Mumm's Sprouting Seeds

GM Alfalfa

GOOD NEWS (update 03/15/07)- Sales of GM alfalfa halted in US!

Contact your MP or the Minister of Agriculture

Links to more GM Alfalfa vs. organic agriculture information

GMO Alfalfa- Coming Soon to Canada?

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) asked for comments on Monsanto's request to register a genetically modified Alfalfa variety in Canada. The 60 day comment period is over but you can still let CFIA know what you think.

Monsanto claims that they have no plans to release the plant in Canada, but their spokesperson Trish Jorday is quoted as saying, "Circumstances certainly can change. Just because we don't have any commercialization plans (in Canada) right now, that doesn't mean that might not change in the future."

In the same article, Jordan says that the company had to take into account the possibility that circumstances beyond its control could lead to the GM alfalfa crossing into Canada once it was released to growers in the US. That could happen through illegal shipments of seed into Canada or through insects such as bees carrying pollen from Roundup Ready alfalfa fields near the border. Cross-pollination with non-GM alfalfa crops could result. "It's a plant, so we're going to have some possibility for movement," Jordan said.

Here are some of the reasons I think that release of a GM alfalfa variety in Canada (or anywhere) would be a disaster.

Spread of the added genetic material is unavoidable:

Alfalfa is bee pollinated, and bees can travel long distances carrying pollen from one field to another. The isolation distance to prevent transfer of genes from GM alfalfa to non-modified alfalfa would be many miles. Alfalfa seed is usually produced in concentrated districts in Canada, so crossing would be almost inevitable. Organic production systems have zero tolerance for genetically modified organisms, so organic alfalfa seed might soon become a thing of the past.

Farmers will also use GM alfalfa for hay production. This hay is almost always cut after blooming starts, giving an opportunity for bees to transfer pollen from the GM crop to other seed crops of alfalfa.

Alfalfa seed crops produce a lot of "hard" seed that can germinate even a few years after the field has been ploughed up. This would mean that a GM alfalfa seed crop would have the potential of contaminating non-GM alfalfa crops planted even a few years later.

Alfalfa hay is a big part of is a big part of organic livestock production. Organic livestock products may become a thing of the past if this release of genetic material goes ahead.

Choice will be taken away from the farmer and consumer:

The genetic characteristics Monsanto proposes to add to the new variety of alfalfa may or may not be harmful to the consumer or ecosystem. But if they release their variety, there will be no going back. Genetic pollution has the potential to be much more serious than chemical pollution because there is no reasonable prospect of a cleanup.

It will be no longer possible to obtain non-GM alfalfa if Monsanto succeeds in contaminating seed stocks world-wide. Choice will be gone.

Let's hope that consumer and industry pressure can stop Monsanto in their tracks. Help keep organic alfalfa sprouts and organic livestock available. Write to your MP and the Minister of Agriculture.

Jim Mumm, Nov. 12, 2004

Contact your legislator

Who can you send your comments to?

Canadian Minister of Agriculture:

The Honourable Gerry Ritz
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Sire John Carliung Building
930 Carling Ave
Ottawa ON
K1A 0C5

Email Mr. Ritz

(Your MP's Name)
House of Commons
Parliament Buildings
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A6
(no stamp required)

Remember, these letters are postage free if mailed in Canada. Politicians put a lot of weight to opinions that people have taken the time to write out and mail.

Links to more GM alfalfa information

Paper by my daughter with solid information on environmental dangers of GE crops. Lots of references and further reading.

Interesting student paper published on the Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada website. The Impact of Roundup Ready Alfalfa on Organic Systems (PDF file)