GMO Alfalfa: legal trespass?

This was in my email box from and came from the Sanet MG list: SANET-MG@LISTS.IFAS.UFL.EDU

"A Saskatchewan court recently declared that the release to the environment of GM crops as in field tests and deregulation means that GM pollen and seed can go anywhere (alfalfa pollen goers a long way) in Canada. That court decision seems to be pure lunacy as it means that GM pollution of neighbouring crops cannot be considered trespass and there is no protection from it. Or for that matter the invasion by corporate lawyers demanding compensation for the GM crops that were produced by invading pollen.
Even though the US courts have stopped the planting of GM alfalfa and ordered an environment assessment because of the well known ability to pollute neighbouring crops Agriculture Canada seem willing to promote the pollution of organic and non-GM alfalfa as they did with GM canola.
The Canadian agriculture department fanatically promotes polluting GM crops in the face of evidence and common sense".

Stop GM Alfalfa in Canada
For more information and to see the list of groups endorsing the campaign: http://www.cban.ca/NoGMOAlfalfa


*Widespread Call Issued to Stop GM Alfalfa in Canada
*80 groups to fight the commercialization of genetically modified alfalfa

Press Release April 28 2009

Ottawa – Today, 80 groups including farmer associations and food businesses from across Canada joined the growing call to stop the introduction and field-testing of genetically modified (GM) alfalfa.

The alfalfa in question is genetically modified by Monsanto to be tolerant to the company’s brand name herbicide Roundup. Alfalfa would be the first perennial GM crop on the market.

“The contamination of alfalfa would be inevitable and irreversible. We’ve already seen an end to organic canola due to GM contamination and we can’t afford to lose alfalfa,” said Arnold Taylor of the Saskatchewan Organic Directorate. “Because it’s pollinated by bees, genes from Monsanto’s GM alfalfa would spread out of control.”

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