Members of Parliament last week got a glimpse of the potential and the problem of biotechnology.
They heard it can add hundreds of millions of dollars to farm incomes.
But there continues to be some consumer suspicion and an active interest group lobby that can undermine the acceptance of genetically modified foods.
Tony Zatylny of the Canola Council of Canada used a House of Commons agriculture committee hearing on biotechnology May 7 to sing its praises.
New varieties have allowed precision seeding and have produced herbicide-tolerant canola, he said. Development of varieties that mature faster means early seeding and the potential for increased yields.
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“If that resulted in just 1.5 extra bushels per acre, it would be $150 million.”
Tom Lasseline of the Ontario Soybean Growers’ Marketing Board talked about new varieties that will be disease-resistant, more nutritious and less likely to provoke allergic reactions.
“The potential for Canadian agriculture with this is huge,” he told MPs.
Yet representatives of the food manufacturing and grocery distribution sectors had a warning. There is some consumer unease and how that unease is handled will largely determine if there is continued resistance to genetically altered foods.
Laurie Curry of the Food and Consumer Products Manufacturers of Canada said her group spent $300,000 developing a communications strategy after a detailed survey of consumer attitudes.
She said the survey indicated consumer attitudes will depend on whether they trust those speaking about the issue, whether the industry is honest about risk, and what information is available.
“Ultimately, biotech will be judged not on the data but who is speaking for it,” she said.
Most witnesses urged the government to continue to make safety the basis of the food regulatory system, rather than bow to critics who argue that labels should identify whether products contain genetically altered components.
Curry said she trusts the Canadian food inspection and regulatory system to protect Canadians. The issue then becomes telling consumers about how safe the system is.
