[All] Day of Action to Stop GM Alfalfa, April 9 - Join us to Protect Family Farms!

Mon Apr 1 00:40:08 EDT 2013

from CBAN: Cdn Biotechnology Action Network.  
Canada-wide actions on Tues April 9, to stop genetically modified alfalfa from being registered for use in Canada.
In KW, rally at Peter Braid's ofc (King & Erb) at 12 noon on Tues April 9.
Please pass this on to all folks you know that might be interested.
Eleanor Grant

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Lucy Sharratt - CBAN Coordinator" <coordinator at cban.ca>
Date: Mar 28, 2013 4:51 PM
Subject: [cban e-News] Action Locations: Day of Action to Stop GM Alfalfa, April 9 - Join us to Protect Family Farms!
To:  <cban-e-news at cban.ca>
Cc: 

***Please distribute widely***

Join us on April 9: Take Action to Stop GM Alfalfa

Tuesday April 9, 2013
12 noon (sharp) to 1 pm

Outside federal Member of Parliament constituency offices, government and corporate offices in 12 communities in Ontario, and 11 locations in other provinces.
Rallies in Ontario: Belleville, Goderich, Guelph, Hawkesbury, Kingston, Kitchener-Waterloo, London, Orangeville, Ottawa, Owen Sound, Stratford, Toronto. 
Rallies in other provinces: Wolfville NS, Montreal PQ, Quebec City PQ, Brandon MB, North Battleford SK, Camrose AB, Calgary AB, Edmonton AB, Duncan BC, Nelson BC, Vernon BC.

Details of locations for confirmed actions are listed below and also now posted at www.cban.ca/april9  
More actions to be announced! If there is no rally in your community, you can still participate on April 9! See below, and check back for updates and more actions.

Bring your banners. Bring your voices. Together we can stop the release of GM alfalfa.

Monsanto’s genetically modified (GM) alfalfa could be registered for use in Canada this April! GM Roundup Ready alfalfa varieties have just been cleared for the last step before they hit the market – all they need now is a final rubber-stamp by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Alfalfa is used to produce many of the foods we eat! Alfalfa (commonly harvested as hay) is high-protein feed for animals like dairy cows, beef cattle, lambs, poultry and pigs. It's also used to build nutrients in the soil and is important for organic farming.

Because alfalfa is a perennial plant that is pollinated by bees, genetically modified alfalfa will inevitably cross-pollinate with non-GM and organic alfalfa, contaminating farms and threatening the livelihoods of family farmers across Canada. Prairie farmers have already been vocally opposing GM alfalfa so now the industry is trying to introduce GM alfalfa in Eastern Canada first!

This call for a Day of Action to Stop GM Alfalfa was issued by the National Farmers Union-Ontario.  
For info on the Day of Action: www.cban.ca/april9
For more information on GM Alfalfa: www.cban.ca/alfalfa
For support for your action: Lucy Sharratt, Coordinator, Canadian Biotechnology Action Network, coordinator at cban.ca 613 241 2267 ext. 25

More Information:

Why is GM Alfalfa Such a Huge Threat? 

GM contamination is inevitable because alfalfa is a perennial crop pollinated by insects. In Ontario and Alberta, weeds are becoming resistant to glyphosate (the active ingredient in Monsanto’s herbicide Roundup): another glyphosate tolerant crop like Roundup Ready alfalfa would increase these weeds. Alfalfa is almost always grown in a mix with grasses and establishes readily without the use of herbicides. Farmers don’t want or need Roundup Ready alfalfa. If genetically modified (GM, also called genetically engineered or GE) alfalfa is released it will have negative impacts on a wide range of farmers and farming systems, both conventional and organic, across Canada. For more information see www.cban.ca/alfalfa

Why is Alfalfa Important? 

Alfalfa (commonly harvested as hay) is a high-protein feed for animals like dairy cows, beef cattle, sheep, poultry and pigs. It's also used to build nutrients and organic matter in the soil, making it particularly important for organic farming. If it's introduced, GM alfalfa will ruin export markets for alfalfa products, contaminate family farms, make it more difficult for farmers to control weeds, and threaten the future of organic food and farming in Canada.

What Else Can I Do to Help?

1.    Come out on April 9!  Bring your friends and family! Bring your home-made signs.
2.    Help spread the word about the action to groups in your community and ask them to get involved.
3.    Help publicize the action in your community by putting up posters, handing out flyers, and posting through email and facebook. Posters and flyers are at www.cban.ca/april9
4.    Contact media to tell them about the Day of Action and encourage them to cover the rallies.
5.    Collect signatures on the petition to stop GM alfalfa and bring them to the rally on April 9. See www.cban.ca/alfalfapetition
6.    Email, call or write to your Member of Parliament (you can search for your MP using your postal code at www.parl.gc.ca) and the Minister of Agriculture Gerry Ritz on April 9 gerry.ritz at parl.gc.ca Tel: 613-995-7080  Fax 613-996-8472 By mail (no postage required) Hon. Gerry Ritz, House of Commons, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0A6

CONFIRMED ACTIONS

All these actions are at noon on the Day of Action to Stop GM Alfalfa, April 9, 2013, and are hosted by various National Farmers Union locals and supportive community groups. For more details and materials to help promote the actions please see www.cban.ca/april9 Check back for even more confirmed actions!

In Ontario:

Belleville: Office of Daryl Kramp, MP for Prince Edward Hastings, 1 Millennium Parkway. Contact John Della Bosca at 613-471-1234, johndb at xplornet.ca

Goderich: Constituency Office of Ben Lobb, 30 Victoria St. North, Please note: 11:30-1:00 Contact: Linda Baumberger 519-832-2953 

Guelph: 1 Stone Road W. Check www.cban.ca/april9guelph Guelph. Contact: Donna Jennison halojen at rogers.com

Hawkesbury:  Constituency Office of Pierre Lemieux, MP for Glengarry Prescott-Russell, 136 Main St. E. Contact: Les Gills 613-528-4865.

Kingston: To be announced. Contact: Dianne Dowling 613-546-0869 dowling at kos.net

Kitchener-Waterloo: Constituency Office of Peter Braid. 22 King St. South, Waterloo. Contact: Taarini Chopra campaigns at cban.ca

Lambton County: Request to meet with Pat Davidson, MP for Sarnia Lambton. Contact: Tammy Van Troost 519 864 1900 or bearcreekorganics at ebtech.net

London: Constituency Office of Ed Holder, MP for London West, 200-390 Commissioners Rd West. Contact: Malorie stopgmalfalfa at gmail.com 

Midland: Meeting with Bruce Stanton MP for Simcoe Dufferin. Contact: Chris Litster, 705-534-7626.

Orangeville:  Constituency Office of David Tilson, MP for Dufferin Caldeon, 299 Broadway St. Contact Michelle at 519-941-1099 or michelle at wholevillage.org.

Ottawa: Variety Registration Office, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, 59 Camelot Dr. (Nepean) off Merivale Rd near West Hunt Club. See www.cban.ca/april9ottawa Contact: Lucy Sharratt info at cban.ca 613 241 2267 ext 25. Car pooling: contact Paul at paulslomp at gmail.com

Owen Sound: Constituency Office of Larry Miller, MP for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, 1131 2nd Avenue East. Contact: Philip Woodhouse, 519 599 5041, pwoodhouse9 at gmail.com

Toronto: Outside St Lawrence Market (on the sidewalk). 95 Front St E. See www.cban.ca/april9toronto

Stratford: Constituency Office of Gary Schellenberger, MP for Perth Wellington. 544 Huron St. Contact: Ann Slater, aslater at quadro.net 519-349-2448

Outside Ontario:

Wolfville, NS: Constituency Office of Scott Brison, MP for Kings-Hants. 24 Harbourside Drive, Suite 101A 

Lévis (Québec): Devant les bureaux du députe et ministre conservateur Steven Blaney 115, route du Président Kennedy, Bureau 101 (bureau principal) Contact: contact at infoogm.qc.ca
Montréal (Québec): Devant les bureaux d’agriculture Canada 2001, University. Contact: contact at infoogm.qc.ca

Brandon, MB: Office of MP Merve Tweed, 8-223 18th St N. Ian Robson 204 858-2479 -ILrobson at xplornet.ca

North Battleford, SK: Constituency Office of Gerry Ritz, MP for Battlefords—Lloydminster and Minister of Agriculture. 1322 100th Street. Contact: Glenn Tait, gttait at sasktel.net; 306 481 4449

Calgary AB: To be announced. Hosted by Community Natural Foods.

Camrose, AB: Constituency Office of Kevin Sorenson (MP for Crowfoot) 4945 - 50 Street, Camrose. We will meet at The University of Alberta Augustana Campus 4901 46 Ave, Camrose at 10 AM to prepare for the rally. We will walk from the campus to our MP's office at 12 PM. * There will also be a Film Night April 4 at the Augustana Campus at 7pm where anyone interested can watch a documentary about GMO's. The movie night will be followed by a discussion about what people can do to create change. Contact: Takota Coen takota_coen at live.com 780-781-5929

Edmonton, AB:  Constituency Office of Laurie Hawn, MP for Edmonton-Central. 11156 - 142 ST NW. Contact: Dana 780-995-9234

Duncan, BC: Charles Hoey Park in downtown Duncan. Jean Crowder, the MP for Nanaimo-Cowichan. Contact: Cowichan Green Community: info at cowichangreencommunity.ca 250-748-8506

Nelson, BC: To be announced

Vernon, BC: Constituency Office of Colin Mayes. 3105 29 St. Contact: Kelsi Evans kelsievans at hotmail.ca

Thank you for taking action!

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