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Organic farmers gain key piece of evidence in class action (June 27, 2002 -- CropChoice news) -- The following is from a press release.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada publicly released a study today
on the Isolation Effectiveness in Canola Seed Production. The study
discloses that growers producing Certified canola seed for the
conventional canola market cannot prevent genetic contamination of their
seed by Monsanto's Roundup Ready Canola and Aventis's Liberty Link
genetically modified (GM) canolas. The contamination was so severe that
the research scientists who did the study recomended that four varieties
of canola seed sold in the conventional canola market be withdrawn or
Breeder and Foundation seed sources for the varieties be cleaned up.
In 2000-2001 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) undertook
a study for the Canadian Seed Growers Association (CSGA) to look at
whether the isolation distances used by certified seed growers were
effective in preventing genetic contamination by Round Up Ready and
Liberty Link GM canola varieties. It took months of pressure on behalf
of the Saskatchewan certified organic farmers engaged in a class action
lawsuit against Monsanto and Aventis to obtain a copy of this important
publicly-funded study.
Results show that even with the strict isolation distance and
inspection standards required by certified seed growers, contamination
occurs. In the case of one very experienced grower mentioned in the
study, the contamination level was as high as 7.20%. This unusually high
level of contamination led the researchers to conclude that the
foundation seed itself was highly contaminated.
Seventeen of the 70 samples tested showed contamination that
exceedee the purity required for Certified seed (99.75%) and 30 of the
70 samples exceeded the purity required for Foundation seed (99.95%).
Only two of the 70 samples would be considered acceptable seed for
organic production. The study concluded that “… the present isolation
distance of 100m provides adequate but not complete protection from
foreign pollen.” And further, that the “… large number of canola seeds
normally planted per acre plus the high probability that a small
percentage of herbicide tolerant seeds will be present in most Certified
seed lots has and will continue to result in significant herbicide
tolerant plant populations in most commercial canola fields.”
It follows that certified organic farmers, whose standards
strictly prohibit contamination by GM varieties, are highly unlikely to
be able to produce a crop free of RoundUp Ready or Liberty Link
contamination, thus losing the opportunity to serve the lucrative
certified organic canola market.
The CSGA maintains that the study was merely preliminary and not
statistically significant. However, the research scientists who did the
study do not say this. Furthermore, they state that the sample size was
large enough to give a 99% confidence level that buyers would find the
same level of contamination in the seed stocks.
AAFC and the CSGA initially refused to release the study when
asked. After persistent pressure, AAFC finally agreed to release a copy
of what it was already planning to release to the CBC pursuant to an
existing Access to Information request. However when the document
finally arrived, large tracts were missing and relevant portions were
concealed as "confidential business information". It was only after the
lawyer representing the organic farmers in the class action launched a
court application to compel the disclosure of the full report that the
AAFC and CSGA offered to publicly disclose the full report.
This study will be a key piece of evidence in the organic
farmer’s action because it provides scientific documentation of the
widespread GM contamination that has all but wiped out their organic
canola market. It further provides evidence that the contamination is
from both the Roundup Ready and Liberty Link genes.
A copy of the study can be obtained on request from Agriculture
and Agri-Food Canada or from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
For further information please contact the Organic Agriculture
Protection Fund:
Legal Counsel:
See attached Media Backgrounder for an overview of the pedigreed seed
system.
For details of the class action suit, please see
http://www.saskorganic.com
Media Backgrounder -- Overview of the pedigreed seed system
Farmers depend on seed growers to provide them with clean seed of a
recognized variety grown to certain pedigree. Most of the following are
excerpts that can be found at the CSGA website: www.seedgrowers.ca The
Canadian Seed Growers Association (CSGA) is the sole seed pedigreeing
agency for most agricultural crops in Canada's seed system. It is
recognized and respected around the globe because it ensures mechanical
purity and provides an audit trail that guarantees varietal identity and
genetic purity.
The objectives of the CGSA include "To ensure, and certify to, the
varietal purity of seed produced by its members and to maintain the
pedigree thereof." The CGSA mission is to advance the seed industry by:
promoting the benefits of pedigreed seed throughout the seed industry
and to end-users; advocating the use of the seed certification system as
an integral part of identity preserved and quality assurance programs;
and to provide seed crop certification by: Developing genetic purity
standards and regulations for pedigreed seed crop production;
Maintaining an accountable and verifiable seed certification system; and
Certifying the varietal purity of pedigreed seed crops.
Glossary (from the Regulations and Procedures for Pedigreed Crop
Production" known as ‘Circular 6’):
Canola: Cultivars of Rapeseed which are classed as Canola type because
of the characteristic of low erucic acid and low glucosinolate content
in the seed.
Class (of seed): Names given to the generations of Pedigreed seed as
Breeder Seed, Select Seed, Foundation Seed, Registered Seed and
Certified Seed approved by a recognized crop certification agency.
(note: for canola there is no Registered pedigree)
Germplasm: Refers to plant materials that serve as a basis of crop
improvement or a reservoir of genes for research. The total hereditary
makeup of organisms.
Breeder Seed: Seed recognized by the CSGA as being seed of a variety
(cultivar) that has been produced by a recognized plant breeder or a
plant breeder responsible for the maintenance of the variety under
conditions which have ensured that the specific traits of the variety
have been maintained. It is the source for the initial and recurring
increases of seed for the Pedigreed classes.
Foundation Seed: The approved progeny of Breeder or Select Seed produced
by seed growers authorized by the Association for the production of seed
of this class, and which has been so managed to maintain its specific
genetic identity and purity. The seed is graded by a person authorized
by Ag Canada. Foundation is the highest class of seed of commerce.
Certified Seed: The approved progeny of Breeder, Select, Foundation or
Registered Seed produced by seed growers and so managed to maintain
genetic identity and purity at a high level. It is the class of seed
recommended to be used for commercial crop production. The seed is
graded by Agriculture Canada or by Authorized Establishments under the
Canada Seeds Act and Regulations.
Cross-pollinate: Fertilization by pollen from another plant. Cross
fertilization.
Genetic purity: Trueness to type or variety, usually referring to seed.
Isolation Requirements: Regulatory: the distance required to isolate
Pedigreed seed crops from other crops which may be a source of pollen or
seed contamination. Used to maintain genetic purity of crops by
isolation from other pollen sources.
Open pollinated: Seed produced as a result of natural pollination as
opposed to hybrid seed produced as a result of a controlled pollination.
Outcross: The plant resulting from pollen of a different variety of the
same species.
Pedigreed crop: A crop for which the CSGA, based on a crop inspection
report, has issued a Crop Certificate which indicates that the crop has
been granted Breeder, Select, Foundation, Registered or Certified crop
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