, you can arrange a pick up with us: details will be available nearer the time.

BY TAXI
There is also a taxi rank just outside Shrewsbury train station. Accessible taxis can be got from here.- but it is MUCH cheaper to book a cab from a local company – Comet Cabs 01743 344444, or Vincent Cabs 01743 367777. Vincents also have a booking office just across the road from the station, which is handy if you don’t have a phone to book a cab in advance.

USEFUL LINKS
See here directions and a map to the camp from Shrewsbury for cyclists and drivers.
See a map of where the site is here
See the bus timetable
Directions from places other than Shrewsbury

Earth First! Summer Gathering Collective
earthfirstsummergathering@riseup.net

http://earthfirstgathering.weebly.com

Agriculture Action Camp 5-10 July Den Bosch NL

From the 5th till 10th of July in Den Bosch in the Netherlands, ASEED will organize a 6 days long camp. The camp will involve workshops, trainings, discussions, and action, for good ecological initiatives, an alternative food chain, alternatives to industrial farming, and against gentech and meat industry, and more.. 

From the 5th till 10th of July in Den Bosch in the Netherlands, ASEED will organize a 6 days long camp. The camp will involve workshops, trainings, discussions, and action, for good ecological initiatives, an alternative food chain, alternatives to industrial farming, and against gentech and meat industry, and more.. 

Do you know where your food comes from? Do you want to take food in your own hands and make the food chain shorter between the farmers and consumers? Do you also want to know more about the struggle against GMOs and industrial farming that is dominated by big companies? Do you want to organize actions against the meat industry and the imports of animal feed? But you are also interested in producing your own food on a sustainable, climate neutral, autonomous and social way? Are you not afraid of getting your hands dirty in a workshop? All of these and more will be covered during the camp. We invite activists, slow-foodies, farmers, gardeners, students, animal friends and people who want to learn and share skills on sustainable agriculture to come to the camp. Mark your agendas and join in! 

Landbouwactiekamp-9-ah-spandoek-450-medium

Landbouwactiekamp-medium

Last year the first Agriculture Action Camp in The Netherlands took place in the Flevopolder with 70 participants camping on an organic farm for three days. We had a program full of workshops and discussions, and two actions close to the camp against GM crops and soy greenwashing. The participants opted for a replay, so here comes the second camp once again with an interesting programme of workshops, trainings, action and nice atmosphere.

Hello everybody, 
We are getting closer to the date it is all going to start, the location will be in the city of Den Bosch (or ‘s Hertogenbosch) in and around a squatted community garden project Graafse Hof in a residential area in the East of the city. The workshop program is getting more and more concrete. Confirmed are amongst other things: GMO update by Greenpeace, GMO field liberation movements by FLM Belgium (more contributions/examples 
from similar movements in other countries welcome!!), introduction into different forms of sustainable agriculture systems (biodynamic, agroecology, permaculture), seed saving, worm composting, getting to know your gardening tools, action trainings by Vredesactie, tractor driving, talks with and working with farmers, food sovereignty: what does it mean, European movement, concrete examples, and more to come. The program starts on Thursday 5th in the evening and goes on till Monday 9th July. 

Give a Workshop? 
Want to come and give a workshop yourself? Great! We are in particularly interested to hear about reclaim the fields land occupation actions, or similar campaigns/initiatives going on, as well as the Reclaim the fields movement in general. Also looking for someone who can tell more about the European Campaign for Seed Sovereignty. But anything relevant, you’re welcome to propose. 

Info stall @ mini alternative agro fair on Saturday 7 July, 13.00? 
Saturday we want to focus on getting more mainstream people to participate in the camp. The workshops are more introductory and their will be a small fair. Want to have stall to spread materials from your project or action group? Let us know. 

Networking @ Worldcafe on Saturday 7 July, 20.00 
Saturdaynight we will turn a tent into a nice cafe, where everyone can come to exchange ideas and examples. Organisations, Initiatives and Individuals have the opportunity for reservating a table, where people can sit around to have informal conversations. Want to have a table your project/initiative/campaign? read more here: 
 http://landbouwactiekamp.contrast.org/?page_id=181 

Action 
Monday July 9 will have a focus on doing one or more actions. Possible targets/topics are mentioned in the call out from before. The camp will decide collectively what it will become at the beginning of the weekend. 

Finances & travel costs reimbursements 
We have some funding for the camp but not enough to cover all costs, so we would ask a participants for a contribution of 7,50 if you come 1 day, less per day if you stay longer (see the website under practicalities). 
We have some limited possibilities to (partially) cover travel costs from people coming from abroad, AND coming on the 4th of July (help build up) and/or stay till 11th (help break down). Let us know if you want to come, and travel costs are an issue. If you can travel on one of these dates, we can probably reimburse (some) costs. 

Want to reserve a workshop slot, info stall or worldcafe table, or just know more about  the camp, contact us via  landbouwactiekamp@aseed.net. 

We still need people to; 
-make the kids program and organize the kids area in the camp 
-help us with the infrastructure preparations of the camp, & be there on the 4th to set up the camp, 
-translation and editing texts,(NL, ENG, DE mainly) 
-help us out with program content, 
-facilitate workshops, translation during the workshops etc.. 

Cheers and hope to see some of you @ Den Bosch. 

ASEED

http://www.landbouwactiekamp.net/

Take the Flour Back

More than 400 growers, bakers and families from across England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France and Belgium marched against the return of open air GM field testing today. Take the Flour Back linked arms with their European counterparts, notably France’s Volunteer Reapers and walked calmly towards the site, before being stopped by police lines.

Kate Bell from Take the Flour Back stated that “In the past, kids, grannies, and everyone in between has decontaminated GM trial sites together. Here at the beginning of a new resistance to this obsolete technology, we see GM hidden behind a fortress. We wanted to do the responsible thing and remove the threat of GM contamination, sadly it wasn’t possible to do that effectively today. However, we stand arm in arm with farmers and growers from around the world, who are prepared to risk their freedom to stop the imposition of GM crops.”

People enjoyed a GM free picnic whilst listening to a range of speakers opposing the trial, including Graciela Romero, International Programmes Director of UK development charity War on Want. Lawrence Woodward, previously Director of Elm Farm Organic Research Centre, former head of standards at the Soil Association, and now involved in Citizens concerned about GM. Plus several British farmers including Peter Lundgren, a conventional wheat farmer from Lincolnshire.

Gathuru Mburu, co-ordinator of the African Biodiversity Network, spoke on the global fight for control of our food supply.

Mburu explained that:

“Experimenting with staple crops is a serious threat to food security. Our resilience comes from diversity, not the monocultures of GM. Beneath the rhetoric that GM is the key to feeding a hungry world, there is a very different story – a story of control and profit. The fact is that we need a diversity of genetic traits in food crops in order to survive worsening climates. Above all, people need to have control over their seeds”

This statement is released amongst growing calls for the scientists to demonstrate sensitivity to public concern by harvesting the crop before pollination, removing any risk of contamination with non-GM plants.

Two people were arrested for trespassory assembly and others were searched and escorted on their way to the park, or searched on their way out.  Footpaths had been closed by order, huge numbers of cops and security were in place, a camera on a cherry-picker close to the open-air experiment, and a special Section 14a Trespassory Assembly applied to a large area.  The people arrested were in a small group, though this is only an offence for groups of 20 or more people and they may well not have known 14a was in force.

GM wheat trial vandalised

Sunday 20 May 2012

Scientists are assessing the damage after a GM wheat trial was vandalised at the Rothamsted Research centre in Hertfordshire.

The GM trial, conducted by scientists from Rothamsted Research in Hertfordshire, aims to see whether transgenic wheat can repel aphids in the field.

Sunday 20 May 2012

Scientists are assessing the damage after a GM wheat trial was vandalised at the Rothamsted Research centre in Hertfordshire.

The GM trial, conducted by scientists from Rothamsted Research in Hertfordshire, aims to see whether transgenic wheat can repel aphids in the field.

It is understood that part of the experimental crop has been vandalised and at least one person has been arrested.

Details of the attack started to emerge in a series of tweets by Rothamsted scientist Toby Bruce on  Sunday (20 May).

“Just heard there’s been an attack on our field trial, don’t know if crops were vandalised,” he wrote. “Very sad.”

Dr Bruce is leading the transgenic wheat research project at Rothamsted.

A spokesman for Rothamsted said a statement was likely to be issued later.

The non-commercial trial is being sponsored by Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.

“There was one intruder who has spread wheat seed on to three of the plots, but no apparent  damage,” Dr Bruce revealed. “He has been arrested.”

Dr Bruce later added: “Oh dear, there's more: Damage to plot 7 where he has cut off the tops of quite a few of the plants and collected the material.”

It is not known at this stage who was responsible for the attack. But anti-GM activists have been planning a “mass action” against the GM trial.

The “Take the Flour Back!” website urges opponents to GM crops to meet one week later at Rothamsted, on Sunday (27 May).

It adds: “Or take your own action in your own way, at your own time. Together we can stop this trial.”

The website includes a map showing the location of the GM wheat trial.

Earlier, Rothamsted sicentists pleaded with anti-GM campaigners not to destroy the experimental plots.

An online petition to muster support for the scientists was signed by more than 5,000 people, including the actor and broadcaster Stephen Fry.

But the protest group Take The Flour Back refused to back down, vowing to “decontaminate” the site unless the research was halted.

Take the Flour Back! anti-GM wheat action 27 May – final details

‘Take the Flour Back’ will be a nice day out in the country, with picnics, music from Seize the Day and a decontamination. It’s for anyone who feels able to publically help remove this threat and those who want to show their support for them.

What to bring, action you should take before the 27th May, transport info and more info on the website – http://taketheflourback.org/

How to get there, OS map and photo of the new fence

Take the Flour Back! Mass action against GM wheat – meetup point announced

Take the flour back!
Sunday 27th May 2012
 
Public day of action against the Rothamsted genetically modified wheat trial.
 
Meet-up point: Rothamsted Park, Harpenden, Herts (30 mins from London by train) 12 noon on 27th May. At 1.30pm we’ll take a 20 minute stroll on public footpaths to the trial site.

Frequent trains run from London to Harpenden – the journey takes 30 mins from St Pancras. A ten minute walk from Harpenden Station gets you to the park. Directions available at the station.

Check back to our website for legal briefings nearer the time.

 
—-
 
Bakers, farmers, growers, allotment holders, scientists, beekeepers, and people who eat food are turning out to voice their opposition to GM crops coming back to the UK.
 
Meet Sunday 27th May, at 12 noon, in Rothamsted, Harpenden, Herts. Or take your own action in your own way, at your own time. Together we can stop this trial.
 
Cow genes on toast anyone? No thanks!
 
 
What's up with the trial?
 
It could be dangerous.
This trial is testing a brand-new synthetically-constructed 'fake' gene that is 'most similar to one found in a cow'. This is a concerning use of synthetic genes and of animal genes in plants.
 
It's not wanted.
Even the USA has abandoned attempts to commercialise GM wheat because there is no market for it. Biotech company BASF recently backed out of Europe because no-one wanted to buy GM food.
 
Once it flowers, it's here to stay.
The trial is happening in the open air, meaning that when it starts to flower it can cross contaminate other wheat crops and wild grasses. This is a real threat. In Canada there is no organic oilseed rape left because all the farms have been cross-contaminated with GM rapeseed.
 
For more info nearer the time, go to www.taketheflourback.org or contact us at info [AT] taketheflourback.org

Shut Down the Corporations: Report from F29 actions against ALEC

29th February 2012

29th February 2012

Rising Tide North America sent out this report today about the Shut Down the Corporations call to action: “#F29 is off to bang this morning with actions across the country. big props to our Rising Tide & Occupy comrades in Portland for initiating this great day of action.

The target of the day is the American Legislative Exchange Commission, or ALEC, & their member corporations. ALEC is the shadowy front group that has been pushing a right wing agenda on everything from labor to climate change.

Here’s some updates:

-OccupyLA is blockading a massive Wal-Mart Distro Center
-Occupy Wall Street had a teach-in with Rolling Stone journalist Matt Taibbi & is seeing marches to Pfizer, blockades at Bank of America & lots of heavy handed police repression (shocking, we know)
-OccupyDC is blockading Monsanto’s offices
-Actions are stepping off in Arizona, Salt Lake City, Connecticut, Hattiesburg, MS, Fargo, ND, Lakeland, FL, Tampa, FL, and Winston-Salem, NC.
-Today at 1130, OccupyPortland has organized a mass march to visit all ALEC offices in the city.

here’s the Global Live Blog if you want to keep up

Great article this morning on Mother Jones

…solidarity, RTNA News”

And check out this video of a blockade of G4S security company today in Tucson, AZ: http://youtu.be/AB5MZDdjHck

Take the Flour Back – a mass action against Genetically Modified wheat

Take the flour back!
Sunday 27th May 2012

Public day of action against the Rothamsted genetically modified wheat trial.

 

Take the flour back!
Sunday 27th May 2012

Public day of action against the Rothamsted genetically modified wheat trial.

 

Bakers, farmers, growers, allotment holders, scientists, beekeepers, and people who eat food are turning out to voice their opposition to GM crops coming back to the UK.
Meet Sunday 27th May, at 12 noon, in Rothamsted, Harpenden, Herts. Or take your own action in your own way, at your own time. Together we can stop this trial.

Cow genes on toast anyone? No thanks!

What's up with the trial?

It could be dangerous

This trial is testing a brand-new synthetically-constructed 'fake' gene that is 'most similar to one found in a cow'. This is the first use of synthetic genes in the UK, and a concerning use of animal genes in plants.

It's not wanted

Even America has abandoned attempts to commercialise GM wheat because there is no market for it. Biotech company BASF recently backed out of Europe because no-one wanted to buy GM food.

Once it flowers, it's here to stay

The trial is happening in the open air, meaning that when it starts to flower it can cross contaminate other wheat crops and wild grasses. This is a real threat. In Canada there is no organic oilseed rape left because all the farms have been cross-contaminated with GM rape.