Greenpeace targets dairy group over GM
company to incur the wrath of Greenpeace over allegations that it
is using genetically modified (GM) feed in its supply chain.
The environmental organisation today accused the Murray Goulburn company, manufacturer of the Devondale brand of products, of supplying its dairy herds with feed that contains up to five per cent GM materials. Greenpeace has widened the allegations by calling for greater pressure to be put on dairy processors to ensure GM products do not make their way into finished products like the Devondale brand. Greenpeace also calls on dairy processors to support extending bans of GM crops as a means of protecting the country's GM-free status, vital to ensuring products can be shipped to markets like the EU. Within the EU, GM use continues to be met with opposition from both legislators and campaigners over claims that long-term healthy impacts are not known. The EU also requires processors to label products with more than 0.9 per cent GM ingredients, a major barrier for industry. According to Greenpeace, Murray Goulburn claims its products are GM-free, though the group has welcomed the possibility of removing moratoria on their use in food crops, to grant individual farmers the right to choose what is in their feed. Group campaigner Louise sales claims that if Murray goulburn is successful in removing the bans, three would be no way to reverse the decision should any health dangers one day arise from consuming GM products. "Once released into the environment, [GM] crops can't be contained and will lead to the inevitable contamination of our fields and our food," she stated. Murray Goulburn was unavailable for comment at the time of publication, though the group says on its website that the group makes use of its own food safety labaratory in South Eastern Victoria to monitor safety in all its products to comply with relevant legislation. Under Australian law, some GM crops like the LY038 strain of corn is approved for use in livestock feed. Earlier this month, Greenpeace also accused global brewer Anheuseur Busch of contaminating its beer brands with GM. The brewer has denied these accusations.
