GMO-alfalfa protest united farmers and consumers, say organizers

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

by SUSAN MANN

One of the best parts of the National Farmers Union in Ontario’s Day of Action to stop genetically modified alfalfa from being commercially released in Canada is the support farmers got from consumers, says Ann Slater.

The former NFU-O coordinator says many people beeped as protestors held up signs along the portion of Highway 8 that heads out of Stratford on Tuesday. She estimates there were 50 to 70 protestors at the Stratford rally, held on the sidewalk in front of the strip mall where Perth-Wellington MP Gary Schellenberger’s office is located.

“We had lots of support from the people travelling by on the road,” she says, noting protestors also delivered some petitions to Schellenberger.

Slater says one important impact of the protest was that farmers and consumers came together. Farmers have flagged the genetically modified alfalfa matter and consumers stood by their side, also saying they’re concerned, she notes. “We need farmers and consumers working together and that was the feeling that was out there today.”

The protest in Stratford was one of several that took place from noon to 1 p.m. on Tuesday outside federal MPs' constituency offices as well as government and corporate offices in 38 communities across Canada, including 17 in Ontario. The Canadian Biotechnology Action Network supported the protest.

John Sutherland, National Farmers Union in Ontario coordinator, says he has spoken to Premier Kathleen Wynne about their concerns with genetically modified alfalfa and how it will affect organic farmers. “Organic farmers would be undermined if genetically modified alfalfa goes ahead,” he says.

Slater says the day of action was held to raise awareness among elected officials about why “we don’t want genetically modified alfalfa.”

GMOs are not permitted in organic production. Organic farmers, therefore, would not be able to maintain certification if their alfalfa crops become contaminated with the genetically engineered variety.

American company Forage Genetics International has applied Monsanto’s Roundup Ready technology to alfalfa. While Canada has approved genetically modified alfalfa for health and environmental release in 2005, variety registration still has to be approved by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency before the product can be released commercially.

Network coordinator Lucy Sharratt says in a press release the registration and commercial release could happen as early as this spring.

Sharratt says more than 110 people attended the rally in Ottawa at the CFIA’s variety registration office, and many of them were farmers from surrounding counties, such as Lanark and Renfrew.

“The problem is the whole process is totally secret,” she says, noting farmers can ask CFIA if they’ve received a request for registration by Forage Genetics but the agency won’t confirm or deny the farmers’ query. “They won’t tell us even if they’re looking at different varieties for registration.”

Sharratt says the product could be available soon in Canada because they have seen the Canadian Seed Trade Association and Forage Genetics “making moves to pave the way for genetically modified alfalfa to be introduced.”

Rebecca Lentz, spokesperson for Forage Genetics International, says by email they are considering opportunities in Eastern Canada for Roundup Ready alfalfa for use as a forage but no decision has been made on sales in Canada. BF