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March 17, 2000
from a press release
Is your food safe to eat? CUSO, The National
Farmers' Union and Canadian Organic Growers sponsor cross-country dialogue
OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- Canadians are increasingly concerned about the safety
of genetically engineered (GE) foods. Researchers cite caution as readily
as assuring safety. Farmers are unsure about seeding GE crops. Consumers
are
demanding assurances that their health will not be damaged by GE foods
and
while awaiting these assurances many are refusing to buy them.
Beginning March 20th, a group of panelists including farmers, consumers
and
scientists will embark upon a week-long, cross-Canada tour to inform and
talk to Canadians about this issue. Sponsored by CUSO, NFU and COG, this
broadly based public dialogue provides one of the first opportunities
for
farmers and consumers to meet and discuss these issues together. The
Dialogue series will feature Ernesto Ladrón de Guevara from Mexico,
a member
of the global small scale farmers' network Via Campesina.
Events are being held in:
Edmonton: March 20
Saskatoon: March 21
Winnipeg: March 22
Guelph: March 23
Fredericton: March 24
Food Security and Genetic Engineering - is there a link?
The World Food Summit in 1996 emphasized the fundamental right for everyone,
regardless of nationality, to adequate food. Yet, continued structural
adjustment programmes and the global liberalization of trade have
contributed to ever increasing hunger and poverty in the world.
The opening of developing country economies to cheaper agricultural and
food
imports from developed countries has led to the creation of landless
peasants, migration to cities, rising unemployment rates and increased
poverty and hunger. At the same time, globalization has resulted in a
few
corporations largely controlling the agro-industrial food system. Control
of seeds and promotion of farming techniques based on chemicals increasingly
places small farmers, genetic diversity and sustainability at risk. This
situation concentrates power over our most basic rights - food and health
-
in the hands of a few multinational corporations.
These corporations are pushing countries to accept the widespread use
of
genetic engineering (GE): yet another potential risk to small farmers,
the
environment and consumer health. GE is not the panacea touted by its
proponents. Huge questions loom about safety, testing, regulations and
the
long-term benefit. We don't question the need for safety regulations for
everything from pyjamas and toys, to driving our cars, yet there has been
unprecedented resistance to any regulation of genetically engineered
organisms. Why?
GE is not a solution to world hunger. Lack of food is not the underlying
cause of world hunger. It is lack of money to buy food, lack of access
to
land or water to grow food, inequitable food distribution, and politics.
The
push to embrace GE has not only a direct impact on farmers, consumers,
our
food supply and the environment in the developing world but also right
here
at home in Canada.
What farmers (and consumers) need are agricultural policies that invest
in
ecological farmer based agricultural research, and pay the farmer a decent
price for providing the world with healthy food. As Dr. Vandana Shiva
states, "the biodiversity evolved by farmers can solve each of the
problems
you want to address through genetic engineering. In the absence of full
awareness of ecological alternatives, taking these traits from farmers'
varieties and putting them into genetically engineered crops might allow
the
North to believe they have invested in the 'creation' of new traits and
have
brought new benefits to the Third World. For us genetic engineering does
not
bring new benefits, though it does introduce new ecological risks of which
the world remains ignorant because of lack of investment in ecological
research to assess these risks. It also devalues the contribution of
farmers' breeding and creates new strategies for making farmers dependent
on
agencies, corporations and governments. "
A recent poll conducted by Environics Research Group shows that
three-quarters of those familiar with GE foods are worried about their
safety. As well, 94% feel Canada should be able to refuse to import GE
foods
if there are concerns about health or environmental safety. Furthermore,
a
Gazette poll taken in December showed that 97% of Montrealers want GE
foods
to be labelled, 65 % don't want to eat them, and 53% think they should
be
banned.
This current environment of public concern was further evidenced with
massive demonstrations in both Seattle during WTO meetings and in Montreal
during the Montreal Biosafety Protocol meetings. Building on broad based
interest in and concern about biotechnology, CUSO in partnership with
the
National Farmers Union (NFU) and Canadian Organic Growers (COG) is launching
a series of public dialogues in the Prairies, central Canada and the
Atlantic to provide a forum for the wider Canadian population to discuss
food security and genetic engineering. These dialogues will include
perspectives from farmers, consumers, science and the developing world.
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