Organic lawsuit against GMO canola

[cakadu]

I don't profess to know much about this topic and I was wondering if someone could shed light on exactly what this lawsuit is and what the organic people hope to gain.

I caught part of somebody by the name of "Stewart" on Jim Fischer's agri-talk and he was saying that as an organic producer, he doesn't want to have his cropping choices limited by somebody growing GMO canola beside him. If you turn that around, how is it right that the guy growing "conventional" canola beside the organic guy should have his cropping choices limited? It looks to me as though it is easy to only see one side of the coin.

[mhartman]

The lawsuit is by the Saskatchewan Organic Directorate and their position on GMO can be found at:
http://www.saskorganic.com/oapf_position_paper.htm
The unfortunate part of their position is that there is zero market tolerance for GMO contamination, whereas there is a low tolerance for pesticides in organic produce.

[DanMoore]

It is too late!!

GMO has migrated. There have been suits against conventional whose fields had been affected. The suit was was based on GMO patent infringement. Also contended was that the seed used was not purchased from the company of manufacture/creation.

Who is to say that the GMO product has crossing boundaries. From where did the genes come; plant, animal or both. What has been created may have pollination potential with numerous species. This chemistry set they are playing with is not restricted.

The science is juvenile. Too little is known of the effects and implications. The changing of genetic content and order is right out of the 'Twilight Zone.' There is little or no testing short of the immediate desire.

Beware that the side-effects are not worse than the medicine. We cannot stop the dominoes.

[DanMoore]

Potential for suit is solely due to patenting of an unnatural process. If all life organisms were prohibited from patent, there would be no suits.

Multinationals use every loophole in pursuit of control over the market. It was a primary thought in their planning. It would also appear that they knew it would happen. Keep track of the seed purchases then do inspection of their neighbours. Got ya!!

Who will be next; a backyard gardner?

[DanMoore]

Follow some of the links at:

http://www.ibiblio.org/farming-connection/

One interesting link is at the top of the page - '10 reasons not to plant GM'.

Science is science. If the main activity of science is research, how much is known of the implications involved with genetic manipulation?

They are changing the substance of the food chain. It does have a ripple effect. What does the digestive system do with a new, unknown? Is it processed or rejected? What new protein or emzyme is created?