Taking Action on New GM Foods

Taking Action on New GM Foods

Postby Oscar » Mon Jun 06, 2016 7:09 am

CBAN NEWS: Taking action on new GM foods; corporate consolidation, US National Academies of Science report


From: Lucy Sharratt - CBAN Coordinator
Sent: Monday, June 6, 2016 5:59 AM
Subject: [cban e-News] Taking action on new GM foods;corporate consolidation, US National Academies of Science report

Taking Action on New GM Foods

On May 19, Health Canada approved the first-ever GM food animal for eating, a GM Atlantic salmon. But will your grocery store sell it? Ask and find out! Write to the head office.

The contacts for the major chains are here: [ http://www.cban.ca/content/view/full/1903 ] Let us know what they say! Meanwhile, Nova Scotia's Fisheries Minister says "We really don’t want any connection with the GMO salmon.”
[ http://thechronicleherald.ca/business/1 ... ified-fish ]

Farmers continue to ask for consumers to help them stop any further release of GM alfalfa seeds this year. New Brunswick farmer Murray Bunnet told CBC, "I think consumers need to get on board and talk to government and say, speak up more and say that we don't want this, so the government knows from people that they are not interested.” [ http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-bruns ... -1.3583864 ]

To take action check [ http://www.cban.ca/alfalfa ]

Earlier this year, Health Canada also approved a GM potato, the first since Monsanto took their GM insect-resistant potato of the market in 2001. The group GE Free Comox in BC has started a petition to retailers.

You can sign the petition here
[ https://www.change.org/p/minister-of-he ... -in-canada ]

For more information see [ http://www.cban.ca/potato ]

This year may see the arrival of a GM potato, GM apple and GM salmon - but where and when? CBAN is investigating to find out - and taking action with you to keep them out! Donate today! [ http://www.cban.ca/donate ]

Corporate Concentration Intensifies

Corporate consolidation in seeds and pesticides threatens to continue unchecked as the big six companies may soon become three. Monsanto has recently rejected Bayer's $62 billion acquisition bid but merger talks continue. ChemChina plans to buy Syngenta for $43 billion, after Syngenta rejected a bid from Monsanto. Dow Chemical Co and DuPont are forging a $130 billion business.

In 2014, Monsanto, DuPont, Syngenta, Dow, Bayer, and BASF controlled 63% of the global commercial seed market and 75% of the pesticide market. It is not surprising then that seed prices are steadily rising (ahead of other farm inputs), and that GM seed prices are significantly higher than non-GM counterparts. At the same time, the number of non-GM varieties on the market has greatly decreased. Collective sales of these companies is over $65-billion a year in agrochemicals, seeds and GM traits. Since GM seeds were first introduced, the market share of the largest three has more than doubled, from 22% to 55%. For more information on the impacts of this corporate concentration see CBAN’s report “Are GM crops better for farmers?” [ http://www.gmoinquiry.ca/farmers ]

The current wave of mega-mergers between the world's top seed and pesticide corporations (ChemChina-Syngenta, Dow-Dupont, Monsanto-Bayer) can be challenged. ETC Group’s new briefing discusses the big picture: Will farm machinery companies join the race to control seeds? [ http://etcgroup.org/content/industrial- ... -box-lunch ]

US National Academies of Science Report Released

On May 17, the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine released its 408-page report "Genetically Engineered Crops: Experiences and Prospects.” The summary is here: [ http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpin ... rdID=23395 ]

Among other findings, the report:

assesses that there are no negative health effects from the GM foods currently on the market, but also says that testing is inadequate and there is a possibility that new allergens could be missed in the product review process.
says that the development of herbicide-tolerant weeds and other environmental questions need better regulation in the US. [ https://t.co/LHRwwB8lff ] found that there was no evidence that GM crops have improved yields: there is "no significant change in the rate at which crop yields increase could be discerned from the data.” This confirms CBAN’s finding from the GMO Inquiry [ http://www.gmoinquiry.ca/farmers ] also said “mandatory labeling provides the opportunity for consumers to make their own personal risk-benefit decisions.”

The full report can be downloaded for free and is online at
[ http://www.nap.edu/catalog/23395/geneti ... -prospects ]


Lucy Sharratt, Coordinator
Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN)
Collaborative Campaigning for Food Sovereignty and Environmental Justice
Suite 206, 180 Metcalfe Street
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K2P 1P5
Phone: 613 241 2267 ext. 25
[ coordinator@cban.ca ]
[ http://www.cban.ca ]
[ https://www.facebook.com/cban.canadian. ... on.network ]
@biotechaction

Check out the six reports in the GMO Inquiry! http://www.gmoinquiry.ca

Donate today [ http://www.cban.ca/donate ]

_______________________________________________
CBAN e-News mailing list

[ http://www.cban.ca ] ~ Collaborative Campaigning for Food Sovereignty and Environmental Justice
Oscar
Site Admin
 
Posts: 9078
Joined: Wed May 03, 2006 3:23 pm

Return to GMOs

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest

cron