Fwd from SANET, the Sustainable Agriculture Network Discussion Group. >Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2006 17:15:34 -0500 >From: Hugh Joseph <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Terminator Rejection: A Victory for the People/Earth! >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >A broad coalition of peasant farmers, indigenous peoples and civil >society today celebrated the firm rejection of efforts to undermine >the global moratorium on Terminator technologies - genetically >engineered sterile seeds - at the UN Convention on Biological >Diversity (CBD) in Curitiba, Brazil. > >At the CBD Australia, Canada and New Zealand along with the US >government (not a party to the CBD) and a number of biotech companies >were leading attempts to open the door to field testing of Terminator >seeds by insisting on a 'case by case' assessment of such >technologies. This text was unanimously rejected today in the CBD's >working group dealing with the issue and still needs to be formally >adopted by the plenary of the CBD. > >====================== > >http://www.commondreams.org/news2006/0324-04.htm >FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE >MARCH 24, 2006 >1:05 PM > >CONTACT: > Benedikt Haerlin, Greenpeace International +55 41 9677 1859 >Francisca Rodriguez, Via Campesina +55 41 8429 2970 > Pat Mooney, Ban Terminator Campaign +55 41 8833 0437 > >Terminator Rejection - A Victory for the People > >CURITIBA, Brazil - March 24 - A broad coalition of peasant farmers, >indigenous peoples and civil society today celebrated the firm >rejection of efforts to undermine the global moratorium on Terminator >technologies - genetically engineered sterile seeds - at the UN >Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Curitiba, Brazil. > >"This is a momentous day for the 1.4 billion poor people worldwide, >who depend on farmer saved seeds," said Francisca Rodriguez of Via >Campesina, a world wide movement of peasant farmers, "Terminator >seeds are a weapon of mass destruction and an assault on our food >sovereignty." > >"Terminator directly threatens our life, our culture and our identity >as indigenous peoples", said Viviana Figueroa of the Ocumazo >indigenous community in Argentina, on behalf of the International >Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity. > >"Today's decision is a huge step forward for the Brazilian Campaign >against GMOs," said Maria Rita Reis from the Brazilian Forum of >Social movements and NGOs, "This reaffirms Brazil's existing ban on >Terminator. It sends a clear message to the national government and >congress that the world supports a ban on Terminator." > >"Common sense has prevailed - lifting the Moratorium on the >Terminator seeds would have been suicidal - literally," said >Greenpeace International's Benedikt Haerlin from the Convention >meeting. "This is a genuine victory for civil society around the >world - it will go a long way to ensuring that biodiversity, food >security and the livelihoods of millions of farmers worldwide are >protected." > >Terminators, or GURTS (Genetic Use Restriction Technologies), are a >class of genetic engineering technologies which allow companies to >introduce seeds whose sterile offspring cannot reproduce, preventing >farmers from re-planting seeds from their harvest. The seeds could >also be used to introduce specific traits which would only be >triggered by the application of proprietary chemicals by the same >companies. > >At the CBD Australia, Canada and New Zealand along with the US >government (not a party to the CBD) and a number of biotech companies >were leading attempts to open the door to field testing of Terminator >seeds by insisting on a 'case by case' assessment of such >technologies. This text was unanimously rejected today in the CBD's >working group dealing with the issue and still needs to be formally >adopted by the plenary of the CBD. > >"Despite today's victory, there is no doubt that the multinational >biotech industry will continue to push sterile seed technology," said >Pat Mooney of the Ban Terminator Campaign. "Terminator will rear its >ugly head at the next UN CBD meeting in 2008. The only solution is a >total ban on the technology once and for all," he concluded. > >Greenpeace is an independent, campaigning organisation which uses non- >violent, creative confrontation to expose global environmental >problems, and to force solutions essential to a green and peaceful >future. ============== > >***NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this >material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a >prior interest in receiving the included information for research and >educational purposes.*** ============== >************************************************* >LETTER FROM ALEX ATAMANENKO, NDP AGRICULTURE CRITIC, TO THE HON. CHUCK >STRAHL, Minister of Agriculture > > >Alex Atamanenko, MP > >BC Southern Interior Riding Office Ottawa Office: > >337 Columbia Avenue, Rm 525, Confederation Block > >Castlegar BC, V1N 1G6 House of Commons > >TFree. 1-800 667-2393 Ottawa, ON K1A 0A8 > >Ph. 250-365-2792 Ph. 613- > >Fx. 250-365-2793 Fax 613- > >March 17, 2006 > >Honourable Chuck Strahl, P.C., M.P. > >Minister of Agriculture > >House of Commons > >Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6 > >Dear Minister Strahl: > >As you know, our government will be taking part in negotiations on >Terminator technology at the Bio-diversity Convention in Brazil, March >21-22. We strongly urge you to ensure that the defacto moratorium on >Terminator technology stays in place. If the commercialization of Terminator >seeds is allowed to take place, the cost to Canadian farmers will be in >excess of $1 billion per year, with the costs to farmers in developing >countries will be $10 billion. > >The Canadian Federation of Agriculture, the National Farmer's Union, UPA in >Quebec, and the Canadian Organic Growers have all stated that they oppose >Terminator. The Working Group on Canadian Science and Technology Policy has >received confirmation from Monsanto, DuPont and Syngenta that they will not >commercialize Terminator seeds. > >We strongly urge you, in the name of sustainable agricultural development in >Canada and abroad, to not only take a firm stance against Terminator at the >conference but also to follow the lead of India and Brazil in legislating >against the technology. > >We look forward to working with you in this regard. > > > > > >Alex Atamanenko, M.P. NDP Critic, Agriculture > >Alexa McDonough, M.P > >NDP Critic, Foreign Affairs > >and Canadian Wheat Brd. > > > >Nathan Cullen, M.P. NDP Critic, Environment > >Peter Julian, M.P. > >NDP Critic, International Trade
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