Gauteng Smallholder December 2015-January 2016 | Page 18

NEWS From page 15 systems Reality: GM crops contaminate non-GM crops. Nearly 400 incidents of GM contamination have been recorded globally so far. Staying GM-free imposes considerable additional, and sometimes impossible, costs for farmers. Myth 7: Genetic engineering is the most promising pathway of innovation for food systems Reality: Non-GM advanced methods of plant breeding are already delivering the sorts of traits promised by GM crops, including resistance to diseases, flood and drought tolerance. GM crops are not only an ineffective type of innovation but they also restrict innovation due to intellectual property rights owned by a handful of multinational corporations. The book also has some interesting graphs and maps, highlighting where GM crops are being used worldwide, where they have failed, and additionally where GM crop protection measures have also failed. The document is too long to publish in full, or even summarise cogently, but it is available for download off our website, www.sasmallholder.co.za. LIVESTOCK GPS From page 15 be lost completely the unit will notify you that signal was lost but is now restored, as well as where the animal is at that point. You are able to set parameters for where you want the animal to move, for example, the border of your farm or the camp it should be moving in, and the moment the animal leaves the area you have chosen for yourself the collar will alert you via SMS. So if the animal is stolen or moves from the property you will be alerted. You will also be alerted should someone attempt to remove the collar. The collar is also fitted with an accelerormeter and will alert you when the animal is being chased, either by a predator or by thieves. The battery life is approximately two years and the collar will alert you in time when it needs to be recharged. The waterproof collar itself is made from a durable material with a breaking strain of three. The unit is supplied with a 30 day money-back guarantee. The collar is one size fits all.