wot do you mean everything is now sterile...ah well..whoops

[Guest guest]

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE 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.

 

- 30 -

 

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

 

 

 

 

" Naturally the common people don't want war: Neither in Russia, nor in England,

nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the

leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter

to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship,

or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. ... Voice or no voice, the people

can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have

to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for

lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any

country. "

- General Herman Goering, President of German Reichstag & Nazi Party, Commander

of Luftwaffe