Organic farmers call for a Day of Action, Thursday March 9 th , 2023
Help the Minister get the message! No Hidden GM Seeds
Read Press Release-March 6, 2023
Call the agriculture minister on Thursday March 9th
The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, could decide soon to allow some genetically engineered (genetically modified or GM) seeds onto the market with NO government environmental safety assessments and NO notification to farmers. This decision would allow companies to release unknown GM seeds that have not gone through any government approval process. It could pave the way for an all-GM future, where farmers and consumers have no choice.
If biotechnology companies can hide GM seeds from farmers by leaving them off a voluntary registry, organic farmers will not be able to protect their fields and your food from GM. The minister can protect organic farmers by making disclosure of all GM seeds mandatory – or she can give biotechnology companies free rein to harm our sector.
Call the Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Marie-Claude Bibeau, to ask her to listen to organic farmers: Tell the minister that farmers need a mandatory public registry of all GM seeds sold on the market, including those developed using gene-editing technologies. No hidden genetically modified seeds! Call to leave your message for the minister 613-995-2024.
To also send an email or letter to the minister visit www.cban.ca/NoExemptions
Why Now?
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is proposing to exempt many new genetically engineered seeds from regulation. Specifically, to remove government oversight of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) that have no foreign DNA, produced through the new genetic engineering techniques of genome editing (also called gene editing). Corporations would determine the safety of their own gene-edited products, and determine what information – if any – the public and farmers can have. More information on the proposals see www.cban.ca/NoExemptions
Organic farmers, raise your voice!
The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Marie-Claude Bibeau, pledged to ensure transparency and traceability of all GM seeds but has yet to take action. Meanwhile, the biotechnology industry is lobbying to stop farmers from getting a mandatory list of all GM seeds on the market. Instead, they want to set up a voluntarily list where companies can decide for themselves if they want to disclose new, unregulated gene-edited seeds. Farmers would not know about all the GM seeds on the market. Tell the Minister: The government needs to list all gene-edited GM seeds on the market in a public registry.
Organic consumers, raise your voice!
Join Canadian organic farmers in the fight for the future of organics. Biotechnology companies want to make as much money as possible, by owning and controlling seeds. The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Marie-Claude Bibeau is about to decide the future of what we all eat. If she allows undisclosed, unknown GMOs onto the market, the future will be all-biotech. Organics prohibits GMOs. Organic farmers need to know which seeds are GM so they can buy non-GM seed and avoid contamination from neighbouring GM crops. Tell the Minister: The government needs to list all gene-edited GM seeds on the market in a public registry.
Organic farmers are working for you. We work hard to stop GM contamination in our fields and
farms. This work costs farmers money and time:
*Farmers must have buffer zones which means setting aside valuable farm land to create a barrier between neighbouring GM fields and organic fields, to stop contamination.
*Most organic grain farmers, do not grow canola because of potential GM contamination.
The markets for genetically engineered seeds are dominated by the world’s largest seed and agrochemical companies. Six companies now control 58% of the global seed market and 78% of the global pesticide market. These companies want to put their products on the market with less or no regulation. Lack of regulation puts the public and farmers at risk.