The great canola conundrum: A Canadian farmer can do everything possible to make sure his crop is free of genetically modified seed, but it won't be enough
Article Abstract:
Canadian farmers are worried about the growing backlash against genetically modified food. It is impossible for Canadian growers to guarantee that a canola crop is free from genetically modified seed. Loading bushels of the natural canola into a truck that has a single modified canola seed from last year can destroy the purity of the non-modified seed. The backlash against the inadvertent plantings in Europe has broad implications for agricultural industries in Canada and the US. Genetically modified foods represent a technological advance and international markets have to accept that non-modified foods cannot be segregated. Advanta Canada Inc., is one of the few companies that ship canola seeds to Europe as modified crops are banned there. The company had concentrated on supplying non-modified seeds to the lucrative, using traditional crops grown in isolation from the modified ones. According to Darrin Qualman, executive secretary of the National Farmers' Union, it is very difficult to ensure that there will be no pollution of the seed supply when the genetically engineered material is spread through the system and it is self-reproducing. Organic farmers have been worried that genetically modified seeds are likely to spread to non-modified crops. This means that Canadian grains and seed markets to other countries will be affected. The growing evidence that concerns over genetically modified foods is becoming entrenched in Canada. Some fast-food chains are withdrawing modified foods from their restaurants in some parts of the world, including McDonald's in Europe.
Publication Name: Globe & Mail (Toronto, Canada)
Subject: News, opinion and commentary
ISSN: 0319-0714
Year: 2000
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
Stressed? Depressed? It's "hypervigilance"
Article Abstract:
North American is in a state of alert following the September 11th terrorist attacks, and this hypervigilance is manifested socially and in the psyche of individuals.
Publication Name: Globe & Mail (Toronto, Canada)
Subject: News, opinion and commentary
ISSN: 0319-0714
Year: 2001
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
Canadian water on tap for future trade talks
Article Abstract:
Canada's water and the food grown with it may become issues to be discussed at international trade talks as water becomes more scarce.
Publication Name: Globe & Mail (Toronto, Canada)
Subject: News, opinion and commentary
ISSN: 0319-0714
Year: 2001
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
- Abstracts: The case of the flickering pixels; software makers are hot on the trail of computer text that won't make you squint
- Abstracts: Three large companies are choosing shops to handle their media assignments. Taking on the world, Amazon.com unexpectedly breaks up with FCB San Francisco
- Abstracts: CRTC (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission) reviews local calling. CRTC rules 'incumbent' phone firms must speed rival access
- Abstracts: Nortel outsources corporate services to PricewaterhouseCoopers in five-year deal. Nortel, Computer Sciences seal $3-billion IT outsourcing deal
- Abstracts: Meet Maxx, Oxford's e-world caretaker: On-line service provider offers prompt attention to tenants' problems as part of property firm's new image