A group seeking a ban on genetically modified food production in British Columbia is urging the provincial government to carry out a review that it says was promised in 2012.
GE Free BC’s immediate concerns are focused on the Arctic Apple, a fruit genetically modified to resist browning. It was developed by Okanagan Specialty Fruits based in Summerland, B.C., and is being studied in Canada and the United States for potential commercial approval.
GE Free BC said in a May 26 news release that unless the Liberal government acts now, the Arctic Apple could be approved without the promised review.
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“The government needs to carry out a review which is fair, transparent and receives adequate input from consumers, farmers and scientific experts,” said GE Free BC member Tony Beck.
The Union of B.C. Municipalities voted two years ago for a moratorium on the GM apple. The government responded by saying it would conduct a review.
GE Free BC has compiled a petition that it said has more than 7,000 signatures calling for a moratorium on the apple. It expects the petition to be presented in the provincial legislature this week.
Neal Carter, president of Okanagan Specialty Fruits, has said the GM apple was extensively studied and has the potential to open markets for freshly sliced fruit.
