Update on GMO Canola in Willamette Valley

Many of us have been working hard to stop the Oregon Dept. of Agriculture (ODA) from expanding the Canola boundaries  out through most of the Willamette Valley. There are various reasons it concerns us. 

1) 94% of canola is genetically modified. 
2) It will cross pollinate and contaminate many of our mustard family crops 
3) It will become a weedy pest as it moves all through the Willamette Valley 
4) It will bring in more mustard family pests for neighboring farmers to deal with.

One particular person has made it her current full time job. She has created a website that is very useful. At her website you can find everything you need to know. Here is a letter from Kim and various links from her website. I have slightly abbreviated my friend's letter and made a few notes of my own. 

THREE LINKS

“What’s the Issue with Canola?”

 “Canola/Rapeseed FAQs”
  “What’s the Science on Canola?”
Click here to help (Takes little of your time.)

Did you know the expansion of canola can harm the farmers that grow your food crops, as well as your ability to garden and save seed?  Have you given your testimony yet? 
 

Right now, our community is faced with a serious risk to our food and seed farmers.  The Willamette Valley is one of the last five great seed-growing regions in the world and has been a protected zone since the 1990's.  The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) is trying to allow canola to be grown on thousands of acres in the Willamette Valley.  This goes directly against the scientific research done by OSU, where the findings clearly demonstrated that canola would be harmful to our vegetable seed, clover seed, fresh market and organic farmers.

An unprecedented coalition of farmers is against this change. They have told the ODA of the economic harms they face, and supported expensive legal action that stopped planting of canola this fall.  However, we're not in the clear yet.  Our farmers need your help.

On Thursday, the ODA announced that they were extending the public comment period to November 2nd.   At the September public hearing, only 7 people testified pro-canola, versus 64 against. It appears the ODA is extending the time to gain more testimonies in favor of canola. (We can use it in our favor to send more testimonies against the canola expansion.)
 
Organic farmers experience a double risk from the expansion of canola acreage.  The ODA has provided no restriction on GM canola and cannot restrict it by law. (Let's change that law.) Please help us preserve organic agriculture and make sure your voice is heard.  Please forward this letter to your friends and family, and help educate them about this serious risk to Oregon farmers and agriculture.  Your farmer thanks you!

Click here for our website with a ready-made testimony form:(Choose consumer testimony, or farmer testimony, as appropriate.)

More information on how growing canola is harmful to our farmers:

Our farmers thank you for your help.

Eat well,

Kim Goodwin
Oregonians for Farm & Food Rights
www.farmandfoodrights.org

 

When GMO Food is Sold as Organic

Organic farmers whose field is contaminated with GE seed or pollen can still sell their product as organic that year.

Organic farmers are not allowed to purchase and plant genetically engineered seed. However, if their crops are contaminated by a neighbor who is growing genetically engineered food or they are sold GE (genetically engineered) seed they thought was organic, the farmer can still sell their crop as organic (even if they find out it has been contaminated) as long as they can prove they did not knowingly plant genetically engineered seed. 

Farmers have no recourse if their organic food is contaminated by GE fields.

So far farmers who have had their conventional or organic crops contaminated by GE plants have not been able to win court cases in the United States. Therefore, they are being protected by the organic labeling companies by at least allowing them to sell their contaminated food as organic. However, this does not protect the consumer. Something needs to be changed here. The farmer needs to be able to have laws that support organic farming and protect organic farmers from trespass of GE pollen on their crops.

What can we do to stop the continual growth of GE crops.  

We could stop it dead in its tracks if we simply refuse to purchase it. We can demand our food stores only purchase non GE food. There is easy to use testing for determining if a plant or seed is GE or not. Farmers, grocers and the public can purchase it. Tell all your family and friends to demand GE free food.

Which foods should always be tested?

All corn,  soy, canola, and cotton seed oil should be tested now. Even the organic ones should be tested as it is now thought that at least 3-4% of all organic corn, soy, and canola is contaminated.  The testing should be at the farmers level or the distributors level. However, anyone can be testing. Start telling your grocery store that you want your Corn (corn oil, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, corn starch, corn meal) Soy (soy protein, soy lecithin, soy oil, soy sauce, soy isolates) Canola (canola oil) Cotton (cottonseed oil to all be tested for genetically engineered genes).  Tell them you don't want to buy products that are not tested if they carry these ingredients.

Non GMO Project

There is also a third party verification from the Non GMO Project that manufacturers can use to verify their food is safe.

Dairy Food Contamination
For farmers who grow alfalfa, sell alfalfa or grow the seed, they should also be testing. If you purchase alfalfa for your dairy animals, test it or make sure the grower, distributor has tested it before buying the alfalfa. For the person who eats dairy foods, find out if the manufacturer of your dairy foods gets milk from farms that feed non-GMO alfalfa to their dairy cows/goats.

Support labeling for genetically modified foods. 

Start labeling laws in your state for genetically modified foods. Some counties have started making their county an area where you can't grow genetically engineered food. You simply get the county to pass an ordinance and it is so. Go to GMO Free Jackson County to see how they are doing it.  That is easier than going state wide.  Passing laws to make it illegal to grow GE food in your area protects the family gardens from being contaminated in your area as well as the farms.