GMO Registrar of South Africa: OBJECTION TO MONSANTO'S TRIAL RELEASE OF EXPERIMENTAL GMOs IN SOUTH AFRICA:

We recommend that the application in the Lowvelder (13 May 2014 pic: http://on.fb.me/1k4V1tb) for trial release of four unnamed GM maize varieties engineered for abiotic stress tolerance and maize borers be rejected. The signatories of this objection believe that GMO technology is neither appropriate nor safe. We recommend that government should support the shift to sustainable agroecology and strongly object to the use of GMOs in South Africa for the following reasons:

Likelihood of Insect Resistance; Low Potential of Genetic Modification for complex traits; Risk of antibiotic resistant marker genes to humans and animal s; High Potential for Infection and Allergies South Africa; Use of the word ‘improved’;

Read full petition PDF : http://bit.ly/1j7gr3G

------------------------
If you'd like to have your signature re-used in future, be notified of each new issue via email with the choice to opt out if you disagree with the specific issue. Please opt out here before signing Avaaz. Us volunteer plebs would appreciate less duplication to edit.

See Causes.com @ http://bit.ly/1hQzAYv
-----------------------
Take to the streets MarchMay24 Cities ...

Cape Town= http://tinyurl.com/pl6zdoh
Durban= http://tinyurl.com/pdc534u
Johannesburg= http://tinyurl.com/q8cbj5b
Khayalitsha= http://on.fb.me/1hCpCJH
Port Elizabeth= http://tinyurl.com/o5m2est
Pigrim's Rest= http://on.fb.me/1l0Q5Tk
----------------------
Petition Addressed to:
1) Ms NL Mkhonza; GMO Registrar, The Department of Agriculture
NompumeleloM@daff.gov.za
2) Mr. Julian Jaftha; Director of Genetic Resources
& Chair of GMO Executive Council
julianj@daff.gov.za / Fax: 012 319 6329
3) Mr Mlungisi Johnson; Chair; Parliament Portfolio Committee On (GMO parliamentary hearings) Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
mjohnson@parliament.gov.za

Copies sent to:
a) Mr Fikile Ntuli
The National Consumer Commission; Acting Commissioner
F.Ntuli@thencc.org.za
b) Kgalalelo Masibi; Spokesperson,
Public Protector South Africa.
Kgalalelom@pprotect.org / customerservice@pprotect.org / tel: 012 366 7006
c) Mariam Mayet; Head of African Centre for Biosafety

Previous Petition submissions=
11th April 2014. (Avaaz + Causes combined): 2,242 signatures; OBJECTION TO INTENTIONAL INTRODUCTION/TRIAL RELEASE OF GMOS (More Maize) IN SOUTH AFRICA! We object to DuPont Pioneer's application in the Beeld on 13 March 2014 for intentional introduction/trial release of TC1507 x NK603 and TC1507 x MON810 and TC1507 x MON810 x NK603. These maize lines express insecticidal proteins, including Cry proteins in different combinations, to protect against certain lepidopteran pests.
Read petition info here: http://bit.ly/PZ5r1N

10th Mar 2014: 1,402 signatures; STOP THE IMPORT OF DOW'S GMO COTTON TO SOUTH AFRICA !
Objection to commodity clearance of DOW Agro Sciences GM Cotton. application (09 February 2014)
Read petition info here: http://bit.ly/1gktTGF

11th Feb 2014: 1,491 signatures;STOP THE RELEASE OF GMOs FOR OPEN FIELD TESTS & CULTIVATION IN SOUTH AFRICA!!!
Dupont Pioneer (RSA) application on Sun 12 Jan 2014 for the general release of GMO Maize; (TC 1507 x MON NK603 ~ BANNED IN EUROPEAN UNION AND MANY OTHER COUNTRIES)
Read petition info here: http://bit.ly/1i3k7no