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For decades, the Forest Stewardship Council also known as the FSC has had a core policy of prohibiting the commercial use of genetically engineered or genetically modified trees in its certification program. But that ban is currently under threat as commercial interests push for a plan that would have the FSC overseeing test plots of GE trees in what has euphemistically been called a learning project.

Currently the US government is also considering allowing the release of genetically engineered American chestnut trees into US forests. Along with opponents in North America, Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (also known as CBAN) has noted that this dangerous experiment threatens a spread of GE trees into Canadian forests as well.

CBAN has recently released a report The Global Status of Genetically Engineered Tree Development: A Growing Threat, which sheds light on the current status of efforts to genetically engineer trees for release into the wild and use on plantations.

In this episode of Breaking Green we will talk with Lucy Sharratt of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network.

Lucy Sharratt works in Halifax as the Coordinator of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network, also known as CBAN. CBAN brings together 16 groups to research, monitor and raise awareness about issues relating to genetic engineering in food and farming. CBAN members include farmer associations, environmental and social justice organizations, and regional coalitions of grassroots groups. Lucy previously worked as a campaigner and researcher on this issue at the Sierra Club of Canada and the Polaris Institute in Ottawa. Lucy also coordinated the International Ban Terminator Campaign which secured a strengthened global moratorium on genetically engineered sterile seed technology.

Lucy has a Master’s degree from the Institute of Political Economy at Carleton University and has authored numerous articles in various books on the subject of genetic engineering.

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Report The Global Status of Genetically Engineered Tree Development: A Growing Threat

CBAN information on FSC

Stop GE Tree Petition to FSC

Stop GE Tree American Chestnut petition

This podcast is produced by Global Justice Ecology Project.

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