Not just dumb

Greenpeace Australia has proudly announced that

A mum takes action against GM wheat

Greenpeace activists, including one mother who wants to protect her family, have stopped a GM wheat experiment outside Canberra this morning.

Three women used whipper snippers to remove a controversial genetically modified (GM) wheat crop before day break.

The activists constructed a decontamination area to safely dispose of the untested and potentially unstable GM organisms.

The activity follows the revelation that Australia’s peak scientific body, CSIRO, is conducting the world’s first human feeding trials of GM wheat, without adequate safety testing.

"This GM wheat should never have left the lab", said activist and mother, Heather McCabe. "I'm sick of being treated like a dumb Mum who doesn't understand the science. As far as I'm concerned, my family's health is just too important. GM wheat is not safe, and if the government can't protect the safety of my family, then I will."

One response might be that she's not just dumb; Ms McCabe's arguably a vandal who is happy to break the law in giving effect to romantic notions about GM. I wonder whether she'll next turn her attention to the old-fashioned breeding of plants and critters.

The ABC omitted the emo in reporting that

Greenpeace protesters have broken into a CSIRO experimental farm in Canberra to destroy a crop of genetically modified wheat.

In the early hours of this morning a group of Greenpeace protesters scaled the fence of the CSIRO experimental station at Ginninderra in the capital's north.

Greenpeace says activists were wearing Hazmat protective clothing and were equipped with weed string trimmers.

The Hazmat kit is a nice touch ... presumably useful in case the wheat tries to suck out the protesters' eyeballs or lure them into a crop circle to be beamed up by bug-eyed aliens working for the CIA.

The report continues -

About half a hectare of GM wheat is being grown on the site, as part of Australia's first outdoor trials.

No genetically modified wheat strain had ever been approved for cropping in Australia before.

Last month the CSIRO received permission to conduct Australia's first trial in which humans will eat GM wheat.

The wheat's genes have been modified to lower the glycemic index and increase fibre to create a product which will improve bowel health and increase nutritional value.

Animal feeding trials of up to three months have been conducted, with human trials at least six months away.

Greenpeace says it has taken action because of concerns over health, cross-contamination and the secrecy surrounding the experiments.

That apparently justifies a spot of direct action.

Campaigner Laura Kelly says the Federal Government needs to put an end to testing GM wheat in Australia. ... "No one is looking after the health of Australians. Julia Gillard isn't standing up to foreign GM countries to protect our daily bread so Greenpeace has to," she said.

Ooh, nothing like a dash of xenophobia among the bien pensants.

ACT Greens MLA Shane Rattenbury used to work for Greenpeace and says he is not surprised the group has taken such action.

"It's always very controversial these sorts of actions, but you have to stand up for what you believe in sometimes," he said.

"Greenpeace has clearly formed a view that the best way to both draw attention to this issue and to potentially protect the human food chain in Australia is to take this action."

Heaven forbid that they should engage with the legal system and develop effective legislation rather than self-involved agitprop. Greenpeace's actions may get favourable media coverage but, irrespective of the law, are problematical. Researchers are told to conduct field trials and other tests to determine the efficacy and safety of GMO crops. At the same time, the testing is sabotaged by vigilantes who assert that the crops are not safe and that 'activists' are right to ignore the law and destroy the field trials.