World wide ban on genetic modification and any use of chemicals in agriculture!

There is so much we can do. Lets stop Monsanto. Literally a world wide ban on the use of chemicals and genetic modification, with immediate effect. Jobs will change but not be lost as we will still produce food. Old skills and knowledge will have to be revived to grow organically. New technology is already available to save seeds and sort out the wheat from the chaff….on every level. Great to see so many at the Millions Against Monsanto march yesterday. Lets keep the momentum going and correct this situation once and for all!

Animal Welfare Act - letter to cut and paste today and add what you want!

simon.coveney@oir.ie

Simon Coveney TD and Agricultural Minister is meeting at Dublin Castle at 11am tomorrow to discuss the Animal Welfare Act.

Dear Simon Coveney TD,

Please do your best for the animals tomorrow. I understand that you are deciding the animal welfare act tomorrow. This is a very emotive subject because it is so upsetting to see so much unacknowledged suffering. Please see the demonstrators as the good people of Ireland in general. Everyone here loves animals and would love to see neglect and cruelty stopped. The few of us that you will see are the ones that have the heart, the strength of their convictions and the trust in your department, to turn up and let the government know what is really happening to animals. We hope that you will be motivated to address it, stop it and put regulations in place. Please take this opportunity to expose cruel underlying practices and make them illegal. It is only greed and an unwillingness to change that keep these situations going. We are all relying on you.

1.     Dogs and Cats

It is important to promote neutering and rehoming. It could be that all money from licenses goes towards vouchers for neutering to vet’s and rescue services. It could be that breeding is penalized and rehoming is supported. It could be that people who have animals are told to take a companion animal from a rescue centre. Possibly even one for one. If you have 5 competition dogs or horses, you most likely have the infrastructure, food and land to match that. Or the cost of the additional keep go to the rescue organizations so they can do what’s needed there. It has come to my attention that Europe has paid the Romanian government a lot to support a neutering programme but instead the money has been kept and a massive cull been authorized. Anybody who brings in a dog gets something. This alerts us to the fact that vouchers rather than money should be used so that the good work can be definitely carried out. Also, the SPCA s should be regulated and expanded so that all cases can be checked and addressed. For example, in all of County Kilkenny there is only one horse inspector. Grants and benefits should be available for smaller, professional good will ventures. Puppy farms should be closed.   

2.     Cows, Pigs and Sheep

There are thousands of vegans, like myself, and vegetarians in Ireland who do not believe that it is appropriate anymore to kill another to feed ourselves, when there are so many alternatives. It would be in keeping with the wishes and choices of the people to offer incentives to farmers to convert to growing crops. The climate cost of so many animals is well known as is the amount of water farmed animals use. Many people understand that the grain animals eat would itself go a long way to feeding the world’s population. Rather than producing one meal on one table.

I understand that you yourself have a farm and there might be resistance to change from many of  your voters. While the industry is still going strong therefore, please consider the following amendments. There should be no intensive farming. There is a place in Kildare that takes ‘organic’ raised cows and fattens them over 3 months in intensive conditions. During this time they are given antibiotics to stop the spread of disease and they are fed non organic grain.

Even if you have difficulty summoning up the compassion in your peers to care for animals, please focus on their place in the food chain. Genetically modified feed and chemically sprayed feed brings the toxicity in to the human body. Nicotinoids in round up and all the other pesticides and herbicides do not get processed by the body. They are accumulative.

 

Put in legislation tomorrow to protect the earth, the population, the biodiversity, the farm animals, sport animals and pets. Farmers, via Monsanto and other pharmaceutical companies have been unleashing pathagons into the eco system and the human food chain. All these things are connected. The time of neutrality is over. Don’t let businesses make up their own minds on their own practices, you must influence them. Please be clear in your intention tomorrow. Intentions to date have been short term; to control the source of food, make money and use, misuse and abuse whatever and whoever comes to hand. Medium-term outcomes will be to destroy the eco system and the human being’s ability to live on the planet. What level of hideousness are you prepared to witness or address?

Rabbits for Angora wool ripped out of their bodies? Fur farms? Factory farms, abbatoirs. I ask you to spare a thought for the logistics of these places? In fur farms for example, thousands of animals being skinned – less that half of them dead before it happens. Fur farming has to be banned. It is completely unnecessary.

Ireland has a reputation for its green fields and healthy produce but we all know that this is a veil of illusion. I only eat organic food and in 50 metres of vegetables in each supermarket and small grocers there is often not one pesticide-free product, let alone fully organic. The reputation suits farmers but those cows have often not seen grass for months because the ground is too wet and the grain they are fed is full of chemicals. Many breeds of cow do not even have the lung capacity to live past 2 years  as they are fed so heavily to fatten them up. Then there are the laws that say cows should be killed around the 18 month, two year mark which must serve someone. It is probably difficult to keep them alive without drugs longer than that. Whatever is happening, the good reputation is not a true story. It is bad practice, sad practice and toxic practice hidden behind a green and pleasant façade. We need to clean up our act as everyone will benefit. I suggest a blanket ban on GM crops being grown here, a ban on chemical trailing. Obviously fracking should be banned as there won’t be clean water for man or beast if you let that happen. Even if you can’t inspire a deep interest in welfare, remember the connection between the land, the animals and the people’s health.

Horses

I think the companion horse rule would be successful. Everyone who has a horse should  host and care for a second, less-advantaged one! A simple principle that values kindness above usefulness is called for.

Please ban the use of  nurse maid mares. They are made pregnant and their own foal discarded to make them available to suckle a more valuable thoroughbred foal, as thoroughbreds can sometimes be not as good mothers. But the clue’s in the name, these animals are ‘mothers’ and the whole practice smacks of disregard. This Act that you are working on is going to have to write compassion into it, in nearly every sentence, so that there are no loop holes that ignorant (in the original sense of the word) people can get through. Some people simply do not know better.

Blood Sports

Again, the clue is in the name. Nothing should have to run for its life. It is not a fair competition. The only thing animals have is their lives and their skins and it is not healthy or humane to want to take them from them. Fox hunting, stag hunting, hare coursing all display a disturbing  absence of humanity.  

Birds and bees

The wild life has got to be protected. If you see the images of a supermarket shelf post bees extinction there is nothing much to be bought. Offer grants to people to learn how to keep bees and, again, ban pesticides. The birds will be severely affected if the wind turbines go ahead, let alone the pylons and substations. Don’t let more and more pollutants creep over the Irish countryside, via corrupt short term planning and gain. No living thing can cope with it. It is notable that the 300 billion loan for the Eirgrid plan was decided in Dublin Castle too. Try not to step into that coercion and agree to anything that will just serve the wealthy land owners. This is the day to consider the animals only. Pure and simple empathy and regard for other sentient beings. 

Farming

We have received word that someone wants to raise production 40 and 60%, whatever that means. Don’t let it mean that you compromise on production methods. Focus on quality not quantity. There is plenty of evidence that fully organic production is just as strong as other methods. It works WITH Nature, rather than killing off what we don’t want in the way of weeds and pests. It can yield an equal crop and most importantly is not poisonous. Do not let GM grain and chemicals weaken (change the ph of) our soil and toxify our water courses any further. If you think about raising more animals for export, think of the logistics of that. There is constantly a shortage of hay already. All the grain will be cheap, GM imported feed that comes in to the human food chain and more water will be used, more ground poached and more animals suffering in intensified living conditions. Please come up with a better plan. You can do it and this is the chance.

Circuses

Please ban the use of animals in circuses and don’t let animals be transported for more than 6 hours while still alive. No food, no water, no chance to stretch your legs, claustrophobic, terrifying and accompanied by the sense that you are going to your death. You wouldn’t like it. Its reminiscent of Auszwich. One day everyone will regret how animals are treated and don’t let situations in other countries blind you to the cruelty right here. Please systematically and radically sort this out. Some companies may suffer but maybe they’ve made enough money on the backs of others and can step away. Let life thrive again and with it humanity.

Vivisection 

Also ban the flights of thousands of mice arriving in Dublin for experiments. Vivisection has never healed anyone yet.  For another understanding on how to move forward see

The Hadwen Trust

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and

Europeans for Medical Advancement.

We can do things differently, harmlessly and in unison. Thank you for your time and efforts so far.

Best regards, Frances Micklem

This is the link to the Ethics Commission interview with John Carmody, founder of ARAN

Show starts tonight at 10pm or on demand any time after that! http://newdirections.creatingcalmnetwork.com

New Radio Show - Pascifist Action and Self Sufficiency

I have been offered a chance to shine a light on matters that matter to me….in one sitting the list of topics hit 20! So I look forward to sharing what I've found out and a good perspective too!

For the moment, I am in England for May Day, a time-honoured tradition of singing from the towers and bells bringing in the spring.

Here I met an old friend who I have not seen since I was 12! Still brilliant after all these years and wonderfully I found her in charge of an 800 acre organic crops farm. There were a few animals there but only as pets! Now we're talking! Living proof it can be done and in style.

I had an epic sing song with family - featuring Bela Legosi's Dead, Karma Police and Killing Me Softly- and there were no real casualties thank God. Now I am heading back to Harmony Hall to plant more magic seeds of possibility and pray for this garden to grow!