May 25, 2000 / Western Producer / Mary MacArthur Camrose bureau
The discovery of a small amount of genetically modified canola growing in European canola fields has Europeans in an uproar and Canadians scratching their heads.
Garry Moore, senior adviser with the foreign affairs office in Ottawa was quoted as saying, "You'd think we bombed them. There has been a small intermingling of GM canola through no fault of the company's and it's created an unholy uproar."
Moore was further cited as saying he is amazed at the attention generated by the news that canola originating in Canada and now grown in Europe contains trace amounts of genes from Roundup Ready canola.
Dale Adolphe, president of the Canola Council of Canada, was cited it's difficult for North Americans to understand the European reaction over the same canola that is made into margarine, which Canadians spread on their toast each morning, adding, "There is a sensitivity in Europe we can't understand in North America. It's a miniscule level of GM canola in a non-GM canola."
Tests showed Advanta's Hyola hybrid canola had .4 percent contamination from Roundup Ready canola.
Adolphe said it's not a food safety or food security issue, but rather the fact that GM canola was found in Europe where it's not allowed.
(posted without permission)
