By Arran Stephens
Percy Schmeiser was born near Saskatoon where he now farms. His grandparents emigrated
from Europe to the United States in the late 1890s and later moved to Canada.
His grandparents homesteaded the land he now farms, which he has been doing continuously
since 1947. His main crop for over 50 years was canola. Percy is known throughout
his community as a seed developer and seed saver, meaning that he has always saved
his own seed for planting in subsequent years.
Percy and his wife Louise, who have been married for more than 50 years, have
five children and 15 grandchildren.
Percy Schmeiser has become a beacon and lightning rod in the fight to retain the
right to farm without the unwanted contamination of genetically engineered seeds,
or more precisely, gene-spliced seeds.
Genetic engineering of canola seed has impacted Canada’s once-thriving canola
export market, to the detriment of both organic and non-organic farmers. Hundreds
of millions of dollars in export revenues have been lost as a direct result. Why?
Because the EU and other countries just don’t trust the long-term safety
of Genetically Modified (GM) crops, such as gene-spliced versions of canola, soy
and corn.
It is estimated that 60 to 70 percent of products in our local grocery stores
have some GMO content from GM soy, corn and canola. And yet, Canadian consumers
are unaware, because there are no mandatory rules for GMO labeling. We have allowed
the government and its biotech allies to force-feed GM foods to the citizens without
their consent.
Who are the beneficiaries? GM foods are not ending starvation. They are not the
economic miracle that the propaganda would have you believe. GM foods do not result
in a reduction of toxic and polluting agri-chemicals. The financial beneficiary
is clearly the biotech industry and no one else.
Not only is gene-splicing technology not an economic saviour, but it is a risky,
imprecise technology that threatens world ecology. There is considerable evidence
that a diet of genetically modified foods could have long-term harmful effects
on human and animal health.
Pollen and seeds from genetically manipulated crops do spread into adjacent fields
and farms and mingle with non-GM crops. This is called genetic pollution. This
is what has likely happened to Percy Schmeiser and it has happened to hundreds,
if not thousands of non-GMO farms across North America. It has become increasingly
difficult to find corn, canola, papayas and soy not tainted by genetically manipulated
seed. There are no walls high enough to keep out GMO pollen. We have unknowingly
allowed the biotech companies to play God with our food supply, and the full price
is yet to be paid.
Canada has allowed biotech companies to conduct secret GM wheat trials on our
sacred soil. If the Canadian government allows commercial GM wheat production
to go ahead, it would be a disaster ecologically and economically. This certainly
would put at risk Canada’s multi billion-dollar annual wheat export market.
Only public opinion can stop this travesty.
The Organic Agriculture Protection Fund of the Saskatchewan Organic Directorate
has launched a class action lawsuit against Monsanto and Aventis (now Bayer) to
get compensation for the loss of organic canola as a crop, and to get an injunction
to stop GE wheat. For more on GMOs, I recommend reading Seeds of Deception by
Jeffery Smith.
Percy Schmeiser’s story deserves our attention. The introduction of GMOs
to our environment affects us all, as it has already touched Percy and his family.
Arran Stephens is founder and president of Nature’s Path. He is a vocal
supporter of the fight to have mandatory labeling of all genetically engineered
foods, an internationally published author, and part of the Canada Organic Initiative
to set national organic standards across Canada.
Editor’s note: Nature’s Path Foods is a proponent in the fight against
genetic engineering and the use of synthetic pesticides or other toxic chemicals
in food production. Two employees of Nature's Path, moved by Percy’s story,
organized a company initiative to raise funds for Percy’s legal battle.
From their initiative, and from a Nature's Path corporate donation, over $5,700
has been donated to Percy’s legal fund, and to the class action lawsuit
launched against Monsanto and Aventis by the Saskatchewan Organic Directorate.
Related feature: Percy Schmeiser
vs Monsanto
For updates or find out how you can help contact www.percyschmeiser.com
and www.saskorganic.com
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