Video of Dr. Thierry Vrain in Surrey; India’s own Monsanto Protection Act; GMO alfalfa comes to Canadian fields

Edited and compiled  by Raoul Bedi, BASc (www.biofield.ca ). This is a sampling of some important articles and campaigns in the world of anti-GMO activism during the month of June 2013. 

1. Dr. Thierry Vrain in Surrey, BC  – A Critique of GE Agriculture

By Tony Mitra

Dr. Thierry Vrain

Dr. Thierry Vrain visited Surrey, BC on June 5 to address the general public at the Northwood United Church. He made an hour long speech accompanied by  a powerpoint presentation projected on a large screen behind him. Thierry, in his soft and patient manner, untangles the long story of how  GMOs came to interest farmers on the promise of lowering labour for weed and pest control efforts, by replacing it with easily available and applicable pesticides, and also by using specialized genetically engineered crops that are either tolerant to specific pesticide/herbicides or produce toxins themselves, that would kill the pests without the need for additional pesticide. That, initially, worked like magic, and saved a lot of labour for the farmers. But, the gain proved to be short lived, while the damage and danger, turned out to be rather ominous for the health of  people as well as the sustainability of a biologically diverse ecology.

“March against Monsanto” in Toronto and Vancouver and around the planet

Toronto March on Monsanto Saturday May 25. Local citizens march in solidarity with others around the world. Photographer Robert Bright wondered where the media were. Is this not news?

Robert Bright reports on the Toronto March against Monsanto:

SPECIAL TO THE BOVINE: On a chilly, but sunny Saturday afternoon in Toronto, I made my way down to St. James Park on King Street East between Jarvis and Church Streets.  Despite the chill, I decided against wearing a jacket so I could prominently display my snazzy, new “Monsanto – Biohazard” t-shirt.  (It was a toss-up between this shirt or my, “OMG! GMO! WTF!?” t-shirt.)  Strolling up Jarvis Street from The St. Lawrence Market I felt exhilarated to be going to my first protest march in years.

Dr. Thierry Vrain on GMO dangers; March against Monsanto May 25th

A: Introduced and compiled by Raoul Bedi, BASc:

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In my May 1, 2013 two part article, on the work of Vandana Shiva and major milestones achieved in the overall anti-GMO  movement, that was published exclusively in The Bovine, and that has since gone viral across North America, I acknowledged some of the major food security and anti-GMO activists of our time.