Editor:
Re: GE free zone, Coast Reporter, April 26.
What gives with our elected representativeswhen they go to these meetings? They must sleep through the resolution part. They certainly didn't think seriously of the GE (GMO) part of agriculture when it was passed.
Three things they could have thought about:
Are they against GE or are they against plant breeding to produce newer better varieties? Selecting the seed of superior plants has been going on since humans came out of Africa. Modern plant breeders do not spend their lives growing plantslooking for a better variety that happens mostly by chance. They do it in the laboratory working with genetic material.
Why are they against GMO? So far it has been the most significant advance in agriculture ever to occur. Did they think about improved yields, drought resistance, nutritional advances, vitamin deficiency correction, decreased pesticide use? Did they ask the presenters of the resolution to come up with a better idea for more food tofeed the ever-expanding world population?
Did they ask if there was a health problem? Tomy knowledge not a single health authority in North or South America has any problem with GMO, nor has there been a single issue after over 25 years of use on many millions of acres of cropland.
Just how did they think they would be able to enforce such a ban on seeds or production?
Dothey plan to stop eating Chilliwack corn, BC canola oil, soy sauce and myriad other products?
Passing this resolution is no victory for sustainable agriculture. Perhaps the framers of the resolution have a picture of farmers being Ma, Pa and a pitchfork. Modern Canadian agriculture is far beyond that in innovation and production and they endorse GMO.
A. F. Butt, Sechelt
