Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Petition to Ban Genetically Modified Alfalfa in Canada

Petition to ban genetically modified alfalfa in Canada

by CBAN
Food Freedom News, April 17, 2012

Over 10,000 people have now watched the CBAN YouTube video on GM alfalfa! But that’s not all! People are screening the video at Seedy Saturdays, Film Festivals, farmer conferences, schools and community events across the country. Teachers and students are bringing the video into their schools. Farmers, community groups and others have embedded the video on their websites. CBAN has campaign materials posted at www.cban.ca/alfalfa Stay tuned for new action and updates in the campaign to stop GM alfalfa. Please continue collecting signatures on the GM alfalfa petition, for your MP.

The intellectual property stipulations under the proposed Canada-EU Trade Agreement would allow corporations to seize farms, farm assets and freeze bank accounts of any farmers alleged to have infringed corporate intellectual property rights, even if these farms have been contaminated by seeds from neighbouring farms.

“As drafted, the agreement will usher in an unprecedented set of enforcement tools designed to make farmers, and others, comply with intellectual property rights. With the inclusion of precautionary seizure provisions, farmers accused of having a patented gene in their crops or seed could lose their farms, crops, equipment or cash – for alleged infringement. The European position on intellectual property rights has hardened throughout the negotiations, with the recent addition of criminal enforcement (ie jail time). The expansion of intellectual property rights enforcement tools would increase corporate control of farms, increase seed costs and destroy farmers’ autonomy.”

- Ann Slater, National Farmers Union Ontario CBAN has posted a new analysis at:

http://www.cban.ca/Resources/Topics/Trade/Food-Agriculture-and-CETA

The National Research Council (NRC) is being re-purposed to provide taxpayer-funded research services to the corporate sector instead of doing basic research for the public benefit of all Canadians. Minister of State for Science and Technology acknowledged that NRC was developed to do basic research but said that was before Canada developed research strength at its universities. <http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/03/06/technology-goodyear-national-research-council.html>

Take Instant Action:

Send your letter to the Minister of Agriculture instantly by clicking here!

More Actions:

Share the video with your friends and family on facebook, embed the video on your website, “Like” the video!
Screen the video at your local events, include it in your local film fests.
Get signatures on the petition.
Print and download the flyer about GM alfalfa.
Ask your local health food store to put up this attractive poster about GM alfalfa! The store could also collect signatures on the petition, screen the video or display alfalfa-related foods!
Order buttons for your community group or event. Contact us.
Join the GM Alfalfa Campaign Action Listserve.
Donate today to support the campaign. Thank you for your support!
Send us your action ideas and share photos from your community. Contact us.