<p dir="ltr">Please send this quick letter by Thurs.<br>
Eleanor<br>
</p>
<div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: "Lucy Sharratt - CBAN Coordinator" <<a href="mailto:coordinator@cban.ca">coordinator@cban.ca</a>><br>Date: May 21, 2013 12:52 PM<br>
Subject: [cban e-News] Urgent Action Alert: Send your instant letter to stop seed regulation changes, Deadline May 23<br>To: <<a href="mailto:cban-e-news@cban.ca">cban-e-news@cban.ca</a>><br>Cc: <br><br type="attribution">
<div style="word-wrap:break-word"><div>Urgent Action Alert: Send your letter before end of day May 23, 2013</div><div><br></div><div>Stop Corporate Control Over Seeds: Stop Changes to Canada's Seeds Regulations</div><div>
<br></div><div>You can now send a letter instantly by clicking here: </div><div><a href="http://www.cban.ca/Resources/Topics/GE-Crops-and-Foods-Not-on-the-Market/Alfalfa/Letter-to-stop-seed-regulation-changes" target="_blank">http://www.cban.ca/Resources/Topics/GE-Crops-and-Foods-Not-on-the-Market/Alfalfa/Letter-to-stop-seed-regulation-changes</a></div>
<div><br></div><div>For more information please see below. Thank you for your action! </div><div><br></div><div>********</div><div><br>Action Alert– Public Input on Regulations Amending the Seeds Regulations, Canada Gazette Part 1 VOL. 147, NO. 10 — MARCH 9, 2013<br>
<br>Deadline for submissions -- May 23, 2013<br><br>The National Farmers Union is calling upon all concerned farmers and allies to submit comments about significant regulatory changes to Seed Variety Registration.<br><br>
The proposed regulatory change has been posted in the Canada Gazette Part 1 and will be passed into law as is unless large numbers of citizens make their opposition known.<br><br>The changes proposed will have two critical effects: move registration of soybeans and all forages from Part I to Part III of Schedule III under the Seeds Regulations; and permit registrants to cancel the variety’s registration. This will make seed sales of that variety illegal and require that crops grown from that variety be classified as sample or lowest price and quality. <br>
<br>Crop kinds under Part I will continue to be treated the way all varieties have been until now; before a new variety is registered it must meet merit criteria (i.e., it must perform as well as or better than reference varieties for one or more criteria established for that crop kind); and it must be recommended by a Recommending Committee of experts familiar with the crop. Under Part III, a variety can be registered without field-testing or proof of merit. The registering company only has to provide basic variety registration information to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).<br>
<br>The proposed change in regulation will also allow companies that have registered a variety to de-register it without giving reasons or notice.<br><br>The implications of these regulatory changes for farmers are far-reaching. If adopted, the regulation will:<br>
<br><span style="white-space:pre-wrap"> </span>• Permit companies to take varieties off the market whenever they like, which will increasingly force farmers to use only varieties subject to royalties under the Plant Breeders Rights Act or varieties with gene patents, and thereby pay more for seed.<br>
<span style="white-space:pre-wrap"> </span>• Empower companies to introduce new varieties of soybeans and forage crops – including alfalfa – that have not been field-tested for merit and which therefore may not provide any benefit to farmers.<br>
<span style="white-space:pre-wrap"> </span>• Allow seed companies to transfer to farmers’ shoulders all risks of poor seed/crop performance when planting varieties that have not been field-tested by independent third parties.<br>
<span style="white-space:pre-wrap"> </span>• Transfer decision-making about which new varieties are introduced, and when, from a transparent, publicly accountable process based on expert advice offered by Recommending Committees to a behind-closed-door process controlled by private seed companies.<br>
<span style="white-space:pre-wrap"> </span>• Letting companies de-register varieties will permit companies to unilaterally stop farmers from accessing and using perfectly good varieties developed through long-term collaboration among farmers, public plant breeders and international seed collections.<br>
<br>For more information about Seed Variety Registration:<br><span style="white-space:pre-wrap"> </span>• The National Farmers Union’s submission to CFIA: <a href="http://www.nfu.ca/story/nfu-comments-regulations-amending-seeds-regulations" target="_blank">http://www.nfu.ca/story/nfu-comments-regulations-amending-seeds-regulations</a><br>
<span style="white-space:pre-wrap"> </span>• The National Farmers Union 2009 press release and backgrounder on the variety registration system:<a href="http://www.nfu.ca/story/government-ignores-concerns-variety-registration-change-and-plows-ahead-anyway" target="_blank">http://www.nfu.ca/story/government-ignores-concerns-variety-registration-change-and-plows-ahead-anyway</a><br>
<span style="white-space:pre-wrap"> </span>• The Proposed Regulations: ARCHIVED — Regulations Amending the Seeds Regulations <a href="http://canadagazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2013/2013-03-09/html/reg1-eng.html#reg" target="_blank">http://canadagazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2013/2013-03-09/html/reg1-eng.html#reg</a><br>
<span style="white-space:pre-wrap"> </span>• The CFIA’s Regulatory Impact Statement: ARCHIVED — Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement Regulations Amending the Seeds Regulations <a href="http://canadagazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2013/2013-03-09/html/reg1-eng.html#rias" target="_blank">http://canadagazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2013/2013-03-09/html/reg1-eng.html#rias</a> <br>
<br>Deadline for submissions is May 23, 2013<br><br>All submissions must:<br>1. cite the Canada Gazette, Part I,and<br>2. the date of publication of the notice (March 9,2013), and<br>3. be addressed to:<br>
Michael Scheffel, National Manager, Seed Section, Canadian Food Inspection Agency,<br>59 Camelot Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0Y9<br>tel.: <a href="tel:613-773-7142" value="+16137737142" target="_blank">613-773-7142</a> fax:<a href="tel:613-773-7144" value="+16137737144" target="_blank">613-773-7144</a> email: <a href="mailto:Michael.Scheffel@inspection.gc.ca" target="_blank">Michael.Scheffel@inspection.gc.ca</a></div>
<div><br></div><div>********</div><div>Press Release from the National Farmers Union:</div><div><br></div><div>Proposed Changes to Seeds Act Regulations Should Concern All, says NFU<br><br>May 13, 2013 - (Saskatoon) - The National Farmers Union (NFU) urges farmers and all Canadians interested in food and seed to respond by May 23 to the federal government’s proposed changes to the Seeds Act Regulations. The changes will have far-reaching implications that should concern all farmers and the general public, and are being made through the Canada Gazette process.<br>
<br>“The Seeds Act and its regulations were originally set up to protect farmers and all of Canadian agriculture from unscrupulous seed dealers and poor quality seed,” said Terry Boehm, NFU President. “But the proposed changes to the regulations clearly show that the federal government is prepared to let seed companies decide what farmers can and cannot use for seed.”<br>
<br>The proposedchanges will eliminate the requirement for independent field-testing and minimum performance standards before new varieties of soybeans and all forages (hay crops such as alfalfa) can be registered. They will also allow seed companies to unilaterally de-register varieties at will, regardless of their value to farmers.<br>
<br>“If companies are allowed to de-register varieties, they can stop farmers from accessing and using perfectly good varieties,” said Boehm. “We expect seed companies will use this opportunity to put farmers on a ‘variety treadmill’, de-registering old varieties so that the only varieties available to them will be expensive new varieties subject to patent restrictions or royalty charges under Plant Breeders Rights.”<br>
<br>“Variety trials ensure that new varieties are a fit for Canadian growing or market conditions,” said Ian Robson, NFU Region 5 (Manitoba) Coordinator. “Without independent testing, we won’t know if a new variety will be any good. This means that farmers will become the field-testers, and we will be taking risks that will cost us if it doesn’t perform.”<br>
<br>Currently a committee of experts for each crop must recommend it, based on performance, before a new variety can be registered. The proposed regulation will eliminate that step, allowing seed companies to register a new variety by simply supplying their own basic information to the CFIA.<br>
<br>“The new system will allow pretty much automatic registration of soy and forages,” said Robson. “GM alfalfa still needs to be registered before it can be sold in Canada. The changes make it so decisions to register varieties are based more on benefit to the seed company than on the interests of farmers and the people their products feed. The NFU supports continuation of the current variety registration system, where recommendations for registration are based on data from independent testing assessed by crop variety experts.”<br>
<br>Proposed amendments to the variety registration regulations under the Seeds Act have been posted in the Canada Gazette Part 1. Public comment on the changes is being accepted until May 23, 2013.<br><br></div><div>-30_</div>
<div><br>For more information:<br>Terry Boehm, President – <a href="tel:%28306%29%20255%202880" value="+13062552880" target="_blank">(306) 255 2880</a> or <a href="tel:%28306%29%20257%203689" value="+13062573689" target="_blank">(306) 257 3689</a> or <a href="tel:%28306%29%20255-7638" value="+13062557638" target="_blank">(306) 255-7638</a> (Cell)<br>
Ian Robson, Region 5 (Manitoba) Co-ordinator <a href="tel:%28204%29%20858%202479" value="+12048582479" target="_blank">(204) 858 2479</a><br></div><div><br></div><div>********</div><br><div>
<span style="text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-variant:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;border-collapse:separate;text-transform:none;font-size:medium;white-space:normal;font-family:Helvetica;word-spacing:0px"><span style="text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-variant:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;border-collapse:separate;text-transform:none;font-size:medium;white-space:normal;font-family:Helvetica;word-spacing:0px"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-variant:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;border-collapse:separate;text-transform:none;font-size:medium;white-space:normal;font-family:Helvetica;word-spacing:0px"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-variant:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;border-collapse:separate;text-transform:none;font-size:medium;white-space:normal;font-family:Helvetica;word-spacing:0px"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-variant:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;border-collapse:separate;text-transform:none;font-size:medium;white-space:normal;font-family:Helvetica;word-spacing:0px"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-variant:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;border-collapse:separate;text-transform:none;font-size:medium;white-space:normal;font-family:Helvetica;word-spacing:0px"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-variant:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;border-collapse:separate;text-transform:none;font-size:medium;white-space:normal;font-family:Helvetica;word-spacing:0px"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-variant:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;border-collapse:separate;text-transform:none;font-size:medium;white-space:normal;font-family:Helvetica;word-spacing:0px"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-variant:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;border-collapse:separate;text-transform:none;font-size:medium;white-space:normal;font-family:Helvetica;word-spacing:0px"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-variant:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;border-collapse:separate;text-transform:none;font-size:medium;white-space:normal;font-family:Helvetica;word-spacing:0px"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-variant:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;border-collapse:separate;text-transform:none;font-size:medium;white-space:normal;font-family:Helvetica;word-spacing:0px"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-variant:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;border-collapse:separate;text-transform:none;font-size:medium;white-space:normal;font-family:Helvetica;word-spacing:0px"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-variant:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;border-collapse:separate;text-transform:none;font-size:medium;white-space:normal;font-family:Helvetica;word-spacing:0px"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-variant:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;border-collapse:separate;text-transform:none;font-size:medium;white-space:normal;font-family:Helvetica;word-spacing:0px"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-variant:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;border-collapse:separate;text-transform:none;font-size:medium;white-space:normal;font-family:Helvetica;word-spacing:0px"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-variant:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;border-collapse:separate;text-transform:none;font-size:medium;white-space:normal;font-family:Helvetica;word-spacing:0px"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-variant:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;border-collapse:separate;text-transform:none;font-size:medium;white-space:normal;font-family:Helvetica;word-spacing:0px"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-variant:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;border-collapse:separate;text-transform:none;font-size:medium;white-space:normal;font-family:Helvetica;word-spacing:0px"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-variant:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;border-collapse:separate;text-transform:none;font-size:medium;white-space:normal;font-family:Helvetica;word-spacing:0px"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-variant:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;border-collapse:separate;text-transform:none;font-size:medium;white-space:normal;font-family:Helvetica;word-spacing:0px"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-variant:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;border-collapse:separate;text-transform:none;font-size:medium;white-space:normal;font-family:Helvetica;word-spacing:0px"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-variant:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;border-collapse:separate;text-transform:none;font-size:medium;white-space:normal;font-family:Helvetica;word-spacing:0px"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-variant:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;border-collapse:separate;text-transform:none;font-size:medium;white-space:normal;font-family:Helvetica;word-spacing:0px"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-variant:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;border-collapse:separate;text-transform:none;font-size:medium;white-space:normal;font-family:Helvetica;word-spacing:0px"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;font-variant:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;border-collapse:separate;text-transform:none;font-size:medium;white-space:normal;font-family:Helvetica;word-spacing:0px"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;font-size:medium"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;font-size:medium"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;font-size:medium"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;font-size:medium"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;font-size:medium"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;font-size:medium"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;font-size:medium"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;font-size:medium"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;font-size:medium"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;font-size:medium"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;font-size:medium"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-align:-webkit-auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;font-size:medium"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">
<span style="text-align:-webkit-auto;text-indent:0px"><div style="word-wrap:break-word"><span style="text-align:-webkit-auto;text-indent:0px"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">Lucy Sharratt, Coordinator <br>Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN) <br>
Collaborative Campaigning for Food Sovereignty and Environmental Justice<br>Suite 206, 180 Metcalfe Street<br>Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K2P 1P5 <br>Phone: <a href="tel:613%20241%202267%20ext.%2025" value="+16132412267" target="_blank">613 241 2267 ext. 25</a><br>
Fax: <a href="tel:613%20241%202506" value="+16132412506" target="_blank">613 241 2506</a> <br><a href="mailto:coordinator@cban.ca" target="_blank">coordinator@cban.ca</a> <br><a href="http://www.cban.ca" target="_blank">www.cban.ca</a></div>
<div style="word-wrap:break-word"><br></div><div style="word-wrap:break-word">Donate today to support the campaigns! <a href="http://www.cban.ca/donate" target="_blank">www.cban.ca/donate</a><br> <br><br><br><br><br><br><br>
</div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div>
</span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div>
</span></div></span></div></span></div></span></span>
</div>
<br></div><br>_______________________________________________<br>
CBAN e-News mailing list<br>
<br>
To unsubscribe, email <a href="mailto:cban-e-news-unsubscribe@cban.ca">cban-e-news-unsubscribe@cban.ca</a><br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.cban.ca" target="_blank">http://www.cban.ca</a> ~ Collaborative Campaigning for Food Sovereignty and Environmental Justice<br></div>