Do you want to live a healthy life? Are you concerned about your food?
Come and learn about how current farming practices, genetically engineered (GE) foods and the related increased use of herbicides may be affecting your health and our planet.
GE Watch Comox Valley is hosting an important forum called Your Health and Generically Engineered Foods on Nov. 14 at the Filberg Centre in Courtenay starting at 7 p.m.
Speakers include Dr. Thierry Vrain, a former director of research with Agriculture Canada. Dr. Vrain is now an organic farmer and GE-free activist in the Comox Valley. He will share the reasons why he has changed his thinking about GE crops.
Also speaking is Jan Slomp, a dairy farmer from Alberta, and member of the National Farmers Union, who will focus on sustainable agriculture through soil improvement and animal health. He was involved in the movement to ban the use of bovine growth hormone in the dairy industry in Canada in 1999.
The third presenter is Colin Palmer, the chair of the Powell River Regional District. Palmer was instrumental in getting the First GE Free Crop Zone in Canada for Powell River in 2004.
While the GE corn currently being grown in the Comox Valley is only used as animal feed, primarily to dairy cows, much of the food purchased from mainstream food manufacturers contains GE products.
Susan Holvenstot, chair of the Comox Valley Growers and Seed Savers, says, "Many processed foods in the supermarket contain GE soybean, corn, canola, and cotton seed oil. Also most beet sugar (not cane sugar) is probably genetically engineered. Although we don't have mandatory labelling yet, I don't purchase any of those items."
All are invited to attend, and learn about the food revolution that is sweeping the country. This is the kickoff event of a GE-Free speaking tour across Canada, featuring Dr. Vrain, and Shiv Chopra, the whistle blower of the recombinant bovine growth hormone saga at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in 1998. They plan to visit over 100 towns.
Admission is by donation, and more details are available at GEwatch@live.com or call Linda at 250-331-0681. This event is co-hosted by the local Council of Canadians and GE Watch Comox Valley.
— GE Watch Comox Valley