Locals fear advent of GMO alfalfa in Canadian fields
Posted June 30, 2013 9:44 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Canadians opposed to genetically-modified foods have another battle on their hands.
Genetically-altered alfalfa is in the final stages of approval in Canada.
While alfalfa is typically used to feed livestock, Zac Hambrook, a Vancouver Local Group member of Greenpeace points out it’s also a rotation crop.
He says that puts organic farmers, who don’t grow GMO crops, in a difficult position.
“Organic farmers won’t have alfalfa as a rotation crop anymore. This means they’ll have to find options like hemp,” he explains.
Plus he fears the GMO seeds will blow into non-GMO fields.
“If these seeds are sold in Canada and if farmers start growing it, contamination is pretty-well imminent across all alfalfa crops. It will only be a matter of years.”
Opponents argue there hasn’t been enough study on the long-term effects of consuming GMO foods.
Canadian canola, soya and corn crops are already genetically-modified. Eighty percent of processed foods contain genetically modified ingredients.
