le 19 mars, 2010
Mises à jour / Resources / Topics
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By Topic
Agrofuels
Canada's Biofuels Mandate
Bill C-33, An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, was passed in June 2008 in the midst of the new food crisis. The Bill allows the federal government to develop and implement regulations requiring 5% average renewable content in gasoline by 2010 as well as require 2% average renewable content in diesel and heating oil by 2012. Click here for more information and analysis.
Agrofuels and GE Trees
Biotechnology corporations are seriously promoting genetically engineered trees and new GE crops for use as biofuels (agrofuels). The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy September 10-12, 2008 Vancouver, British Columbia was all about genetic engineering and new technologies for biofuels - including, and explicitly, GE trees. The conference included the session “Cellulosic Ethanol from Softwoods Around the World” and the presentation “Biotechnology in Purpose-Grown Trees to Make Bioenergy Production" by ArborGen, the leading company researching GE trees.
This link with agrofuels was a major reason why the bid by African governments to establish an international moratorium on GE tree plantings was defeated at the United Natioin 2008.
“Fast growing, purpose-grown trees are an ideal feedstock platform for second generation bioenergy production…Producing renewable energy from purpose-grown trees is the latest step in the evolution of trees’ long and fruitful history and critical to meeting global bioenergy development needs.”
– from summary to BIO Conference presentation "Biotechnology in Purpose-Grown Trees to Make Bioenergy Production" in the session "New Feedstocks for Biofuels", a presentation from Barbara Wells of ArborGen.
Click here for more information on GE trees.
Other Information
The corporate "agrofuels" gold-rush has ignited a major global conflict / La ruée vers l’or des « agrocarburants » génère une crise globale. Find out why...
Click here to hear Pat Mooney on biofuels
Notice: CPAC recorded the April 30 panel in Ottawa and this will be broadcast on Saturday May 3 at 11:00AM. Video will then be available via www.cpac.ca
Stay tuned here for audio and video from the 6 events (Charlottetown, Halifax, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Ottawa, Montreal) April 28-May 2 2008. Click here to read about the speakers.
At the World Forum on Food Sovereignty, held in Mali in Africa, we and other delegates discussed how capital has manipulated terminology by adding the prefix “bio”, which signifies life, to renewable plant-based fuels. This is ridiculous, because all living things are “bio”. We could call ourselves bio-people, bio-John Smith, bio-soya, etc. Companies use the prefix “bio” to encourage the public to see their products as a good thing, as politically correct. So, at the international level, Vía Campesina has agreed to use more accurate terminology. These fuels and energy are produced from agricultural crops and so the correct terms are agrofuels and agro-energy.
- João Pedro Stedile is one of the leaders of the Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST), Brazil’s Landless Movement
Arbres OGM
Daily reports from the meeting in English - Click here
le 23/26 mai: Le Canada a tenté à quelques reprises d’écarter la demande des pays africains, représentés par le Libéria, pour créer un moratoire sur les arbres transgéniques, et ce en proposant un nouveau texte qui n’en fait pas mention. La Suisse a dû intervenir pour soutenir la position des pays africains.
Il faut agir : écrivez au Ministre de l’environnement
Demandez-lui d’appuyer le moratoire des Nations unies sur les arbres transgéniques. Le Canada ne peut pas fermer ses yeux aux risques de contamination transfrontalière représentés par cette technologie, ni aux préoccupations des 47 organisations du Canada qui ont récemment signifié, par voie de lettre ouverte, leur appui au moratoire.
le 19 - 30 mai: La Convention des Nations unies sur la diversité biologique pourrait accepter l’adoption d’un moratoire international sur les essais en champ et la commercialisation d’arbres GM à la réunion de la CdP9, du 19 au 30 mai en Allemagne.
Passez à l’action
Vous pouvez aussi agir à titre individuel! Cliquer ici pour écrire au Ministre de l’environnement du Canada.
Nous demandons à votre organisme designer une lettre incitant le gouvernement du Canada à cesser tout essai en champ d’arbres transgéniques et à appuyer un moratoire sur cette technologie lors d’une réunion de l’ONU qui se tiendra en Allemagne du 19 au 21 mai.
Pour la santé et l’avenir des écosystèmes forestiers au Canada et ailleurs dans le monde, nous, soussignés :
1. Demandons que l’on mette fin aux essais en champ réalisés au Canada et que ne soient plus approuvés les essais en champ d’arbres génétiquement modifiés au Canada.
2. Demandons que l’on cesse d’utiliser des fonds publics pour procéder à des essais en champ et que l’on mette fin aux essais en champ réalisés dans des stations de recherche gouvernementales.
3. Exhortons le gouvernement du Canada, lors de la CdP9 à la Convention des Nations unies sur la diversité biologique, à appuyer d’autres gouvernements en vue de l’adoption d’un moratoire sur les essais en champ, la plantation et l’utilisation commerciale d’arbres génétiquement modifiés en raison de la gravité des risques qui en découlent pour la diversité biologique et les écosystèmes forestiers au Canada et ailleurs dans le monde.
- Lettre ouverte au Ministre de l’Environnement du Canada
- Les arbres génétiquement modifiés : notions de base
Critique internationale des arbres GM présentée aux Nations unies
Le 18 février 2008. De concert avec des partenaires internationaux, le RCAB a présenté les effets négatifs éventuels des arbres GM à la réunion de la Convention des Nations unies sur la diversité biologique (CDB), du 18 au 22 février à Rome.
Le mémoire est une critique du document d’information préparé par le Secrétariat de la Convention sur la diversité biologique.
Corporate Control
The top 10 seed corporations account for 55% of the commercial seed market worldwide (based on 2006 revenues). (Source: ETC Group)
The World's Top 10 Seed Companies - 2006
1. Monsanto (US)
2. Dupont (US)
3. Syngenta (Switzerland)
4. Groupe Limagrain (France
5. Land O' Lakes (US)
6. KWS AG (Germany)
7. Bayer Crop Science (Germany)
8. Delta & Pine Land (US) (acquisition by Monsanto since approved)
9. Sakata (Japan)
10. DLF-Trifolium (Denmark) $352
Source: ETC Group
Monsanto - the world's largest seed company - accounts for more than one-fifth of the global proprietary seed market. Click here to see more information about Monsanto including the new documentary " The World According to Monsanto."
The top 3 companies - Monsanto, Dupont and Syngenta - account for $8,552 million - or 44% of the total proprietary seed market.
ETC Group publishes reports on major trends in corporate agendas to control nature.
Environmental Impacts
New! November 2009 "Impacts of Genetically Engineered Crops on Pesticide Use in the United States: The First Thirteen Years" by Charles Benbrook
Once genetically engineered organisms are released into the environment, they cannot be recalled and they cannot be controlled.
- June 2009: CBAN Briefing Note: Genetically Engineered Crops: Irreversible harm to natural ecosystems
Étiquetage obligatoire
Posez un geste pour l'étiquetage obligatoire des OGM :
Le projet de loi C-517, visant à rendre obligatoire l'étiquetage des aliments transgéniques, a été débattu à la Chambre des communes le 3 avril 2008 et sera débattu une deuxième fois en avril avant de passer au vote.
Votre député fédéral appuiera-t-il cette initiative ?
Écrivez-lui une lettre au appelez-le pour le savoir. (Entrez votre code postal sur le site www.parl.gc.ca <http://www.parl.gc.ca> pour trouver ses coordonnées).
Lettre-type :
"Par la présente, je vous incite à voter en faveur du projet de loi C-517 déposé par Gilles-A. Perron du Bloc Québécois, lors de sa prochaine lecture à la Chambre. Ce projet de loi, en rendant obligatoire l'étiquetage des aliments transgéniques, permettra aux consommateurs de faire des choix éclairés. Je vous saurais gré de m'indiquer vos intentions de vote quant à ce projet de loi."
Merci de nous faire part de la réponse de votre député à l'adresse suivante : info@cban.ca
GE Animals
March 2010: The University of Guelph in Ontario Canada has developed Enviropig™The University holds patents in the US and China. Environment Canada has just approved the “new activity” of the production of the pigs in a controlled facility, segregated from other animals.
Enviropig™ is a genetically engineered to produce the enzyme phytase in order to digest plant phosphorus more efficiently, resulting in feces with less phosphorus.
Click to download our factsheet.
Please contact us to share your information or ask your questions. Stay tuned for campaign activity or contact us to connect.
Ontario’s pork producers have invested $1.371 million and see China as a potential market. (“Enviropig clears another hurdle”, Better Farming, Feb 24, 2010) "We currently are funded by Ontario Pork for safety testing leading to eventual commercialization.”
Past and present funders: Ontario Pork; Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; Rural Economic Development Program of the Ontario Government; Advanced Food Materials Network; Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council; Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
University of Guelph provides the expertise and facilities.
GE Crops and Foods (Not on the Market)
Find here information on the following important crops - not on the market:
- Alfalfa - Monsanto's GE alfalfa could be planted this year!
- Flax - Canadian farmers are suffering a GE flax contamination crisis.
- Potato - Research on GE potatoes continues.
- Rice - People across the world are fighting to stop GE rice.
- Wheat- Monsanto defies global rejection and pledges to develop new GE wheat.
It has been 15 years since genetically engineered crops and foods were first introduced into Canada. But only 4 GE crops are currently grown in Canada:
These crops are either insect resistant or herbicide tolerant and many now carry both traits. We could also be importing GE papaya, squash, cottonseed oil and milk products from the US.
Though the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Health Canada have approved over 50 varieties of 12 GE crops and foods under their category of "Plants with Novel Traits" and "Novel Foods", not all of these are products of genetic engineering. Furthermore, many GE crop varieties listed are not currently on the market in Canada (such as GE potatoes and tomatoes). See the below lists for the exact breakdown of what genetically engineered seeds farmers in Canada are planting and what GE foods are on our grocery store shelves.
- Click here to to see this chart of GM foods in Canada.
- Click here to see the Shoppers Guide from Greenpeace Canada which lists brand-name foods.
- Click here to read the full story of how Monsanto's Bovine Growth Hormone was rejected in Canada.
GE Crops Globally
2009: GE crops are still confined to a handful of countries with highly industrialised, export-oriented agricultural sectors. Nearly 90% of the area planted to GE crops in 2007 was found in just six countries in North and South America, with 80% in the US, Argentina and Brazil. One country alone, the United States, plants over 50% of the world’s GE crops. Just 3% or less of cropland in India and China is planted to GE crops.
GE Crops in Europe
2009: The only GE crop currently cultivated in the EU is Monsanto's insect resistant (Bt) corn (MON810). In 2008, GE corn was produced in the Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Romania, and Slovakia on a cultivation surface of about 100 000 hectares equalling 1.2 percent or the EU's total corn area. Luxembourg, Austria, France, Greece and Hungary have all banned the use and sale of the GE corn due to concerns about its long term effects.
GE Crops and Foods (On the Market)
It has been 15 years since genetically engineered crops and foods were first introduced into Canada. But only 4 GE crops are currently grown in Canada:
These crops are either insect resistant or herbicide tolerant and many now carry both traits. We could also be importing GE papaya, squash, cottonseed oil and milk products from the US.
Though the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Health Canada have approved over 50 varieties of 12 GE crops and foods under their category of "Plants with Novel Traits" and "Novel Foods", not all of these are products of genetic engineering. Furthermore, many GE crop varieties listed are not currently on the market in Canada (such as GE potatoes and tomatoes). See the below lists for the exact breakdown of what genetically engineered seeds farmers in Canada are planting and what GE foods are on our grocery store shelves.
- Click here to see this chart of GM foods in Canada.
- Click here to see the Shoppers Guide from Greenpeace Canada which lists brand-name foods.
- Click here to read the full story of how Monsanto's Bovine Growth Hormone was rejected in Canada.
GE Fish
The company Aquabounty has genetically engineered Atlantic salmon to grow up to 4 times faster than normal and has submitted the fish for regulatory approval in the United States but not yet in Canada. The fish could be approved anytime but the company says they should get approval in the US in 2009.
Canadian regulators are not prepared to evaluate GE fish properly. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has abandoned its own work to develop policy on GE fish (see the Auditor General's report).
GE Free Zones
Did you know that there are already GE-Free Zones in Canada?
- In 2004, Powell River in BC became the first GE Free Zone in the country.
- The Village of Kaslo (January 13, 2009), the City of Rossland (May 11, 2009) and the City of Nelson (November 3, 2008) in BC have all passed GE Free Resolutions.
The Society for a GE Free BC with GE Free Kootenays, and GE Free Yukon are working hard to secure GE Free Zones.
La ville de Rossland, C.-B., adopte une résolution contre les OGM
Le 11 mai 2009: Que la ville de Rossland s'oppose à la culture des plantes et des arbres génétiquement modifiés sur le territoire de la municipalité et que la ville de Rossland n'achète pas de plantes ou d’arbres génétiquement modifiés dans le cadre de ses opérations; et que la ville de Rossland réexamine cette résolution à la lumière de toute nouvelle information qui surviendra; et que la ville de Rossland fasse suivre une copie de cette résolution à la Fédération canadienne des municipalités, la Union of B.C. Municipalities, Interior Health, le Ministère provincial de la santé, le Ministère provincial de l'agriculture et du territoire, le B.C. Provincial Health Officer, le premier ministre du Canada, l'Agence canadienne d'inspection des aliments, Santé Canada, CropLife Canada, Agriculture Canada, les bureaux des députés provinciaux et fédéraux concernés, et tout autre groupe intéressé ou connexe.
City of Nelson Passes GE-Free Resolution
November 3, 2008: "The City of Nelson does not support the cultivation of genetically engineered plants and trees in the Municipality of Nelson and further that council will not purchase for its own operations GE plants or trees. The City of Nelson agrees to revisit this as pertinent new information becomes available that affects this resolution and further that the City of Nelson shall forward copies of the resolution to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Union of BC Municipalities, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Health Canada, CropLife Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, local MLA and MP offices and any interested and related groups for comment."
