REGINA – The National Farmers Union doesn’t much like genetically modified crops.
But it’s not about to tell its members they can’t grow them.
A resolution passed at last week’s NFU convention called on the federal government to “make absolutely certain that any genetically modified grain or food have rigorous long term research to address concerns with marketability, agronomy, health and safety, the environment and organic production.”
The union’s policy manual already included a call for a moratorium on the production, importation, distribution and sale of GM food until all those questions have been answered.
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And it also calls for mandatory labelling of food containing GM ingredients.
However, Wells and other NFU officials and members emphasized that despite all that, there is no edict against NFU members growing GM crops that are already in circulation.
“We don’t have a policy that bans our members from growing GM crops,” Wells said in an interview during the meeting.
“No one’s ever brought a resolution like that to a convention.”
Given the prevalence of GM canola, lots of union members undoubtedly grow it, he said, but he doesn’t think there is anything hypocritical in doing so.
NFU member Ian Cushon, an organic grower from Oxbow, Sask., doesn’t grow GM canola, but says he’s not about to pass judgment on those who do.
“They have to make that decision on their own,” he said.”They have to evaluate the pros and cons and make the decision on what’s best for their farm.”
NFU member Terry Boehm won’t grow GM crops on his farm at Allan, Sask., but he doesn’t have a problem with fellow members who do so despite the organization’s policy stance.
Farmers often have to do things for business reasons that they would prefer not to, he said, and GM canola can simplify production in certain systems or help farmers with severe weed problems.
“Those NFU members that grow it do it for the same reasons other farmers do, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they support the technology.”
The NFU’s stance on GM food consists of 27 paragraphs filling two closely typed pages of the organization’s policy manual.
But Wells said it can all be boiled down to three words.
Just slow down.
“We want to prevent problems before they occur,” he said.
It’s simply common sense to learn from the mistakes of the past, whether it’s Europe’s refusal to buy GM canola, the withdrawal of Triffid flax from the market or the StarLink corn fiasco in the United States.
“If something is going to be a problem, then don’t do it,” he said.
Cushon said he isn’t even 100 percent opposed to GM technology, as long as farmers have more control over what is developed, and the environmental and safety issues are carefully assessed.
Genetic modification is simply a tool and while some farmers, including many NFU members, are opposed in principle and would never grow a GM crop, if it’s used properly it could be beneficial, he added.
For example, if the marketing, environmental and liability issues were dealt with, it would be hard to oppose a GM wheat that fixed nitrogen.
Wells said liability is a major concern. Rules are needed making it clear that the companies that develop the crops and governments that approve them are responsible for damages that might occur.
He said the proposed lawsuit suggested by a group of Saskatchewan organic growers against Monsanto and others involved in introducing GM canola shows the need for liability rules.
