Tilson presents petition on genetically-modified alfalfa

June 19, 2013 · 0 Comments

Dufferin-Caledon MP David Tilson presented a petition signed by residents of his riding and surrounding areas in the House of Commons recently calling on the federal government to impose a moratorium on genetically modified (GM) alfalfa.
“There was a demonstration regarding genetically modified alfalfa outside my office in Orangeville and this petition was part of that,” Tilson said. “I committed to presenting this petition in the House of Commons, which I was pleased to do today.”
First approved by the government in 2005, GM alfalfa is nearing entry into the market in Canada, according to a press release issued Monday by Tilson’s office. Once the science has been analyzed and a GM crop has been approved for environmental release and obtained other appropriate regulatory approvals, it is considered to be like any other commodity crop. Growers are free to use it or not.
“I am informed that in Dufferin County and in Peel, there is little interest in this form of GM alfalfa as farmers in our area generally plant their alfalfa mixed with other grass varieties,” Tilson observed.