The House of Commons agriculture committee could soon debate a Liberal proposal that the federal government block approval of genetically modified alfalfa.
The proposalfollows calls for a moratorium from organic witnesses
who appeared at recent committee hearings about biotechnology. They argued that approval of a GM alfalfa variety that regulators are now assessing would destroy the organic alfalfa business and cause problems for the organic beef and dairy sectors.
The motion will pass with unanimous opposition support if it comes to a vote this week, as the Liberals want, but the Conservative minority on the committee will likely oppose it.
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Liberal agriculture critic Wayne Easter said if the committee approves the motion, he will push to have it quickly presented to the Commons for a debate before a potential dissolution of Parliament in late March for an election.
“We want this dealt with quickly,” said Easter, who moved the motion March 3.
“The role of government is to err on the side of caution, to ensure from a scientific perspective that all safeguards are in place.”
He said Liberals are not convinced that is now the case.
Even if approved, the motion would not be binding on the government.
The motion says GM alfalfa should not be approved for commercialization unless government research proves GM and traditional alfalfa can co-exist and that identity preserved segregation can be guaranteed in the grain handling and transportation system.
In a statement issued by the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network, organic farmers praised the Liberal motion and called on other parties to support it.
“It’s time our politicians started working for farmers, not Monsanto,” said Benoit Girouard, president of Quebec’s Union Paysanne.
The Liberal motion, certain to be supported by the New Democrats and the Bloc Québécois, follows warnings from organic witnesses during a month of hearings on biotechnology that the most pressing issue for organic producers is a proposal to allow Roundup Ready alfalfa into the system.
Last week, Organic Federation of Canada president Ted Zettel told MPs that GM alfalfa represents an “imminent risk to the entire organic production system.”
He said organic alfalfa is exported as an organic feed but is also the base of Canada’s organic livestock and dairy sectors and is necessary for organic farms that use it as a rotation crop.
“To compromise alfalfa does not compromise only a limited forage commodity,” he argued before the committee.
“Alfalfa is grown in virtually every agricultural region from coast to coast. From the organic sector’s perspective, the possible introduction of a GE variety undermines our entire system of production.”
He urged MPs to block its approval until “a full examination of the economic consequences is completed.”
Zettel told MPs that the $2 billion organic sector should be respected when agriculture policy is drafted.
