Health Supreme by Sepp Hasslberger

Networking For A Better Future - News and perspectives you may not find in the media

Networking For A Better Future - News and perspectives you may not find in the media

Health Supreme

News Blog

Site Map

NewsGrabs

Economy

Environment

Epidemics

Food for Thought

Health

Human Potential

Legislation

Pharma

Science

Society

Technology

The Media

War Crimes

 


Articles Archive

 

See also:

 

Communication Agents:

INACTIVE  Ivan Ingrilli
  Chris Gupta
  Tom Atlee
INACTIVE  Emma Holister
  Rinaldo Lampis
  Steve Bosserman
  CA Journal

 

Robin Good's
Web sites:

 

Activism:

 

AIDS:

 

Vaccines:

 

Pharma:

 

Information:

 

The Individual - Human Ability:

 

Society - Politics:

 

Economy:

 

Technology:

 

October 13, 2003

GM crops like thalidomide say insurance companies

Major agricultural insurance companies are refusing to underwrite risks of genetically modified crops in what appears to be a prescient way of avoiding future losses.

Comments from the insurers liken the hidden liabilities of genetic modification with the desaster of Thalidomide, a drug which in the early sixties gave us thousands of deformed babies (who grew up into thousands of seriously handicapped adults) after great sales hype had convinced everyone, including pregnant mothers, of the merits of their new wonderful prescription.

GMOs are an unknown - the risks are not fully understood, according to NFU Mutual, the insurance arm of the National Farmers' Union, a body in favour of GM crops.

No insurance cover for GM crops that 'could be like thalidomide'
By Robert Uhlig Farming Correspondent
(Filed: 08/10/2003)

The major agricultural insurance companies are refusing to insure farmers who intend to grow genetically modified crops, according to a survey that deals a further blow to Government hopes of approving at least one crop for commercial cultivation next year.

The survey, conducted by working farmer members of Farm, a campaign group, found insurance companies unwilling to take on the risk of liability claims against farmers who grew GM crops.

Leading rural insurance underwriters told the farmers that they were concerned that "GM could be like thalidomide - only after some time would the full extent of the problems be seen".

Some spoke of the potential of lawsuits akin to the big payouts for asbestos-exposure victims.

"Fifty years ago, insurers were writing policies for asbestos without a care in the world. Now they are facing claims of hundreds of millions of pounds," one underwriter told the farmers.

"The insurance industry has learned to be wary of new things, and there is a real feeling that GM could come back and bite you in five years' time."

Rural insurers are so concerned at the scope for liability claims if the Government approves GM crops that they are even refusing to insure non-GM farmers against losses or liability due to contamination by GM pollen.

The problem of how to grow GM crops and conventional varieties has proved to be such a difficult issue to resolve that the Prime Minister's advisers have repeatedly failed to reach a consensus.

The Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission, which advises the Government, is expected to deliver a much-delayed report on co-existence by the end of the month.

All the insurers surveyed felt that too little was known about the long-term effects on human health and the environment to be able to offer any form of cover for farmers growing GM crops.

Even NFU Mutual, the insurance arm of the National Farmers' Union, which is in favour of GM crops, will not provide insurance for farmers wanting to grow GM crops. A spokesman said the company believed the risks were not fully understood and advised farmers to seek cover through the biotechnology companies that own the patent to GM seeds.

Agricultural Insurance Underwriters Agency, which underwrites policies for Norwich Union and Sun Alliance, said it had an exclusion clause for liability arising from GM crops.

Rural Insurance Group, which underwrites Lloyds policies, puts GM crops in the same bracket as acts of terrorism and excludes them from cover.

BIB Underwriters Limited, which underwrites AXA policies, said it would turn down any policy that has any association with GM, including cover for farm building and property insurance as well as public liability. A spokesman said that aside from the problems of cross contamination, BIB anticipated a risk of claims associated with arson or vandalism due to anti-GM protesters.

Robin Maynard, the national co-ordinator of Farm, said: "When insurers quantify GM crops in the same category as thalidomide, asbestos and terrorism, no thinking farmer should risk their business and public reputation by taking on this unproven, unwanted and unnecessary technology."

Source: Daily Telegraph

See also:


Many Organic Foods Contaminated With GM Crops

Even Mice Don't Like Genetically Modified Food

Insurance cover refused to GM farms (The Times)

GMO independent science panel

Bayer not responsible...

Battle for the seed

US General Accounting Office

GMO no thanks! say British

Flawed GM tests must start over

Percy Schmeiser vs. Monsanto

GM giant abandons bid to grow crops in Britain

 


posted by Sepp Hasslberger on Monday October 13 2003
updated on Sunday November 21 2010

URL of this article:
http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp/2003/10/13/gm_crops_like_thalidomide_say_insurance_companies.htm

 

 

 

 


Readers' Comments


Iam doing a research about GM crops in relation to insurance. and wounder what have to be done for a company/farmer do be able to insure GM crops. Can they somehow reduce the risk or is it no way for them to insure GM crops

Posted by: stefan on February 15, 2004 04:58 PM

 


Just saw this article which is from 2001 but relevant to the issue:

GM bug 'could end all life'


Posted by: Josef on March 12, 2004 03:27 PM

 















Security code:




Please enter the security code displayed on the above grid


Due to our anti-spamming policy the comments you are posting will show up online within few hours from the posting time.



 

   

The Individual Is Supreme And Finds Its Way Through Intuition

 

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

These articles are brought to you strictly for educational and informational purposes. Be sure to consult your health practitioner of choice before utilizing any of the information to cure or mitigate disease. Any copyrighted material cited is used strictly in a non commercial way and in accordance with the "fair use" doctrine.

 

565



Enter your Email


Powered by FeedBlitz

 

 

Most Popular Articles
Lipitor: Side Effects And Natural Remedy

Lipitor - The Human Cost

Fluoride Accumulates in Pineal Gland

Original blueprints for 200 mpg carburetor found in England

Medical system is leading cause of death and injury in US

Aspartame and Multiple Sclerosis - Neurosurgeon's Warning

'Bird Flu', SARS - Biowarfare or a Pandemic of Propaganda?

 

 

More recent articles
Chromotherapy in Cancer

Inclined Bed Therapy: Tilt your bed for healthful sleep

European Food Safety Authority cherry picks evidence - finds Aspartame completely safe

Did Aspartame kill Cory Terry?

Retroviral particles in human immune defenses - is AIDS orthodoxy dead wrong?

Vaccine damage in Great Britain: The consequences of Dr Wakefield’s trials


Archive of all articles on this site

 

 

Most recent comments
Uganda: Pfizer Sponsored AIDS Institute Snubs Natural Treatment Options

Lipitor: Side Effects And Natural Remedy

AIDS: 'No Gold Standard' For HIV Testing

Lipitor: Side Effects And Natural Remedy

'Global Business Coalition' Wants More Testing: But Tests Do Not Show AIDS

 

 

Candida International

What Does MHRA Stand For??

Bono and Bush Party without Koch: AIDS Industry Makes a Mockery of Medical Science

Profit as Usual and to Hell with the Risks: Media Urge that Young Girls Receive Mandatory Cervical Cancer Vaccine

 

Share The Wealth

Artificial Water Fluoridation: Off To A Poor Start / Fluoride Injures The Newborn

Drinking Water Fluoridation is Genotoxic & Teratogenic

Democracy At Work? - PPM On Fluoride

"Evidence Be Damned...Patient Outcome Is Irrelevant" - From Helke

Why Remove Fluoride From Phosphate Rock To Make Fertilizer

 

Evolving Collective Intelligence

Let Us Please Frame Collective Intelligence As Big As It Is

Reflections on the evolution of choice and collective intelligence

Whole System Learning and Evolution -- and the New Journalism

Gathering storms of unwanted change

Protect Sources or Not? - More Complex than It Seems

 

Consensus

Islanda, quando il popolo sconfigge l'economia globale.

Il Giorno Fuori dal Tempo, Il significato energetico del 25 luglio

Rinaldo Lampis: L'uso Cosciente delle Energie

Attivazione nei Colli Euganei (PD) della Piramide di Luce

Contatti con gli Abitanti Invisibili della Natura

 

Diary of a Knowledge Broker

Giving It Away, Making Money

Greenhouses That Change the World

Cycles of Communication and Collaboration

What Is an "Integrated Solution"?

Thoughts about Value-Add

 

 

 

Best sellers from