GMO Inquiry 2015
• The Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN) has launched a major public investigation to dig behind 20 years of uncertainty around genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food and farming in Canada. The project will be called GMO Inquiry 2015.
“We’re stepping up with our own inquiry because our government doesn’t track the impacts of GM crops and foods in Canada,” said CBAN Coordinator Lucy Sharratt. “Our government doesn’t even tell us where GMOs are on our grocery store shelves. After 20 years of secrecy and confusion, Canadians deserve some real information about the impacts and risks.”
In 1995, the Canadian government approved the first genetically modified (GM), also called genetically engineered (GE), crops and foods: eight herbicide tolerant canola varieties as well as the first GM soybean (also herbicide-tolerant), two types of GM delayed-ripening tomatoes (both withdrawn from the market by the companies) and the first varieties of Monsanto’s GM insect resistant potatoes (also later withdrawn from the market by the company).
“Our government introduced genetically modified crops without a public debate or any GM food labelling for consumer choice,” said Taarini Chopra, also of CBAN. “It’s time we get to the truth about how GM technology is changing food and farming in Canada. Critical questions about the impacts of GMOs on our health, our environment and our economy remain unanswered.”
CBAN will publish new research throughout the year, examining the major questions of environmental, economic and health impacts of GMOs in Canada.
In 2015, CBAN will investigate:
- Where GM foods and crops are found across the world and how much is grown in Canada.
- The impacts of GM crops on the environment.
- The issues raised by GM foods for consumers, including safety.
- The impacts of GM crops on farmers.
- The state of GMO regulation in Canada.
- Whether or not we need GM crops to feed the world.
CBAN invites Canadians to send in their questions to help shape the inquiry at www.GMOinquiry.ca
CBAN notes its inquiry is urgent because the government has already approved GM 2,4-D and dicamba-tolerant crops and could soon approve unprecedented GM foods, including the first-ever GM apple and the first GM food animal in the world, GM salmon.
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GMO Inquiry 2015 (www.GMOinquiry.ca) is a project of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN), www.cban.ca CBAN is a campaign coalition of 17 organizations that researches, monitors and raises awareness about issues relating to genetic engineering in food and farming. CBAN members include farmer associations, environmental and social justice organizations and regional coalitions of grassroots groups. CBAN is a project of Tides Canada Initiatives.
https://gefreebc.wordpress.com/
I’m amazed that Canadians have for so long tolerated the use of GMOs that have never been proven safe. I hoped, long ago, that the Percy Schmeisser case would make people take notice, but it seemed that most people I knew were more interested in hockey than in health. Canadians are far too trusting of their government.
If your organization could initiate an investigation connecting GMOs to specific illnesses then we could hold those bastards accountable and financially responsible for the harms caused by their greed.
YAWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s about time we look into the safety of the food we eat and the effect of growing it has on our environment.
Why do we take the word of giant corporations that foods are safe, when they’ only interest is higher profits and they do the testing? There are numerous food organizations that say the tests the GMO advocates conduct, are too short of a time period, and any negative results are buried anyway.
Why are these companies who sell these GMO products spending hundreds of millions of dollars each year trying to stop the labelling of their products? Why is it that most of the world demands these products to be labeled and we are still fighting to be able to know what is in our food? It is my right to know what is in my food. I demand that it be labeled! They are even lobbying to get these GMO foods labeled as ‘Natural’ in the United States so people will never have a choice. Why is the government siding with companies that are winning ‘The Worst Companies of the Year’ awards? Why are there no independent scientific studies being done here as there have been in Europe to the detriment of the GMO companies.
Please do the work you say you will do and please get those GMO’s Labeled.
Bob Pike ( very tired of trying to get things done that should have been done years ago )
Here you go Bob a story of a 29 year study involving approximately 29 billion animals from the head of the Genetic Literacy Project
http://www.science20.com/jon_entine_the_contrarian/29year_100_billion_animal_study_reinforces_safety_of_gm_foods-146431
sorry 100 billion animals
http://www.alternet.org/food/uncovering-real-story-behind-mark-lynas-conversion-climate-change-journalist-cheerleader
Here is a rebuttal to Mark Lynas’ conversion.
You are referring to 980 million broiler chickens killed at an average age of 49 days. That doesn’t come close to qualifying as a ‘safety’ study even by the shoddy standards of the lying industry itself. Millions of cows and pigs are also slaughtered before the end of their natural lives so they don’t get to count either. Very sloppy work done by an idiot and quoted by fools.
FYI, genetic literacy project is a biotech spun and funded pro-GMO shill site. It is mostly pseudo-science and BS.
here’s a good article from Science 2.0 compliments of John Entine of the Genetic Literacy Project to get started on the realities of Biotechnology http://www.science20.com/jon_entine_the_contrarian/29year_100_billion_animal_study_reinforces_safety_of_gm_foods-146431
Those who wonder if there is a place for GMO’s in todays world should also have a listen at activist , author and former GMO hater Mark Lynas in a speech he gave at the oxford farming conference
http://www.marklynas.org/2013/01/lecture-to-oxford-farming-conference-3-january-2013/
Finally something being done. When you read about farmers being sued because that garbage has landed in their fields, polluting their crops, it makes you sick. I would love to know if the food I buy is real or fake. We all know that wheat isn’t wheat anymore and the damage that poison does to the human body. We don’t need more poisoned foods.
I am 57 years old. About 4 years ago I developed a sensitivity to gluten, resulting in bloating, intense stomach cramps and foggy brain after eating any flour products and have been gluten-free and no longer get the above symptoms. I have not been tested for celiac disease. We were recently in Mexico where I initially tried a few bites of flour based products as I had heard they do not grow GMOs. When I did not develop any symptoms, I increased the flour consumption, for example, a whole donut one day, pizza the next. I did not react whatsoever. I am encouraging you to include in this concept in your study. Thank you.
Hi Irene,
http://sustainablepulse.com/2014/02/19/roundup-linked-global-boom-celiac-disease-gluten-intolerance/
It is not necessarily the genetic modification, but the round up they use to spray it.
Round up is sprayed 1 to 2 weeks prior to harvest for a process called Desiccation.
Seperately, this study does not appear to examine the actual health effects of GMO, unless I have not read it correctly.
Thank you CBAN.
it is time to find out.
Please stop Genetically Modifying our food. Let’s get back to our natural foods and save the environment, bees and other wildlife. These foods are causing cancer, autism and other health problems. Thankyou!