MADGE

MADGE stands for Mothers Are Demystifying Genetic Engineering. How I love that name. Its a group founded by three women of Australia, incorporated half a dozen years ago, and is is engaged in, among other things, raising awareness on the harmful effects of GMO agribusiness on the ecology and health.

I came to know about MADGE through twitter comments they made about GMO in Australia, read up on them, and asked if I might talk with one of them for a podcast, in order to spread information about their good work in our corner of this connected planet. Fran Murrell of MADGE has my thanks for accepting the offer.

Frances Murrell

An alternative explanation for MADGE is “Mothers advocating deliciously good eating” – since all mothers are concerned with health for their children, and are usually the ones that buy food for the family. Therefore, this is a key group that should know what good food is. These women of MADGE have mostly seen how GMO played out in the world, became concerned about the path their nation was attempting to follow with regard to food security.

Australia has had very long periods of drought – the last one lasting almost ten years, which kept use of some of the GM crops such as Bt.Cotton to a minimum. However, as the cycle changes and Australia gets more rain, GMO cotton planting might increase, with all the anticipated side effects such as super-weeds, poisoned soil, and even stronger pesticides etc.

Meanwhile, Australian provinces are one by one lifting the ban on GM Canola, although demand for it from farmers and consumers are minimal. Like everywhere else, Governments do not fully fund educational institutions any more. So many of the science agencies in Australia are funded or co-funded by biotech corporations. In short, science is no more neutral. Money is talking larger than true science, in other words. Independent scientists, if they find issues of health or safety concerns in a GMO product, are often victimized, muzzled, or fired. More of GM crops are looming over the horizon in Australia.

But there is also a bright side. People are rising up in grassroots movements around the world, rejecting this industrial system of spraying poison and shipping food halfway across the world, and rebuilding relationship between the soil and all living creatures, spreading awareness, and volunteering in rebuilding a better world.

The talk, lasting 26 minutes, are converted here as a podcast. You can either listen to it directly from this page by clicking the play button at the bottom of this page. If you wish to send a suggestion or comment, please do so to tony.mitra@gmail.com.

Thanks/ Tony