Farmers Against 1080 (FATE)

It's good to see that farmers, so often the guardians of a nations land and wildlife, have started to organise themselves into a pressure group called Farmers Against Ten Eighty (FATE) a group that has serious concerns about the use of 1080 in New Zealand and is calling for alternatives that are "genuinely clean, green 100% Pure." This is a Karameans Advocating Kahurangi Action release on Voxy:

"KAKA welcomes the establishment of "'Farmers Against Ten Eighty" (FATE)--a new national anti-1080 organisation--at a time when the Animal Health Board (AHB) is actively engaged in a costly national media campaign to promote and justify the continued use of 1080 and its aerial distribution.

The emergence of FATE is a powerful public reminder to the AHB and its pro-1080 adherents that, contrary to their repeated claims in the media, they do not enjoy the overwhelming support of N.Z. farmers. In fact, many if not most farmers, including a significant and increasing number of dairy farmers, have serious concerns about the use of 1080 in the AHB's Tb eradication strategy. FATE's emergence is a timely reminder to advocates of the use of 1080, such as the AHB, TB Free NZ and Federated Farmers, to listen more seriously to the legitimate concerns of their members. Many farmers do not appreciate the broad-scale indiscriminate use of 1080 poison in their name. Many are also justifiably concerned about potential negative impacts 1080 could have on export markets for their products, the environment in which they live and potential human health implications for themselves and their families.

KAKA, FATE and other anti-1080 campaigners seek the speedy implementation of viable alternatives to 1080--alternatives that are genuinely Clean/Green/100%Pure, better serve the needs of rural communities and which ensure a long-term future for our agricultural export industries.

KAKA hopes the AHB will quickly engage in constructive dialogue with FATE and like-minded groups and begin implementing safe, effective alternative pest-control solutions as well as improving the enforcement of existing Tb control regulations.

Congratulations to the members of FATE and Mary Molloy, the group's interim spokesperson."

For more information see the Straight Furrow article: "1080 Could be NZ's fatal flaw, says lobby group" in which Ms Molloy said:

“We have growing New Zealand-wide support. And remember very few farmers allow 1080 to be dropped on their land – farmers know it can kill everything,” Mrs Molloy said.

“Let’s refocus back to the original reason the AHB was formed – to help farmers rid their herd of TB – not to rid the whole of New Zealand of every possible vector for bovine TB.”

Mrs Molloy said people needed to know that poison was not acceptable in New Zealand. She believed 1080 was not only ineffective, it was also dangerous to both human and animal health, and had the potential to cause catastrophic trade problems if it was to get into the food chain.

“There is no trade barrier against TB, there are countries with less, like Australia and US, however our markets would be closed if 1080 does get into the food chain,” she said.

“It doesn’t go into the bush and only kill possums and stoats. 1080 is such a far reaching poison. There is nothing it cannot kill.”

In fact she couldn’t believe there hadn’t already been a major disaster involving 1080 - a chemical the United States saw as a potential terrorist tool.

She said the Animal Health Board needed to look at different strategies for dealing TB.

“We believe that farmers can help themselves more and that persistently infected farms should be assisted to become clear – maybe some new techniques or review older techniques like not grazing in high-risk areas,” Mrs Molloy said."

Read more here: NZ's fatal flaw

Just an interest snipped of information: we've discovered that Sodium Fluoroacetate has been formally recognised by the state of California as having male reproductive toxicity risks (Source) not only does this have implications for the workers who come into contact with the toxin but anyone who comes across it once it's released into the environment (hunters, trampers, etc) or consumes sub-lethally contaminated game.

For today's posts see: latest posts

1080 Use In Westland

Source: Scoop, 4 Sept, 2008

Westland Regional Environmental Network (WREN) has today announced its existence and intentions to the public of Westland. The Group's primary aim is: The implementation of publicly acceptable pest and TB control methods to replace 1080 use in Westland.

WREN has formed in response to the depth of community feeling against the use of 1080 in the Westland district area. The group intends to be a focal point for fair and educated discussion about 1080 and its viable alternatives and definitely does not wish to see TB infection rates on the West Coast going up, nor do they wish to see our biodiversity lost.

1080 has become an emotive issue for obvious reasons, and consequently, inaccurate and irrelevant information has been expounded from both sides of the argument” says WREN spokesperson Mark Mellsop-Melssen.

The group hopes to engage pro-1080 organisations so that the public may then have full access to all the relevant information about 1080, its use and its dangers.

In conjunction with like-minded groups, WREN, along with KEA (Kumara Environmental Action) and KAKA ( Karameans Advocating Kahurangi Action ) is planning a series of public meetings and debates over the next 12 months, along with the distribution of valid and as accurate as possible information, and nation-wide correspondence to media and relevant authorities.

Public support and donations will assist the campaign and WREN invites people concerned about 1080 to show their support by attending advertised public meetings.

WREN believes that previous considerations in regard to 1080 have failed to apply the precautionary principle to the entirely reasonable possibility of chronic poisoning from 1080 in our environment. The views of a modern and decent society appear to have been largely ignored, and significantly, 47 years on from the first 1080 drops in the Hokitika catchment, not only has the factor of inhumane deaths upon animals been perpetually ignored, but there has been a failure to demonstrably consider or implement viable alternatives. These views and others will be publicly debated and an invitation issued to 1080 advocates to present their take on the debate in a professional and cordial manner very soon.

“Our farmers are important to all of us. The Westland people are important to farmers. Can we sit down and talk it over? I think we can. There is a way forward after 47 years of 1080 poison in Westland” said Jackie Douglas WREN co- spokesperson.