News Oct

24th October, 2001

Decommissioning of weapons in Northern Ireland is the most optimistic news in a very long time. Congratulations to all who brought this about. It's a huge step in the right direction - truly historic.The Northern Assembly can now reconvene and all sorts of cross-border initiatives, including important agricultural ones, can continue.

Planorganic.com has been at the centre of a flurry of controversy this past week. A recent article of mine about the Trewavas/Greepeace/Melchett/Herald affair has been quoted on a high profile biotechnology website where it was part of the subject of an irony spasm by a certain "Mary Murphy",  mmrph@hotmail.com.  I was given top billing in the Newsletter of the AgBioWorld website, www.agbioworld.org/listarchive/view.php?id=1293 ,which apparently has several thousand subscribers, on the 20th October. Thanks for the publicity, guys, the blip in my site-visitor statistics was very apparent. But do I deserve to be billed above your correspondence with Prof. Stephen Hawking? What I do is surely not rocket science? 

On the same page, see the lecture given by Bernard Auxenfans, 'Protracted Introduction of New Technologies into European Agriculture', for a chilling glimpse inside the arrogant mind of Monsanto Man. But, for those of us who aspire to being food quality activists, this is the mindset we must get to understand. 

Simply Organics. This is a Dublin-based company that has quite quickly become one of the leading distributors of organic produce in Ireland. Drawing on their wide experience of growing and marketing conventional fruit and vegetables, the directors Greg Begley and Bernard Tumulty are energetically developing the organic side of the business. The personable duo had a stand at the Killarney Conference and donated the ingredients for the Organic Banquet. Contact details- tel. 01 8735833, email gbegley@begleybros.com and www.begleybros.com. 

Welsh Assembly forced to drop its opposition to GM crops under threat of £300 million Euro fine. Welsh Rural Affairs Minister, Carwyn  Jones says 'We have taken it as far as it can go ...The wolves are at the door'. Press Association, Jamie Lyons. Relayed by www.ngin.org.uk Newsletter, 24/10/'01.

Come back Trewavas all is forgiven. The IOFGA Conference held recently in the Paddywhackeryland capital of Ireland, Killarney, could have been immeasureably enlightened and enlivened if the controversial anti-organic academic had been invited to come and address us. We could all then have shown our solidarity towards the beleagured Noreen Gibney and shown off our glorious oratorical skills and arguments in defence of organic farming. And apart from the stimulating dialectics we could have had a much-needed laugh! Ms Gibney should never have entered the pit alone (Radio 1,Today with Pat Kenny) with the ferociously fact-unscrupulous academic. 

Does anyone out there know whether John Humphrys of BBC Radio 4, has ever interviewed the irascible don? If he hasn't then he should. It would be a fascinating clash. Humphrys published a wonderful book this year,The Great Food Gamble (see Publications page) which has a chapter called, 'If I may just finish', which could almost be a word-for-word script for such a debate.

Prof Trewavas has contacted me (and briefed his lawyers!) about my comments on the recent Greenpeace/Melchett/Herald libel case (see last two weeks' News). A retraction will be considered if he can satisfactorily answer a list of eight questions I put to him.The plot is getting thicker by the email, as mysterious figures are hinted at who may or may not be the authors and distributors of the original letter.  Any volunteer legal eagles out there? Start the fund? Inside track?

IOFGA Conference - I haven't had one call or email defending the conference. Anyone that contacted me had criticisms about the choice of venue. Because of the trouble in the ranks I hinted at last week, the AGM, slated for the 25th November, has been postponed.

Brains to Burn or Brains to Freeze- As the publication of a  research report into sheep and BSE was imminent a few weeks ago, British Ag Min Beckett warned that the slaughtering and burning of the 40 million UK sheep flock was a likelihood. An horrific prospect almost beggaring belief! And at colossal multi-billion pound costs the country too was to be beggared. And of course British livestock agriculture would go to the grave with the hapless baa-baas. But oops! Heh,  Heh - someone had blundered - had got their wires crossed - or more accurately had got their brains crossed! The 'scientists', in this expensive, four year study had been studying the wrong type of brain - cattle brains not sheep! 'This would be as pointless, scientifically speaking, as spending four years trying to make weapons-grade uranium out of navel lint' - Simon Hogarth, The Guardian, Oct. 15th.The monumental, unbelievably farcical blunder, was revealed in a middle-of-the night (but of course not a ploy to deceive!) press release by Mrs Beckett last Friday. But all is not lost because there may be some sheep brains in the back of the  fridge (the only brains in that whole lab?) which may still yield the evidence that the Farmageddon enthusiasts need to be let loose.  Should the whole affair become known as 'Slaughtergate'? Sheepgate? 'Cow and Sheep Gate' or other? Suggestions?

The Sunday Times, 21/10/'01, is to be congratulated for a fine article by Jonathan Leake, 'Scientists scorn government tests' and for giving prime editorial space, in the war-times we're in, to 'Another food farce'. Apart from the cock-up above, the  govt is accused of putting the public's health at risk by, a) not carrying out a nationwide survey of sheep for evidence of BSE, b) not recognising that BSE could be masked by the common sheep disease, scrapie, c) not recognising that there can be different strains of BSE and d) that there are testing methods for BSE in sheep that give results in two weeks rather than three years. Sir John Krebs is described in the editorial as the 'uninformed chairman' of the Food Safety Authority which is not fulfilling its role to reassure the consumer that "the food you eat is safe".

The bottom line is - Don't Eat British Lamb - as Professor Harriet Kimbell, consumer representative of the govt's BSE advisory committee, recommends.

Organic Conversion. I thought that Irish ex-Agriculture Minister, Alan Dukes, the only one that I know that had anything like an agricultural education, had enjoyed /suffered a conversion to organics when he was quoted recently as saying; "We should be bringing the bulk of our agriculture down the organic road". However sainthood of the lanky Fine Gael, TD, is still unlikely in light of his subsequent 'nearly-pregnant' attitude towards organic farming. He continues in the same interview; 'That's not to say that we would never use artificial fertilizers or pesticides, but the nearer we can bring it to organic, the better it would be'!

Foot and mouth disease - a miracle if no more cases, says Ag Min Beckett. Three weeks now without a new outbreak of FMD but Mgt. Beckett says, ' It will be a miracle if we get through the autumn and winter without seeing a resurgence.' 

Monsanto to pay for GM Pollution of Organic Crops? Quietly brewing in Western Canada is, what I believe, the biggie - the solution to the fundamental threat to the organic industry - the deliberate contamination of all food sources with GM that would eventually render the term 'organic' useless. Remember what Don Westfall, Vice President, Promar International, Washington, consultants to Kelloggs, Unilever, Aventis etc said earlier this year; 'The hope of the industry (ABCs – AgBioTech Corps) is that over time the market is so flooded (with GM organisms) that there’s nothing you can do about it. You just sort of surrender!'

An upcoming lawsuit against Monsanto, and perhaps others including regulatory bodies, could set an earth-shattering precedent breaking  the GM giants through "big, big payouts". The Saskatchewan Organic Directorate is to take an action against those "responsible for introducing GM canola into the province because it has spoiled markets for Canadian organic canola'. Law professor Martin Phillipson said if the organic producers win the case, it would create a huge precedent by 'attaching liability to the producers of GM technology.' This would be a doomsday scenario for the GM industry and it's going to be interesting to see the pressures they are going to bring to bear to try to win this one.  www.producer.com/articles/20011018/news/20011018news01.html and www.ngin.org.uk  Newsletter 20/10/'01. The extensive article has much more on huge US grain export losses because of GM crops and premia all over the shop for non-GM products. 

 When Monsanto won their case against Percy Schmeiser, the Saskatchewan farmer now turned international activist, www.percyschmeiser.com they thought they had it all sewn up.The  outcome against Schmeiser gave rise to much anger and scepticism as epitomised in this quotation from the New Scientist; 'If Monsanto can collect fees from farmers who find their fields contaminated with GM, should computer users pay licence fees to the writers of computer viruses ?' New Scientist April 28, 2001 SECTION: Letters, Pg. 53 Paying the polluter,Thomas Ward (University of East Anglia). This situation could now be reversed if the organic growers win. In Prof Phillipson's opinion they 'have a good case'. There is still a bit of fermenting to take place but the case should come to court early next year.

Percy Schmeiser, the almost-reluctant activist speaking in Norfolk, UK at the 2020 ‘Feeding or Fooling the World?’ debate gave inspiration to us all; 'Like I said before, I would rather be fishing with my grand kids than fighting this but by golly somebody, somewhere, sometime has to take a stand'.

Organic Attack. 'There have been a spate of attacks on organic agriculture, not just from the proponents of GM, but from prominent scientists such as Sir John Krebs, Head of the UK, Food Standards Agency, supposed to be impartial on such matters. There are even articles denigrating organic agriculture in the pages of the top science journals, based on little more than opinion. Meanwhile, the corporate bosses are engineering a takeover behind the scenes by trying to undermine organic standards.' From www.i-sis.org . Our own Irish Food Safety Authority head, Dr Patrick Wall, is probably coming from a similar place, according to the evidence of his recent utterings. See next week.

Organex Show. The Show's organiser,Tarsus Organex Ltd say that numbers were up by 39% and the impression given by their press release is that there were also a higher number of exhibitors than previously.This is completely at variance with my information. See last week's item. Delays to visitors caused by 'security alerts' on various transport systems has influenced the organisers into changing the venue for next year to Earl's Court which has its own tube connection.

Wanted.  Information leading to the discovery of the true identity of "Mary Murphy", hotmail correspondent to biotech websites and suchlike. Sometimes known under the alias of "Hotmail Mary", email address, mmrph@hotmail.com, her writings can be distinguished by an hysterically ironic style which might indicate menopausal problems. Last known whereabouts, London. Contact in full confidence, info1@planorganic.com 

18th October, 2001

The birds have stopped singing in Afghanistan. This is the title of a letter sent to Kofi Annan recently by a Pakistani actress, Feryal Ali-Gauhar, and Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations. It is a personal and eloquent expression of sorrow over what is happening in Afghanistan and her frustration at the lack of understanding and urgency from us in the West. Tues. 16/10/'01 on www.ngin.org.uk . Many thoughtful essays too in November's, New Internationalist; www.newint.org and an editorial I would agree with in The Independent, Tuesday, 16th October; 'The longer this war continues the more difficult it will become - This, we were told was a different kind of war.' www.independent.co.uk 

Organex Show at Olympia last week. I didn't go in the end and lost my very first Aer Lingus bargain flights - only IP55.00 return, Cork to Heathrow. It hurt. But due to circumstances beyond.........Have not seen anything in the media about the Show yet and am awaiting information from the organisers. In the meantime two contacts who were at it say that attendance was well down on last year and that it appeared as if some rows intended for stands were blocked off. Some exhibitors also were 'no shows' including some Argentinian and Italian businesses, presumably because of the international security situation. However, I hear that the main players were kept busy and one participant said that he did at least 'meet some potentially useful strategic partners'. 

Kerry Blues. The Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association Conference was held in Killarney last weekend. It was my first IOFGA conference and I was disappointed. It was soulless. It was a corporate wannabee affair. I expected more; perhaps some of the spirit and dialectic of the Growing Awareness conferences in Skibbereen or the intimacy, stimulation, fun and good organic food of the recent Fèile na bPràtaì at the Organic College in Dromcollogher.The venue, O'Donoghue's Gleneagle Hotel, was not, in my opinion, a suitable location for an organic industry conference; it's too big, impersonal and its institutional-like catering does not reflect the central subject of what we are all about - the production of good healthy food in a sustainable manner. It was a little bit akin to putting on a Pioneers' Convention in a brewery! An organic caterer should surely be a must for the future. The conference facilities too, designed for large corporate events, swamped the small audience of about 70 participants. Which is another thing, I expected to see a much larger proportion of the1,000+ IOFGA members there. Why so few? 

 The producers' and services' stands in the lobby area of the conference centre were meagre and unexciting although the people on the stands themselves were great. I certainly made some productive contacts there. Much more attention should be given to developing that side of the event, I would suggest. Of the speakers, John Fox who heads up the Organic Development Committee of the Dept. Ag. was one of the most interesting - he promises that the full report of the Committee will be published 'not later than 31st Jan. next'. As a  fan of the Danes, I particularly enjoyed Dr. Rasmus Kjeldahl's talk about the Danish organic milk market. He is Head of Dept. for Organic Farming in the Danish Plant Directorate. There was enthusiastic participation in the workshops on the second day and they were very favourably commented on. 

On another, at least partially, positive note the 'Organic Banquet' on the Friday night was a step in the right direction. This was only slightly marred by the organic wine glitch and at some silent signal, the indecorous scrambling for 'power-tables' (as a wag at our 'fringe-table' had it)! I had a headache listening to the rumblings and grumblings in the wings about the running of IOFGA. There is some talk too of drastic action soon to be taken. A palace coup? Legal challenges? Methinks nobody is listening to the urgings of Francis Blake of the Soil Association and IFOAM to 'Work together' (talk, Friday, 'Needs of the Organic Sector' ).The knives are out and consequently the IOFGA, Annual General Meeting, Carrick-on-Shannon, November 25th, promises to be a lively affair. All in all I would have to concur with the organic farmer who sadly commented at the end of the conference; 'Another opportunity missed.' 

I have more to say about the conference but if you want to hear what that is, ring me on: 027 70717, Sunday next, 5- 7pm or Monday 7.30 - 10.00a.m.

Kerry Jokes!  Organic activist/ webmaster goes into a Bureau de Change in Killarney and asks to change £20.00 sterling note into Irish Punts. He is quoted IP 20.74! No mistake, 74p is the premium offered in Killarney on your Bank of England's best. Even our not-known-for-their-charity Irish banks would give you about  IP6.00 at present for the same note. Tourist-fleecing or eviscerating?

Kerry Co-Op, look out! The venerable William Spring, organic beef producer (formerly conventional dairy farmer) Castlemaine, Co. Kerry, who stocks some Kerry Blues, engaged me at breakfast (no organic produce in sight -not a sausage!) last Saturday morning at the IOFGA conference. He talked of the early days of agri-activism when he and Joe Rea and others battled against apathy and the Dairy Disposal Board to create the conditions for the rise and rise of Kerry Co-Op. Men of vision were thin on the ground then and Kerry dairy farming was considered by most to be uneconomical. The naysayers were proved spectacularly wrong and an awesome economic force in the food industry was born. But the same visionless, bone-headedness that almost denied Kerry a start is still seen today in Govt. and conventional farming circles - and even in Kerry Co-Op itself, who, to their eternal disgrace, have no policy at all towards organic production. Kerry's Brosnan and other food corpo-execs seem to have the attitude that its not mensch to dabble in organics - that they must stand  firm against the blow-in nancy boys spreading paranoia about our squeaky-clean and 'already organic extensive agriculture' (despite organic sops to Europressure the core attitude still of the Min Ags and their Dept.) Vision cannot be imposed but 007's brother could educate himself a little by going along to theThe Natural Home Garden and Farm Centre, not too far away from corporate head-quarters over in Miltown. The NHGFC at Old Church of Ireland, Miltown, Co Kerry is getting terrific praise - and national publicity - for its shop with its range of natural and organic goods and services and weekly Farmer's Market. They are open Tues - Friday, 2 - 5pm and host the  Market on Saturdays, 10am - 2pm. Tel: 066 9767869.

Is Modern Farming a Public Health Risk? This is the title of a debate scheduled to take place in Trinity College, Dublin on November 8th. Hosted by Trasna an Domhain Go Lèir (Across the whole world) Debating Society. Its good to hear of such debates and if I'm anywhere near Dublin around that time I  hope to get to it.  I launched an essay myself at a conference a few years ago called, 'The Killing Fields - Is Modern Farming Killing Us?' which fell on deaf ears at the time - but things have changed enormously since then.

Prof. Trewavas may have dropped the baton recently but there are plenty more where he came from. Homesite of the Organic Consumers Association, www.purefood.org, are a website that I recommend in my Links page. However if you typed in, Purefoods.org, you would find a very different kind of organisation indeed; one that runs a 'Pure Fools Campaign' that purports to expose the 'organic food industry's attempt to scare us into buying their food'. There is much of this about on the web but  there have been some notorious TV programmes as well. There is little doubt that there is a co-ordinated propaganda campaign against the organic industry. On the web, having a slightly different title to your target, and thus detouring mistyping surfers your way, is a favoured tactic of propagandists and pornographers. Another entertaining example of the genre is, www.altgreen.com.au?misc/honours00.html  whose lively language includes such gems as, ‘anti-biotech ratbaggery’ and 'Organic Ayatollahs'! Ironically they refer to 'The organic industry propaganda machine'. Somebody should write a book about this - there really is some colourful material out there. For my part, I will continue to highlight these propaganda sites from time to time.

11th October, 2001. 

Un-Holy War.The dreadful atrocity of the11th September in New York is being avenged with another atrocity. Twenty first century war is being waged against a stone-age, drought and famine-stricken land and its people since the beginning of this week. Why should anyone be surprised? Was there any reason to think that we have learned any thing from the past?  I thought for a while that reason might prevail and that the most powerful nation on earth might show mercy to the poorest. In my infinite naivety, I thought that here was an unsurpassed opportunity for the greatest act of generosity the world had ever seen. Would it not have been truly heroic - and cheaper and the granddaddy of all public relations coups -  for America to have deluged Afghanistan and its starving millions, not with destruction from the air, but with food and other aid? It would not have been unfeasible that the perpetrators of the Manhattan slaughter(only now identified by their own admission) would have quickly been yielded up by a people awed by such massive kindness. But no. We learn nothing - and, despite all the international consultation, stupid bully-boy poltics prevail again. Would these tactics have been used if the killers were sheltering in China? France? Ireland?  -  Civilization? It's a good idea - we should try it sometime! Fifty thousand tons of food need to be transported into Afghanistan each coming month to avoid a dreadful humanitarian disaster. At present nothing is going in except for the obscene 'day-rations' raining down with the bombs - unbelievably intended to win the hearts and minds of the people! How many will die or be maimed retrieving these food packages from minefields? It will be a miracle if we are not all propelled into further rounds of atrocities and counter-atrocities. The opportunity to display wisdom in strength has passed and we are now morally back in the bleak, ancient savagery of the stone-age - like our ancestral apes around the waterhole in the opening scenes of Kubrick's, '2001 - A Space Odyssey'.

Lying professor lands newspaper in it . The notorious, anti-organic, pro-GM professor,'Tony' Trewavas recently interviewed by Pat Kenny on Irish radio, - see last week's item, GM Bully Boy etc. - has cost the Glasgow Herald a packet. In a UK, High Court decision last week, the newspaper had to apologise for publishing a letter from the professor which made allegations against Greenpeace and its Director for12 years, Lord Melchett. The cavalier-with-the-truth academic, whose status as Professor at the Institute of Cell and Molecular Biology at the University of Edinburgh and as a Fellow of the Royal Society, gave him credibility with editors, made scurrilous allegations in his letter that Geenpeace and Lord Melchett extorted 'shakedowns' from companies by spreading unfounded fears about GM food. The Herald has published a complete apology, saying that there was 'no foundation for the story' and that it ' should not have been published'. The unfortunate newspaper is suffering for its carelessness by having to pay 'undislosed damages' to the claimants together with all costs associated with the libel trial. Lord Melchett has donated all his damages award to charities and activists including Gene Watch and NGIN. Its a fair bet that the disgraced Trewavas will not be having his letters so widely published again - it was his smug boast that he was easily  published. If there was complete justice in this world he would lose his job, have to pay back the Herald and be trounced out of the Royal Society. For fascinating stuff on Tricky Trewavas and his cronies see; http://nature.gardenweb.com/forums/load/sustain/msg0415424620658.html and www.agbioview.listbot.com  Best report on the current scandal see; www.i-sis.org/Trewavas.shtml by NGIN's, Jonathan Matthews. 

Irish Organic Conference Reminder. The IOFGA annual conference takes place in Killarney, Co. Kerry this coming weekend, 12th - 13th October. See you there. Report next week. 

Organic Trade Show, London. The Organic Food and Drink Trade Show took place at Olympia, London this week. It ran for just two days, 9th and10th October. Concurrent with the Show, also at Olympia, was the Soil Association's, National  Conference for Organic Food Processors.The Organic Trade Services Newsletter, which carried notices for several weeks about the Show, unfortunately gave the dates as, 9th to12th October causing considerable confusion and disappointment to those who thought they'd attend the later days of the event. Report of Show and Conference next week. I did ask Bord Bia for a few bob to help finance my trip - but, nothing doing - even when I claimed relationship with a Minister of Agriculture! John Bracken, Bord Bia, tells me that; '.. grant schemes are generally confined to manufacturers of food and drink products, and apply to marketing activities only.' 

Cloned Sheep Institute Head describes Britain as a 'hostile environment for agricultural biotechnology work' as animal welfare activists' bete noir, Huntingdon Life Sciences, of Oxford, relocate to the US. Story from the Financial Times, 10/10 relayed by www.ngin.org.uk 11/10/'01.

Anthrax strain in Florida is genetically modified and its original source when traced may prove to be 'politically explosive'. An awful lot more going on there than we've heard so far. Palm Beach Post,10/10, relayed by NGIN Newsletter,11/10/'01.

Organic Farmers Murdered. Whatever else we may complain of at least we don't get murdered for supporting organic farming - not yet anyway! In Brazil, it is alleged that 8 farmers were murdered recently by ranchers trying to intimidate the small-holders into giving up their land and  also force the state government to drop its ban on GM soya-beans. It is also claimed that 11 farmers have already been slain and that 45 more are on a new 'hit list'. Over 800 organic farmers, who mostly grow soya-beans in the state of Para, are demanding justice against the ranchers and the right to continue growing their organic and GM-free crops. Most of their output goes to suppliers of beef to Asda and Tesco who insist on non-GM feed for the cattle. http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=98230 

Plastic Fantastic. Biodegradeable plastics we've all heard of - but water soluble plastic bags that won't melt in your hand at the first sign of rain? Spi-Tek plastic, produced by Symphony Environmental in the UK, although not damaged by rain will dissolve, in the case of carrier bags, in a matter of weeks. Two large Irish companies, Musgraves, wholesaler/franchisers to Supervalue and Centra, and Fyffes(bananas etc) who use thousands of tons of plastic annually have placed orders together with scores of local authorities in the UK. It is claimed too that the innovative plastic costs no more than the conventional stuff. Want a share tip? - put the few shekels that you might have left after the Bean Baron has forced you out of your Eircom shares into Symphony Environmental. Their sales increased by 50% last year! When you make your first £100k profit send me at least 10% to show your gratitude. Contact email: info@symphonyplastics.co.uk and  www.symphonyplastics.co.uk . 

Chocolate Offer by Soil Association is not as generous as I had originally heard.They now tell me that the luscious £6.99 box of Petit Organique chocs will only be sent to the first 100 registrants on their new website - not the first 15,000. However, all is not lost as 14,900 will still receive a sample of the lovely things. Same applies - if you are quite mad and don't want them please forward to my address where they will be much appreciated by myself and my chocaholic friend. The wrappings will be donated to charity! In the meantime we will be consoled by the unsurpassable Skellig Chocolates, not organic, but lovingly hand-made, using gorgeous local ingredients,on our neighbouring peninsula,The Ring of Kerry. www.skelligschocolate.com More on this sinful business soon.

Ryan Air's Michael O'Leary for Taoiseach!

Update next week on Tuesday.

3rd October, 2001

The first victim of war, it is said, is truth. But an early casualty too is the environment. As the dogs of war are being unleashed and the massed forces of NATO are reaching their "battle stations", almost all major US and Canadian environmental groups have altered their campaigns substantially or, as in the case of the most powerful environmental lobby group of all, the Sierrra Club (600,000 members), have "suspended operations". See War Drums Weakening Eco-appetite, www.ngin.org.uk , Newsletter, 29/09/'01 and from NYT, 27/09/'01, Blackout on Corporate Criticism, relayed on NGIN Newsletter, 2/10/'01.

Annual IOFGA Conference. The Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association  will hold their Annual Conference in Killarney on 12th and 13th October.The theme this year will be Organic - The Bright Light of Agriculture.  Details on, www.organicmattersmag.com or from gibneyiofga@eircom.net. Wonderful to have an organic event so close to hand - I can drive over and back each day, so don't have to grovel to Bord Bia and their ilk for support or stay in over-priced Celtic Disneyland hotels perched on the shores of  Killarney's much-polluted lakes. Thank goodness that the Magillicuddy Reeks and the Caha Mountains and the moat of the Kenmare River are between us and them!

Organex 2001, the biggest organic trade show in the UK is to be held at Olympia, London, 9 -11th October. There will be at least 500 exhibitors and 6,000 visitors are expected. Not exactly a staggering number really- but all the more space for those of us that do attend - my appearance there however depends on el cheapo Ryan Air (if they still exist!) flights and getting passes (the organizers are dubious about my journalistic bona fides - yeah, I know, and rightly so you say) and of course getting back in time for the IOFGA conference the next day. Please, Bord Bia can I have some lolly to go to London town? When you turned me down for the Danish Organic conference you said you would help me next time. Please - and I promise I won't say anything bad about ye ever again - or Noel - or Joe or the other fella. 

Organic spokeswoman savaged by GM bully boy. Noreen Gibney, Chairperson of the Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association walked into the lion's den a few weeks ago when she was pitted against the daunting Prof. Anthony Trewavas on the radio programme, Today with Pat Kenny. The Prof. or "Tony " as he sometimes, pretend-disarming, likes to be called, is possibly the best weapon in the arsenals of the ABCs, in their anti-organic crusade. He is, for example, the main article-contributor to the cheekily named, "Knowledge Centre" on the Monsanto, UK website. He has also proved himself a multi-media adept in playing the part of the earnest, accomplished, white-coated boffin giving the "scientific facts" straight to the "confused public". Remember the infamous BBC, Counterblast programme of 31st Jan., 2000? I am still studying a transcript of the RTE interview but if what he says about the potato, which the condescending, arrogant old reprobate tells us, "is well known in Ireland", is indicative, then this man is truly a pedlar of half-truths and damn lies.That same rubbish about solanine in potatoes was trotted out at a conference a few years ago and was easily dismissed then - it is extraordinary how they persist with this stuff! My hands are tied on this at the moment (next week will reveal all!) but I will say this much; Tony is about to get a metaphorical kick in the goolies after which he may not be so ready to be wheeled out by his handlers any more for his rent-a-gob rantings. Shame on you too, Pat Kenny, for a completely inept handling of this serious subject. You, whom I mostly admire, have served these liars and destroyers of our health too well, I'm afraid in this case. And Noreen, don't worry about it, you were done over by a heavyweight! But it all does point up the fact that there is a dire necessity for the organic movement  to have its counter arguments scripted and well rehearsed as the much better-funded opposition bully boys have. www.rte.ie/todaypk 15th August. To learn more about where Trewavas and his ilk are coming from see, www.ngin.org.uk Newsletter, 30/09/'01, Welcome to the Spin Machine.

BSE breaks out in Japan. An early morning call from a correspondent in Japan, last week, informed me that BSE has now broken out there. There is a suspicion that the single case officially reported is but the tip of the iceberg and that there may have been many cases already. Japan imports nearly 200,000 tons of meat-and-bone meal (MBM) each year. It is speculated that this case could have been  caused by imports of MBM from Denmark or from the UK (before the ban five years ago).

Fish or Fowl. In a damning article on salmon farming, Is this fish or is it fowl? Sunday Times Magazine, 30th Sept., Richard Girling tells us that, "salmon's flesh is flushed with chemicals, not health, and its farming is as cruel as that of any battery hen." In a comparison of costs and benefits he interestingly shows how the equally commercially valuable but environmentally friendly wild salmon fishing business is being destroyed by intensive sea-cage salmon farming. www.sunday-times.co.uk. Who is this Richard Girling? He's brilliant! He also did a striking and substantial article on British agriculture, Dead Meat, also for the ST Magazine, 26/08/'01. 

Kick in the teeth for Health Min. Cork Corporation has just voted against fluoridation of water supplies according to a press release, from the Irish lobby group, Fluoride Free, 1/10/'01. Strictly speaking though, the motion that was passed doesn't quite say that; it says,  "That Cork Corporation calls on the Government and Minister for Health to amend the Health (Fluoridation of Water Supplies) Act 1960, so as to allow the local authorities to make the final decision on whether drinking water should be fluoridated." Probably amounts to a ban in any case. I must check to see whether my local councillor voted for the motion - as I had urged him to do. There are now 9 County Councils, 2 City Corporations and 7 Urban District Councils in the Republic opposed to fluoridation. All public water supplies in Northern Ireland are now fluoride-free. We'll catch up eventually! www.fluoridefree.com 

Sustain; The Alliance for Better Food and Farming (UK),  has put forward a wonderful discussion document,  Organic Targets Campaign. www.sustainweb.org. To get a copy of this document email; organictargetsbill@sustainweb.org. Terrific to see that they are urging a 30% organic target by 2010, pro-rata govt. spending on organic farming and even a pesticide tax! Yummy, that could yield about £100 million they estimate.