On May 3, the federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food announced her decision to allow many new gene edited seeds onto the market without any government environmental safety assessments and without any notification from companies. If you missed it,
Si vous l’avez manqu茅, cliquez ici pour lire la mise 脿 jour et la r茅action du CBAN.
New! The National Farmers Union asks you to send a protest letter today.
Nouveau ! L鈥橴nion nationale des fermiers vous demande d’agir :
Quebec Day of Action May 26
Protests this week in Quebec! The Quebec network Vigilance OGM (GMO Watch) is calling for actions in six cities in Quebec on Friday, May 26, outside MP offices.
Journ茅e d’action : Vendredi 26 mai 脿 Sherbrooke et dans d’autres villes du Qu茅bec.
Farmers Denounce Lack of Transparency
Farmers across Canada have denounced the minister鈥檚 decision to allow gene edited seeds on the market without requiring any notice from companies.
Organic grain farmer and President of the Canadian Organic Growers, Alison Squires, was . 鈥�All we鈥檙e asking for is a way to identify the seed in the market. We鈥檙e not necessarily opposing the introduction of (gene-edited) seed 鈥� although that is my personal choice as an organic farmer 鈥� but we鈥檙e actually asking the government just to provide us with a mandatory traceability system so that we could be assured that seed entry in the market is accounted for.鈥�
The Canadian Organic Standards prohibit the use of genetic engineering including gene editing. The farmers group Organic BC put out their press release 鈥溾�� saying: 鈥�This new voluntary system is privately managed and jeopardizes the future of organic certification in Canada.鈥�
The Manitoba Cooperator in their article that describes the decision as setting 鈥済ene-edited seeds on the same regulatory level as conventionally-bred seed varieties鈥� and reports that Canadian farmers say “the decision will leave the organic sector dependent on seed and biotech firms鈥� willingness to disclose their handiwork.鈥�
: “The proposed seed industry-controlled database of for voluntary transparency is unacceptable. There is no way for anyone, whether farmer or government personnel, to know whether companies are providing complete information, and no consequences for the companies if they do not. Farmers will be the ones to pay the cost of unknowingly planting gene edited seed that is not accepted in a sensitive market. Canada鈥檚 reputation as an exporting country will be damaged if customers cannot trust that we are providing full disclosure on the products we sell.”
The National Farmers Union asks you to take action: Tell Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Bibeau you want this decision reversed, and that we need mandatory, independent safety assessments and mandatory reporting to government for all genetically engineered seeds and crops.
L鈥橴nion nationale des fermiers vous demande d’agir : Dites au ministre de l’Agriculture et de l’Agroalimentaire Bibeau que vous voulez que cette d茅cision soit annul茅e et que nous avons besoin d’茅valuations de s茅curit茅 obligatoires et ind茅pendantes et de rapports obligatoires au gouvernement pour toutes les semences et cultures g茅n茅tiquement modifi茅es.