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Our True Food Guide
which gives food companies a "green, "orange" or "red" status,
according to their stance on genetically engineered ingredients.
The public also want GE products to be labelled. In fact, 92% of all Australians want comprehensive labelling of GE foods (Taylor Nelson Sofres, April 2002).
However there are many loopholes in the Australian labelling laws. We are campaigning to ensure the federal and state governments adopt a full traceability system for GE food and implement new regulations that include mandatory:
Currently the only Australian-grown GE food crop is cotton. It is made into cottonseed oil and often used for deep-frying and in the production of dried fruit. It is also fed to animals.
We are calling for a ban on any further release of GE in Australia.
We are campaigning to stop GE crops entering our food chain in massive quantities in the form of animal feed. The effects on the health of animals forced to eat GE crops – or the humans that consume these GE-fed animal products – are still largely unexplored.
Already, many Australian food companies and retailers have gone GE-free in animal feed. We even convinced Australia's top three poultry companies – Inghams, Bartter Steggels and Baiada to commit to going GE-Free! The poultry industry is the single largest user of GE in the country.
The public also want GE products to be labelled. In fact, 92% of all Australians want comprehensive labelling of GE foods (Taylor Nelson Sofres, April 2002).
However there are many loopholes in the Australian labelling laws. We are campaigning to ensure the federal and state governments adopt a full traceability system for GE food and implement new regulations that include mandatory:
- labelling of GE animal feed
- labelling of products from animals fed GE feed
- labelling of highly refined GE ingredients.
GE crops
Currently the only Australian-grown GE food crop is cotton. It is made into cottonseed oil and often used for deep-frying and in the production of dried fruit. It is also fed to animals.
Canola oil is widely used in margarines, cooking oils, and the manufacture of confectionery, dairy products, ice cream, tinned fish and baked goods. Although GE canola has been approved federally, it has been denied approval in all canola growing states. However, there have been widespread canola trials which are continuing, particularly in South Australia and Victoria.
In 2005, the State and Federal Agriculture Ministers introduced a GE contamination threshold, which is a major setback for Australia’s GE free status. The threshold allows conventional seeds sold to farmers in 2006 and 2007 to contain up to 0.5 per cent GE contamination.
Greenpeace has successfully delayed ithe commercial release of GE canola in Australia. We are demanding the moratoria remain in place.We are calling for a ban on any further release of GE in Australia.
GE animal feed
We are campaigning to stop GE crops entering our food chain in massive quantities in the form of animal feed. The effects on the health of animals forced to eat GE crops – or the humans that consume these GE-fed animal products – are still largely unexplored.
Already, many Australian food companies and retailers have gone GE-free in animal feed. We even convinced Australia's top three poultry companies – Inghams, Bartter Steggels and Baiada to commit to going GE-Free! The poultry industry is the single largest user of GE in the country.
