The Leader-Post (Regina, Saskatchewan), June 7, 2007

OP-ED: PROTECTING FARMS FROM GMOS

[Rachel's introduction: "Saskatchewan organic farmers embrace the precautionary principle and will continue our struggle to protect organic farming and organic food from GMO contamination."]

By Arnold Taylor

Despite the denial of class-action certification by the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal ("Organic farmers may appeal ruling", Leader-Post, May 4), Saskatchewan organic farmers maintain there remains a compelling legal and moral claim for damages resulting from contamination of food, field and crops, by genetically engineered canola.

After the ruling, Monsanto's Trish Jordan was quoted as saying all types of farming can coexist "with reasonable tolerances and thresholds for adventitious presence ...", and that Saskatchewan organic farmers should "focus on something positive for your industry instead of trying to criticize what other farmers want to do".

This condescending and insulting advice ignores the fact organic farmers' livelihoods depend on protecting the integrity of the food they produce in a way that meets the demand of their customers, many of whom believe contamination by transgenic material is potentially harmful.

Despite Jordan's assertions that "food and feed products containing ingredients derived from plant biotechnology crops have a solid 10- year history of safe use", consumers have reason to question the safety assessment given GMO (genetically modified organism) crops by government regulators.

A study released at a Paris press conference on March 13, 2007 (in the peer-reviewed American journal Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, revealed the Monsanto maize MON863 caused serious damage to the livers and kidneys of rats in feeding trials. Prof. Gilles-Eric Seralini, who conducted the study on data initially suppressed by Monsanto, said "this maize cannot now be considered safe to eat. We are now calling urgently for a moratorium on other approved GMs while the efficacy of current health-testing methods is reassessed".

The maize was approved by the European Community on Aug. 9, 2005, and while this study deals with maize, not canola, it exposes shortcomings in the approval process for GMO products.

Saskatchewan organic farmers embrace the precautionary principle and will continue our struggle to protect organic farming and organic food from GMO contamination.

Taylor is chairman of the Saskatchewan Organic Directorate, Organic Agriculture Protection Fund Committee.

Copyright The Leader-Post (Regina) 2007