Terminator News
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The Urgent Case for a Ban in Canada
March 2008
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Speakers (L to R): Susan Walsh, Ricarda Steinbrecher, Colleen Ross, Lucy Sharratt |
On Monday, March 3, more than a hundred Canadians gathered to restate their opposition to Terminator Seeds and to learn more about this technology.
The public forum featured a presentation by scientist and advocate Dr. Ricarda Steinbrecher of EcoNexus, UK, who explained how Terminator Technology seeds are genetically engineered to be sterile after first harvest.
A chemical is used to “switch on” seed sterility and the seeds are genetically modified to release that chemical at a key point in the plant’s development.
Steinbrecher warned that, since some of the chemicals used for this purpose are found naturally where plants grow, farmers could inadvertently have the sterility trait turned on or off without their control – causing uncertainty and increased costs.
Steinbrecher says it’s not even clear if Terminator seeds would work, let alone whether they might cause any unwanted, unintended effects. Scientists and the public must make certain they are not pushed to ignore these risks.
The History of Terminator
Lucy Sharratt, Coordinator of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN), was also on hand and provided a history of global mobilization against Terminator Technologies. Since March 2006 when the de facto global moratorium on Terminator use was upheld, Monsanto has acquired control over these technologies and several patents have been granted – though there are no terminator seeds on the market yet.
There have been pushes, particularly in South America, to overturn the moratorium and adopt a case-by-case assessment of Terminator, but for now the moratorium is being upheld.
Terminator and the Global South
Susan Walsh, USC’s Executive Director, spoke as well, stressing that farmers in the global south have made it clear they don’t need this technology. Around the world, farmers depend on saving their seeds from year to year to make sure they have crops to grow and food to eat. Terminator technology could prevent them from doing this.
Testimonies from farmers confirmed Walsh’s point: Terminator is seen as a major threat to traditional farming practices.
Follow Along with Susan’s PowerPoint Presentation (pdf)
Terminator and Canadian Farmers
Colleen Ross, Women’s President of the National Farmers Union, brought the case home to Canadians. She described how Terminator technologies, and biotechnology in general, affect farmers in Canada.
As an organic farmer, she said she draws on her knowledge and experience to invest in soil, seeds, and the farm to produce a variety of crops and breeds. But she noted many farmers now need to work outside the farm, and haven’t the time to pay this kind of attention to the land. Many have adopted biotech crops, buying their seeds every year, and have no use for the kind of knowledge farmers like Ross rely on to be successful. She says they simply become users – cogs in the industrial agriculture machine.
Terminator technologies could keep these farmers alienated from their land and indebted to seed companies. “This is a technology that just needs to go away,” she says.
In the lively debate that followed, participants discussed the many dimensions and dangers of a technology that would prevent seed saving. The general consensus was that the moratorium on Terminator technology must continue. Only by resisting commercialization can we ensure farmers keep control over their crops.
Bill C-448 proposes to ban Terminator in Canada. Find out how you can get on board this movement!
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USC Canada
was founded by
Dr Lotta Hitschmanova in 1945. Our award-winning Seeds of Survival program promotes vibrant family farms, strong rural communities, and healthy ecosystems around the world.
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