The Rural Voice, 2005-02, Page 273
1
,
,
Ammm..2.mmmmop2mmmmommb,
1
►• CropAdvisory.com
8
1 Michael Hunter 1
1
Mervyn Erb
CPCC-I, CCA, CAC
Brucefield, Ont.
519-233-7100
&
Andy Megens
PAg, CCA
St. Marys, Ont.
519-284-3199
CCA
Susan Gagne, CCA
GIS Specialist
Ripley, Ont.
519-395-0254
PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT CROP ADVISORY SERVICES
CERTIFIED NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT SERVICE PROVIDERS atop
STRATEGESP ®
MEMBERS: NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF INDEPENDENTPROFIT
CROP CONSULTANTS
farmer: a practice often called
"brown bagging".
An agency called the Canadian
Plant Technology Agency is in
charge of tracking down people who
sell patented seed illegally but that
has nothing to do with the PBR
amendments, he says.
Leask attributes the current issue
to "confusion" over what the
proposed amendments actually say
and says a lot of the concern among
farmers is unfounded.
While the NFU worries that the
changes are in aid of seed and
chemical giants like Monsanto,
Leask points out the Canadian Seed
Trade Association is made up of 150
companies, from co-operatives to
small family companies to the giants.
Issues are decided on a one -
company, one -vote basis, he says.
But the NFU has continued to
warn farmers about its
concerns on their behalf with a
series of meetings in Ontario as the
March 8, 2005 deadline to participate
in the consultative process
approaches.
According to NFU Ontario co-
ordinator Don Mills, "At present, 10
companies control one-third of the
global $23.3 billion global seed
market. They are pushing countries
to implement laws which limit
farmers' ability to save and re -use
seed on their own farms. This in turn
will lead to less control by farmers
and consumers over the food system.
Farmers cannot afford to pay more
for seeds, especially to fill the
pockets of these few private
companies."
And during a January 14 meeting
in Saskatoon with Andy Mitchell,
federal agriculture minister, NFU
President Stewart Wells called on the
government to scrap proposed
changes to the Plant Breeders Rights'
(PBR) Act that "would increase
farmers' costs and place corporations
firmly in control of Canada's food
supply". He also recommended the
federal government expand funding
for public sector plant breeding.0
To get unfiltered information on
this issue you can go straight to
the Canadian Food Inspection
Agency website at:
www.inspection.gc.ca/ and click
the Plant Breeders' Rights
Consultation Zink.
Uncle Richard's Maple Syrup & Supplies
OPEN HOUSE
Feb. 12th 9-5 Feb. 13th 1-5
Join us for refreshments and information
sharing with other producers
H
G
Hw,a
Gte} Road 9
0
114
South Line R
Lode 5
Wchard>
Od
Z1
R
I0
'Dundalk Rod"
• Evaporators
• Tubing
• Accessories
• Containers
• Plastic • Glass
• Specialty Glass
493168 Sideroad 10 R.R. 1 Priceville, ON NOC 1KO
Phone 369-3056 Fax 369-6552
E-mail uncle_richards@bmts.com
www.unclerichardsmaplesyrup.com
FEBRUARY 2005 23