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Terminator Gene Ban Suggested in Canada

Posted by Zonk on from the watch-out-for-those-expirey-dates dept.

innocent_white_lamb writes "A member of the Canadian Parliament has proposed legislation to outlaw the development and deployment of 'terminator genes' that would prevent seeds from germinating after a set span of time. This practice would require farmers to re-purchase seed every year instead of saving the seeds from last year's crop. The legislation is not expected to pass due to opposition from the Agriculture Minister. 'There is also an issue with the technology, which is based on a complicated five-gene construct. It is "inevitable" it will fail and could harm biodiversity, said Lucy Sharratt, co-ordinator of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network, which backs the ban. CFIA argues exactly the opposite, saying "the terminator approach provides an excellent method to protect against transference of novel traits to other crops and plant species."'"

5 of 364 comments (clear)

  1. Re:can someone explain how a plant with a t-gene by Tmack · · Score: 4, Informative

    is going to harm biodiversity? IT CAN'T PROPAGATE.

    But if you happen to be a farmer that likes to reuse your own seeds, and it happens that your neighbor uses a T-gene crop, and they cross-pollinate with your plants, your seeds can inherit the T-gene and next years seeds are no longer any good. The gene prevents germination, it doesnt stop pollination or production of seeds. The same issues with other genetic-modified crops have come up already and made their way through court, specifically the Monsanto RoundUp resistant rape-seed/canola plants.

    Tm

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  2. Re:can someone explain how a plant with a t-gene by randomErr · · Score: 5, Informative

    Have you forgetten about two little things called "Wind" and "Bees"? Genetically altered grain's pollen will spread.

    Theres a story of a guy and his father who for years grow his own canola from seed they had been breeding. Then a seed producer, Monsanto, came in with a crop of these genetically altered canola next to his field. The cross pollination destroyed his crop in 2 years. The first year produced the defunct seeds. The next year the seed did not germinate.

    Imagine if few dozen farmer planted altered grain near seed field. Within a few years our entire agricultural system would be wiped out except for a few select seed producers.

    http://www.percyschmeiser.com/
    http://www.savethepinebush.org/News/04FebMar/Percy Schmeiser.html

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    You say things that offend me and I can deal with it. Can you?
  3. Actually.... by Tmack · · Score: 4, Informative

    A farmer in Canada who grew his own seeds his whole life lost a supreme court case so that when Roundup Ready seeds were blown from the highway into his field, now all his crops were owned by Monsanto....

    Actually, he won, partially, and is firing back with another case due in 2008.

    Tm

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    Support TBI Research: http://www.raisinhope.org
  4. Re:can someone explain how a plant with a t-gene by Nasajin · · Score: 4, Informative

    I still haven't figured out why Monsanto-using farmers do not get sued by their downwind neighbours.
    That's because their downwind neighbours get sued for copyright infringement of Monsanto products. You can see a bunch of cases of this at the following places:
    http://www.organicconsumers.org/monlink.cfm
    http://www.monsantowatch.org/
  5. Re:bingo by Plekto · · Score: 4, Informative

    Monsanto is truly one of the few RIAA-like "evil" companies on the planet. They are vicious, predatory, and have no qualms about being that way.

    PCBs - check.

    Agent Orange - their creation, too. Most people forget these two facts. I can pull up links if you want to ads stating that Agent Orange was perfectly safe.

    GMO Corn that causes liver damage in rats(and any other mammal, actually) - yep. Many unexplained cases of pets getting sick come from this, btw. The reason they have to pump cattle and chicken full of antibiotics? Because the corn they feed them destroys their immune system and they would otherwise be dead way before slaughter. Except - cats and dogs and people live a TAD longer than cows and chickens.(the meat is evidently fine, but the stuff they pump them full of to keep them alive till slaughter is another horrifying mess and why I don't eat non-organic meat anymore)

    GMO Crops that cross-pollinate so that ONLY their pesticide works - you betcha.

    Crops with an 80% die-off rate that happen to easily cross-pollinate? - Just invented!

    And of course, as it was previously pointed out, Microsoft-type "deals" with other nations via our government. IE - a grant or money but only if they use the "approved" products. They currently spend billions every year trying to get GMO crops into Europe and India and everywhere around the planet that they can, despite the near universal rejection. They keep pounding away regardless because in the U.S., GMO crops from Monsanto and ADM(much less evil, though equally unenlightened) make up 80%+ of all crops other than wheat(though they are trying HARD to legalize GMO wheat as well right now - Corn, Canola, Soybeans, and half a dozen other crops are mostly GMO now in the U.S. Canola and Soybeans are virtually 100%.

    All in the last ten to fifteen years, no less. They don't test it, they don't care - they just make the stuff and lie to our faces like the tobacco companies did(and still do).