The Manitoba Organic Alliance (MOA) is one of fourteen groups across Canada pushing for the federal government to cancel variety registration for all genetically modified (GM) alfalfa.
The groups want to see a full economic impact assessment completed, in addition to establishing protocol for testing all imports of alfalfa seed grown in the US.
MOA President Kate Storey says GM alfalfa poses a great risk to Canadian growers.
"Canada has found a niche. When the US adopted GM alfalfa, Canada started to fill those non-GM markets with GM-free forage, GM-free seed and those are pretty lucrative markets."
The groups have written a letter to Federal Ag Minister Lawrence MacAulay asking him to take three specific actions which include reregistering GM alfalfa varieties, making locations of GM alfalfa plantings public so farmers can protect their fields and crops until all GM alfalfa varieties are taken off the market, and testing imports of alfalfa seed grown in the US.
Source : Portageonline