Fwd: FW: [Food-news] Terminator ban undermined at UN meeting in Spain

[Guest guest]

>

> http://www.freecycle.org

>

> www.foodnews.ca

>

> Editor's Note: Last week a working group of the

> Convention on Biological

> Diversity met in Spain to discuss the fate of

> " terminator " technology - or

> sterile seeds. A ban has been in place on the

> technology for threats it

> poses to farmers and indigenous peoples: the cost to

> purchase seeds

> annually, the potential loss of biodiversity and an

> end to the practice of

> seed selection to adapt crops to local conditions.

> Last week's meetings

> have produced a resolution recommending a

> provisional lifting of this ban.

>

>

> More detailed information can be found at:

> www.etcgroup.org

> www.canadians.org

> www.biodiv.org

>

> PRESS RELEASE

>

> January 27, 2006

>

> Terminator ban undermined at UN meeting in Spain

>

> The National Farmers Union (NFU) of Canada, the

> National Family Farm

> Coalition (NFFC) in the United States, and other

> organizations are

> concerned that “suicide seeds” may be introduced

> into the environment

> through the back door.

>

> A worldwide de-facto moratorium on Genetic Use

> Restriction Technologies

> (GURTs – popularly known as “Terminator” technology)

> was undermined this

> past week at a United Nations conference in Granada,

> Spain. Terminator

> technology is used to create genetically modified

> seeds which are rendered

> sterile at harvest.

>

> A resolution adopted at the UN Convention on

> Biological Diversity (CBD) in

> Granada, Spain January 27 recommends abandoning the

> precautionary

> principle and allows testing of Terminator plant

> varieties on a “case by

> case” basis under the guise of “risk management” and

> “capacity building.”

> Government representatives from Australia, New

> Zealand and Canada were

> instrumental in forcing the change in policy at the

> UN forum.

>

> Terry Boehm, NFU Vice-President and Chair of the Ban

> Terminator campaign

> in Canada, said officials from the Canadian

> Department of Environment

> tried to accomplish this objective last year at a

> similar meeting in

> Bangkok, but backed off following strong public

> opposition in Canada and

> worldwide.

>

> “This time around, the Canadian delegation is

> involved in a supporting

> role, with the governments of Australia and New

> Zealand taking the lead in

> destroying the consensus against Terminator,” said

> Boehm. “This flies in

> the face of any regard for farmers, citizens and the

> world’s biosphere.

> Why would Canada help to unleash something as

> dangerous as Terminator on

> the world?”

>

> Boehm said the Canadian delegation appears to be

> taking advantage of a

> change in government to push though an agenda that

> benefits large

> multinational seed and chemical companies.

>

> Colleen Ross, NFU Women’s President, said the CBD

> consultations in Spain

> were supposed to involve Indigenous peoples, “yet

> the bureaucrats

> repeatedly refused to consult with farmers or

> Indigenous groups on this

> issue.” She said Terminator technology is all about

> who controls seeds –

> and ultimately who controls the food system.

>

> “Terminator is the ultimate tool in controlling the

> world’s food supply,

> because it forces farmers to buy seeds from the

> handful of seed companies

> which dominate the global market,” she said.

>

> Other citizens’ groups supporting the stance of the

> NFU and NFFC in

> opposing Terminator include: The Council of

> Canadians, the ETC Group,

> Inter Pares, Saskatchewan Organic Directorate,

> Beyond Factory Farming,

> GenEthics of Australia, the National Council of

> Women of Canada, and

> others.

>

> Contact:

> Terry Boehm, NFU Vice-President (306) 255-2880

> Colleen Ross, NFU Women’s President (613) 652-1552

> Terry Pugh, NFU Executive-Secretary (306) 652-9465

>

> The Council of Canadians

> 700-170 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa, ON K1P 5V5.

> Tel: (613) 233-2773; Toll-free: 1-800-387-7177

> Fax: (613) 233-6776

> inquiries

> www.canadians.org

>

>

>

> WHO WE ARE: This e-mail service shares information

> to help more people

> discuss crucial policy issues affecting global food

> security. The service

> is managed by Amber McNair of the University of

> Toronto in partnership

> with the Centre for Urban Health Initiatives (CUHI)

> and Wayne Roberts of

> the Toronto Food Policy Council, in partnership with

> the Community Food

> Security Coalition, World Hunger Year, and

> International Partners for

> Sustainable Agriculture.

> Please help by sending information or names and

> e-mail addresses of

> co-workers who'd like to receive this service, to

> foodnews

>

> WHO WE ARE: This e-mail service shares information

> to help more people

> discuss crucial policy issues affecting global food

> security. The service

> is managed by Amber McNair of the University of

> Toronto in partnership

> with the Centre for Urban Health Initiatives (CUHI)

> and Wayne Roberts of

> the Toronto Food Policy Council, in partnership with

> the Community Food

> Security Coalition, World Hunger Year, and

> International Partners for

> Sustainable Agriculture.

> Please help by sending information or names and

> e-mail addresses of

> co-workers who'd like to receive this service, to

> foodnews

>