Hearings spark interest in possible P.E.I. ban on GMO's

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Hearings spark interest in possible P.E.I. ban on GMO's

JoAnn Guest

Jan 23, 2005 17:21 PST

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Hearings spark interest in possible P.E.I. ban on GMO's

Canadian Press

January 23, 2005

 

 

http://www.canada.com/maritimes/news/story.html?id=ad55bff1-f7d8-452c-85a7-9e0de\

ec71fc9

 

 

CHARLOTTETOWN (CP) -- Hearings on whether Prince Edward Island should

ban the use of genetically modified organisms in its agriculture

industry has international experts on both sides of the debate digging

in for a fight.

 

Requests to participate are coming in from as far away as California,

mainly from the well-organized anti-GMO lobby, which regards genetically

engineered food and crops as " Frankenfood.''

 

Nadege Adam, a spokeswoman for the Council of Canadians, says the public

hearings next month could make the island an international trendsetter.

 

She says if the island goes ahead with a GMO ban, it will put the

province ahead of the pack when it comes to responding to public

concerns about genetically altered foods.

 

" What we have here is a very unpopular product,'' she says.

 

" Around the world, more and more countries are either closing their

doors altogether to GMO foods, or they are putting in strict

restrictions. So P.E.I., because it is an island, would have the

advantage of being able to provide for this fast-growing niche market.''

 

 

But the provincial legislature's agriculture committee is taking a

cautious approach, stressing that the hearings are meant only to provide

insight into the science of genetic engineering.

 

The P.E.I. Federation of Agriculture plans to make a presentation urging

careful consideration of all the facts in the GMO debate.

 

" It's a controversial issue, and everyone has an opinion,'' says Mike

Nabuurs, executive director of the federation.

 

" But we need to make sure that any decisions that affect farmers are

based on truth and science. . . . Right now, GMOs are legal crops in

Canada, approved by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.''

 

Nabuurs says it has yet to be proven that there is a market for non-GMO

products.

 

He says most island crops are exported to the United States, where there

are not the same anti-GMO restrictions as in Europe and some parts of

Asia.

 

" If the P.E.I. government decides it want to seriously consider a GMO

ban, it had better make darn good and sure those markets really do exist

for the non-GMO products, enough to sustain producers who are currently

making a living on GMO products.''

 

Nabuurs says about 60 per cent of last year's soybean crop on the Island

was genetically altered, as well as some corn and canola crops.

 

However, farmers have already agreed not to grow GMO potatoes, the

Island's most important crop.

 

Processing giants such as McCain Foods and Cavendish Farms have said

engineered spuds are too hot to handle, given the consumer backlash in

some parts of the world.

 

Genetically modified foods have been touted as either cutting-edge

technology or genetic pollution.

 

They are the result of gene-splicing technology that inserts part of the

gene strand of one life form, such as bacteria or an animal, into

another, such as corn, soybeans or canola.

 

GMO crops have been permitted by Health Canada since 1995.

 

Many European countries and consumers are worried about the possible

health and environmental effects of genetically altered crops and foods.

 

 

There are strict GMO labelling requirements in Europe.

 

It's estimated that about 60 per cent of processed foods in North

America contain some genetic modifications.

 

© Canadian Press 2005

 

 

 

 

 

AIM Barleygreen

" Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future "

 

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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