Tuesday April 2, 2013. Ottawa. Today, the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network released a new report documenting the means by which genetically modified (GM) alfalfa will contaminate non-GM alfalfa and hay crops , if GM alfalfa is released
“We can clearly see how farmers will pay the heavy costs of this inevitable contamination,” said Ontario organic sheep and vegetable farmer Ann Slater, member of the National Farmers Union, “The only way to stop contamination from GM alfalfa is to keep it off the market.”
Alfalfa is an important crop for dairy farming in Ontario as well as for livestock farmers and vegetable and field crop producers. Some Ontario farmers also save alfalfa seed.
The report details the role of seeds, pollen, and volunteer/feral plants in the predicted contamination of non-GM alfalfa from GM alfalfa. If released, GM alfalfa would be the first GM perennial crop introduced in Canada.
“While the conditions for contamination in Eastern Canada differ from those in Western Canada where alfalfa seed is produced, contamination in Ontario is assured, as are the economic costs to farmers,” said Lucy Sharratt of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network.
“Our report documents the many means by which farmers can expect to see contamination from GM alfalfa. Contamination is assured, the only question is how long it will take and which will be the first or primary means of gene escape,” said Taarini Chopra, also with the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network.
“This report puts an end to discussions about coexistence with GM alfalfa, its just not possible.” said Phillip Woodhouse, President of the Ontario Grey County NFU local 344 who also attended an October 2012 meeting of the Canadian Seed Trade Association where the industry attempted to construct a coexistence plan to pave the way for GM alfalfa. “Forage Genetics International appears willing to sacrifice the livelihoods of Ontario farmers to get their product on the market somewhere in Canada.”
“No farmer can shield themselves from this genetic pollution. Does anyone really believe that introducing GM alfalfa into Eastern Canada will protect Prairie farmers from this contamination?” added Woodhouse.
The National Farmers Union-Ontario has called for consumers to support farmers in a Day of Action to Stop GM Alfalfa on April 9. Ontario farmers have organized protest rallies in 12 communities, outside of constituency offices of federal Members of Parliament as well as outside the Variety Registration office of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in Ottawa where a final rubber-stamp to release Roundup Ready alfalfa is expected any day. There are also 11 rallies confirmed in support of Ontario farmers happening in towns in BC, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan (at the office of the Minister of Agriculture), Quebec, and Nova Scotia.
For more information:Ann Slater, National Farmers Union, 519-349-2448; Lucy Sharratt, Canadian Biotechnology Action Network 613 241 2267 ext 25, Phillip Woodhouse, National Farmers Union, 519 599 5041.
Details on the April 9 Day of Action to Stop GM Alfalfa, including a list of actions, can be found at www.cban.ca/april9
In these last years, say since Armenia and Auschwitz, we here in the West have been taught: Genocide is bad. But, even so, it seems a lesson slowly learnt by a variety of corporate and governmental operatives who continue to promote this most ancient practice.
Couched in the meta-language of modern trade negotiations, at this moment diplomats and other factotums in the service of the international business elite are hammering and sawing together vehicles that, in the guise of sane and prudent investment policy, serve to carry millions through the nightmare of mass displacement, dispossession, and deprivation to the gates of a manufactured Hell on Earth.
Slavery, abuse, and an early pauper's grave is the best most of these caught in the maw of this New World Order can hope for. It's everywhere, and it's growing, and yet it's barely recognized by its ultimate supporters, We the people.
Daniel Kovalik is Senior Associate General Counsel for the USW, or United Steel Workers union, and teaches international human rights law at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Daniel's recently published article, 'How the Colombia Trade Agreement Accelerates Human Rights Abuses' explores the predictable, and necessarily desired, outcomes of these policies constituting international crimes against humanity.
Daniel Kovalik in the first half.
And; last month yours truly took a turn down Cuba way. The idea was for me and my partner in tourism, Christina Nikolic to explore the besieged Caribbean nation while shooting a video chronicling the achievements of Cuba in its shift to organic, urban agriculture; a shift fostered by the so-called 'Special Period,' a time that saw the island cut adrift from its erstwhile Soviet Union supporter. I also recorded some audio impressions while walking through the capital.
Your Ape in La Habana in the second half.
And; Victoria Street Newz publisher and CFUV broadcaster, Janine Bandcroft will join us at the bottom of the hour to bring us up to speed with some of the goings on going on on our streets, and beyond. But first, Daniel Kovalik and "constructive genocide" and its consequences for us all.
Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Monday, 5-6pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, http://www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.ca/
G-Radio is dedicated to social justice, the environment, community, and providing a forum for people and issues not covered in the corporate media.
Some past guests include: M. Junaid Alam, M. Shahid Alam, Gilad Atzmon, Joel Bakan, Maude Barlow, Ramzy Baroud, William Blum, Luciana Bohne, William Bowles, Mordecai Briemberg, Helen Caldicott, Noam Chomsky, Michel Chossudovsky, Diane Christian, Paul Cienfuegos, David Cromwell, Ezili Danto, Jon Elmer, Yves Engler, Laura Flanders, Amy Goodman, Denis Halliday, Chris Hedges, Julia Butterfly Hill, Robert Jensen, Dahr Jamail, Diana Johnstone, Malalai Joya, Kathy Kelly, Naomi Klein, Frances Moore Lappe, Dave Lindorff, Alexandra Morton, Loretta Napoleoni, Andrew Nikiforuk, Ken O'Keefe, Greg Palast, Michael Parenti, Robert Parry, John Pilger, Kevin Pina, Paul Craig Roberts, David Rovics, Danny Schechter, David Schindler, Vandana Shiva, Tim Shorrock, Norman Solomon, Jean Saint-Vil, Harvey Wasserman, Paul Watson, Bernard Weiner, Andy Worthington, Mickey Z., Howard Zinn and many others.
Down we traveled to Victoria's Legislature building, braving a chill but sunny Saturday with several hundreds of Victorian's still willing to spend a couple of hours to demonstrate their enthusiasm for the health of the planet upon which we reside, however briefly.
This week: Lawrence Scanlan is an Ontario-based journalist and the author of numerous books, most with an equine theme, including: 'The Big Red Horse,' Horses Forever,' 'Wild About Horses: Our Timeless Passion for the Horse,' and the best-seller, co-authored with Monty Roberts, 'The Man Who Listens to Horses.' Scanlan's latest book is, 'A Year of Living Generously: Dispatches from the Front Lines of Philanthropy.' Lawrence Scanlan in the first half.
Christina Nikolic has made a home for herself in Canada since arriving here from Germany in 1999. She's an organic horticultural entrepreneur, passionate about soil and bugs, and serves as a director on the board of the non-profit Society for Organic Urban Land Care, or SOUL. A decade of traveling back and forth has sharpened Christina's eye to changes in both countries, and blurred the distinction between the two places she calls "home". In recent weeks, she's followed the hot button migration issue in both Germany and Canada. Christina Nikolic on what it means to integrate from two perspectives in the second half.
And; Victoria Street Newz publisher and CFUV broadcaster, Janine Bandcroft will be here to bring us the newz from Victoria's dynamic street community and beyond at the bottom of the hour. But first, Lawrence Scanlan and 'A Year of Living Generously.'
Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Monday, 5-6pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, 104.3 cable, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, www.pacificfreepress.com.
Check out the GR blog at: http://GorillaRadioBlog.blogspot.com
G-Radio is dedicated to social justice, the environment, community, and providing a forum for people and issues not covered in corporate and state media. Gorilla Radio airs live every Monday, 5-6pm Pacific Time. In Victoria at 102FM, 104.3 cable, and on t
2013-04-14
Categories 
Posted by admin
This audio file has been downloaded 31 times
loveuseeme
