BEEKEEPERS VOTE TO OPPOSE GM CROPS

Paul Jarvis
The West Australian, July 25, 2002 [via Agnet]

The beekeeping industry in West Australia has, according to this story,
weighed into the GM debate. The story says that delegates to the WA
Farmers Federation annual beekeepers section conference in Perth voted
to oppose the introduction of GM crops in WA.

The conference passed a motion that opposed the growing of GM crops in
WA. The motion is to be taken to the WAFarmers general council meeting
later this month and the GMO forum in May 2003, during which WAFarmers'
present GMO policy will be reviewed.

WAFarmers delegates were joined by other sections of the WA beekeeping
industry this week in united opposition to the introduction of GM crops.

Eduard Planken, CEO of WA apiarist-owned honey company Wescobee, was
cited as saying that as far as he could tell the consensus across the WA
industry was the State should remain a GM-free zone.

Mr Planken said the beekeeeping industry would be the first of WA's
agricultural industries hit if GM crops were introduced because the
sensitivity to GM foodstuffs already was an issue for apiarists.