Terminator ban undermined at UN meeting in Spain

The National Farmers Union (NFU) of Canada, the National Family Farm Coalition (NFFC) in the United States, and other organizations are concerned that “suicide seeds” may be introduced into the environment through the back door.

A worldwide de-facto moratorium on Genetic Use Restriction Technologies (GURTs – popularly known as “Terminator” technology) was undermined this past week at a United Nations conference in Granada, Spain. Terminator technology is used to create genetically modified seeds which are rendered sterile at harvest.

A resolution adopted at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Granada, Spain January 27 recommends abandoning the precautionary principle and allows testing of Terminator plant varieties on a “case by case” basis under the guise of “risk management” and “capacity building.” Government representatives from Australia, New Zealand and Canada were instrumental in forcing the change in policy at the UN forum.

Terry Boehm, NFU Vice-President and Chair of the Ban Terminator campaign in Canada, said officials from the Canadian Department of Environment tried to accomplish this objective last year at a similar meeting in Bangkok, but backed off following strong public opposition in Canada and worldwide.

“This time around, the Canadian delegation is involved in a supporting role, with the governments of Australia and New Zealand taking the lead in destroying the consensus against Terminator,” said Boehm. “This flies in the face of any regard for farmers, citizens and the world’s biosphere. Why would Canada help to unleash something as dangerous as Terminator on the world?”

Boehm said the Canadian delegation appears to be taking advantage of a change in government to push though an agenda that benefits large multinational seed and chemical companies.

Colleen Ross, NFU Women’s President, said the CBD consultations in Spain were supposed to involve Indigenous peoples, “yet the bureaucrats repeatedly refused to consult with farmers or Indigenous groups on this issue.” She said Terminator technology is all about who controls seeds – and ultimately who controls the food system.

“Terminator is the ultimate tool in controlling the world’s food supply, because it forces farmers to buy seeds from the handful of seed companies which dominate the global market,” she said.

Other citizens’ groups supporting the stance of the NFU and NFFC in opposing Terminator include: The Council of Canadians, the ETC Group, Inter Pares, Saskatchewan Organic Directorate, Beyond Factory Farming, GenEthics of Australia, the National Council of Women of Canada, USC Canada, Oxfam, and others.

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Contact:
Terry Boehm, NFU Vice-President (306) 255-2880
Colleen Ross, NFU Women’s President (613) 652-1552
Terry Pugh, NFU Executive-Secretary (306) 652-9465