The Morrissey Report: Health Canada worked with Bayer to discredit valid science
Professor Christy Morrisey published several papers showing high levels of neonicotinoids in Canadian wetlands, including imidacloprid. She also provided unpublished data to Health Canada.
A ban was proposed in 2016 by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) of Health Canada, partly based on her data. It found “the continued high volume use of imidacloprid in agricultural areas is not sustainable”. (PRVD 2016-20)
But then the PMRA turned around and gave the unpublished data to Bayer, without the consent or knowledge of Morrissey. Bayer commissioned a report that called Morrissey’s studies and data “irrelevant” (because GPS coordinates for testing had not been provided).
Bayer also redid her testing, but under different conditions, and provided new water monitoring data that inflated the sample size to lower the concentrations.
Then, in 2021, the PMRA reversed its proposed ban, citing in part the Bayer provided data (Re-evaluation Decision RVD 2021-05 May 19, 2021).
Breach of Principles
This behaviour by PMRA …Read More
Capture of Health Canada by Syngenta – Abamectin
In the story of abamectin, there is evidence of capture: from PMRA working with Syngenta to set up the first residue levels, to PMRA discounting valid scientific findings, to accepting Syngenta’s spurious scientific rationale even when it runs against PMRA’s own policy, to not disclosing information that could damage the proposals requested by Syngenta.
New Glyphosate studies find risks with “on-label” preharvest use
Legal limits are exceeded even when spray labels are followed.
Conclusion of the Transformation Agenda: Nothing Transformed
On August 4, 2021, Health Canada announced:
it was pausing proposed increases to pesticide Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs), including for glyphosate
the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) would receive $42 million over three years “to further strengthen its human and environmental health and safety oversight and protection”- the Transformation Agenda.
Three years later, and $42 million later, nothing has been transformed. The PMRA is consulting on 4 proposed regulations, that do NOT strengthen protection from pesticides. Two of them do nothing, and two actually make matters worse.
This is despite the fact that PMRA received almost 20,000 comments from members of the public on the proposal to increase MRLs of glyphosate. It dismissed 94% of the comments, and intends to carry on as usual.
Proposed MRL Regulation
PMRA says in the consultation document that:
“the current MRL setting process protects human health and does not require changes”.
However, the current process does not protect human health. …Read More
Forest Spraying 3: Forest Fires
Glyphosate is the main pesticide being sprayed on Canadian forests, and it increases the risk of forest fires.
2023 Forest Fires
The 2023 forest fires in Canada were devastating and destructive. Almost 19 million hectares of forest were burned – markedly more than the previous average of 2.5 million hectares. Hundreds of fires exceeded 10,000 hectares and were considered ““megafires”. (NASA Earth Observatory) Some fires smoldered underground and are emerging as “zombies” fires.
Smoke emitted from the wildfires caused air quality alerts and evacuations in Canada and the United States. In late June, 2023, the smoke crossed the Atlantic, reaching Europe.
Contributing Factors
Climate change is considered a contributing factor. Warmer and drier weather makes vegetation more flammable, increasing the risk of fire.
The forest management practise of spraying with glyphosate is also a contributing factor, in at least two respects. First, spraying the forest with glyphosate- based herbicides dries down the forest even more. Second, …Read More
FOREST SPRAYING 2: UNSAFE FOOD
Glyphosate is the main pesticide being sprayed on Canadian forests. Spraying is a big a problem:
for people who forage, including First Nations
for forest animals
for hunters
People who forage
People who forage for forest plants are at risk. Two recent studies show that glyphosate persists in forest plants for years, including in wild blueberries and raspberries. The University of Northern British Columbia studies are: (1)“The presence of glyphosate in forest plants with different life strategies one year after application” (2) “Glyphosate remains in forest plant tissues for a decade or more”. (BC Forest Studies)
The first study tested plants one year after spraying, and found glyphosate in newly grown shoots and berries that were not sprayed, which was not expected. All the plants tested positive for glyphosate, with the highest levels found in the roots. The take away is glyphosate is stored in the roots in the dormant season and moves …Read More
Forest Spraying 1: Based on Faulty Approval
Pesticides are being sprayed on Canadian forests, killing the diversity of forest life. The resulting harms are plant and animal death, destruction of forest foods, and accelerating forest fires.
How is this allowed?
The registration approval for this use of pesticides comes from the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) of Health Canada, the agency responsible for “managing pests”. The licenses to spray are then granted by the provinces. (Quebec has banned forestry spraying since 2001.)
PMRA says that unwanted trees and brush are “pests”. Pests are defined in the “Pest Control” law to include “a plant… that is injurious, noxious or troublesome”.
So trees are a troublesome pest? The forest industry and PMRA think they are. The aim of industry is to “harvest” one type of tree “crop”, usually evergreens (conifers), and get rid of the leafy trees (broadleaf) that get in the way – the pests.
The PMRA Glyphosate Approval
Glyphosate …Read More
A Message of Hope, Light and Love
At this time of reflection and resolution, we offer you a message of Hope, Light and Love. We believe this trinity is quite powerful.
Powerful in the spiritual sense, as in “Hope springs eternal” “Light vanquishes darkness” “… and the greatest of these is Love”.
Also powerful strategically, when viewed in a certain way. Here is our thinking:
Consider Hope as goal-setting. A hope for world peace implies a goal “for something” .
Consider Light as the plan or the truth. It sets out the path for how to best get to the goal.
Consider Love as the power that fuels the work. It provides the energy to keep going.
This trinity works in achieving what you want. Take New Years’ resolutions: 1. set the resolution; 2. figure out how to get there; 3. keep at it.
At Safe Food Matters, we use the trinity in our work:
1. Our goals are safer …Read More
EU Renews Glyphosate – Kind of
The European Commission has officially renewed the registration of glyphosate at the European level. But it’s left much of the actual decision making to individual member states.
Desiccation is outlawed, and use within 60 days of harvest is not allowed on agricultural crops. (Safe Food Matters has been in court with Health Canada over this issue for years.)
Risks and assessments left to individual states include:
the coformulants (other ingredients) contained in GLY products
exposure of consumers from foods grown in fields where GLY was sprayed the year prior
protection of groundwater and surface water
risks to small animals
indirect effects on biodiversity
application by people who aren’t professionals
use in public areas
In some cases, the Commission said it wasn’t sure of the risks. It didn’t have good data on small animals, or methods to determine indirect effects on biodiversity, for example.
But it went ahead and approved the pesticide anyways. Various organizations …Read More
Europe to Ban Pre-Harvest Glyphosate on Crops – so should Canada
On November 16, 2023 the European Commission announced it is set to renew glyphosate in Europe for another 10 years, but will ban desiccation – where spraying occurs to kill the crop for easier harvest. Spraying before harvest to kill weeds will also not be allowed for 60 days prior to harvest on farmed crops (1).
