Reversal of CFIA decision on gene edited seed is needed!
Reversal of CFIA decision on gene edited seed is needed!
This article was originally published by the National Farmers Union – May 13, 2023
On May 3, 2023 Agriculture Minister Bibeau approved the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) regulatory guidance on gene-edited genetically engineered (genetically modified or GM) plants and seed, making many of these products exempt from regulation. Instead, it lets private companies decide if their own products are safe for the environment — and put them on the market without revealing they are gene-edited.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister should reverse the decision reversed, and mandatory, independent safety assessments and mandatory reporting …Read More
Safe Food Matters Goes Back to Court June 13 with Health Canada on Glyphosate
On June 13, 2023, Safe Food Matters returns to federal court in its ongoing battle with Health Canada over glyphosate, Canada’s most widely used herbicide.
This is the first step in our second lawsuit against Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) for re-registering this harmful pesticide. We are seeking documents to show what’s really going on behind closed doors at the PMRA.
Why? Because something’s not right. In February, 2022, the Federal Court of Appeal ordered the PMRA to review our “Notice of Objection” for a second time – and the Court even provided “Guidance” to PMRA on how to address the issues. But PMRA did not follow the Guidance.
More than that, PMRA bent over backward to not address the concerns we raised. PMRA rewrote history. PMRA made up totally new legal tests. PMRA defied the rules of procedural fairness. It is clear PMRA does not want a review panel, even though the law allows for it.
So what’s going on?
We Are Making A Difference on Pesticides
We are Safe Food Matters Inc., and we’re making a difference on pesticides. Our highlights from 2022 include: winning on glyphosate in Canada’s Federal Court of Appeal; obtaining Monsanto confidential test data on glyphosate MRLs; becoming a charity; and suing Health Canada for rejecting public participation in pesticide decision-making.
We hope you’ll consider making a charitable donation to us, because we ARE making a difference. You can donate here.
Federal Court of Appeal: Glyphosate
In February, 2022, we won our case on glyphosate in Canada’s Federal Court of Appeal. The Court ordered Health Canada’s PMRA to look at our objections to the 2017 …Read More
SAFE FOOD MATTERS SUES AGAIN ON GLYPHOSATE
November 2, 2022. Safe Food Matters Inc. has launched its second lawsuit against Health Canada over its 2017 re-registration of glyphosate. It claims Health Canada, through the Pest Management Regulatory Agency, acted unreasonably and unfairly when on September 29, 2022 it rejected the group’s objections for the second time.
Safe Food Matters initially sued PMRA in 2019, lost in federal court, then appealed. The appeal was successful and on February 2, 2022, the Federal Court of Appeal directed PMRA to reconsider the objections, and to follow the Guidance of the Court when doing so.
The Court issued the Guidance to avoid the …Read More
It’s Time to Ban Glyphosate!
Glyphosate, the world’s most-used herbicide, is almost impossible to avoid. Glyphosate is in your water, in much of of the food you eat, in the soils growing that food, in forests, rivers and streams, and in wildlife.
The science is clear to us. Glyphosate is harming our health and the environment. Yet pesticide regulators are still “monitoring” the science and refusing to take action.
On September 15, 2022 the courageous film producer, Jennifer Baichwal, filed a citizen’s petition to Parliament to ban glyphosate and to reduce pesticide use. Until January 13, 2023, residents of Canada can take action by signing Petition e-4127. …Read More
Comments on Targeted Review of PCPA
Some types of Foods Affected by Pesticides, Gene-editing
This post provides the detailed comments submitted by Safe Food Matters to the Pest Management Regulatory Agency’s (PMRA’s) consultation on the “Targeted Review” of the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA).
Comments SFM on Dis Dic 2022-01vFinalDownload
By way of background, In Summer, 2021, there was public outcry to proposed increases to “maximum residue limits” of pesticides in food, and this consultation was the result. Discussion Document 2022-01 set out 3 objectives, and asked for answers to questions on each. The list was set out in Annex 3.
We previously wrote about …Read More
Consultation on Targeted Review of Pesticides Act: Real-World Data and Independence
This post is about providing comments on the third objective of the Pest Management Regulatory Agency’s (PMRA’s) consultation on the “Targeted Review” of the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA).In Summer, 2021, there was public outcry to proposed increases to “maximum residue limits” of pesticides in food, and this consultation (set out in Discussion Document 2022-01) is the result. The extended deadline for comments is June 30, 2022.Below at the heading “Objective 3 – Increased Use of Real-word Data and Independent Advice/Evidence” are our comments on the third and last objective. Our thoughts on the first and second objectives were provided …Read More
Consultation on Targeted Review of Pesticides Act: MRLs and continous oversight
The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) is consulting with the public on the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA). In Summer, 2021, there was public outcry to proposed increases to “maximum residue limits” of pesticides in food, and this consultation is the result. The deadline is June 30, 2022.
Discussion Document 2022-01 sets out 3 objectives, and asks for answers to questions on each. The list is in Annex 3.
Here are our thoughts on the first objective, “Modernized Business Processes” and related questions.
NOTE: This consultation is on a “Targeted Review” of the PCPA, but PMRA says it will also take comments on …Read More
Consultation on Targeted Review of Pesticides Act: Improved Transparency
This post is about providing comments on the second objective of the Pest Management Regulatory Agency’s (PMRA’s) consultation on the “Targeted Review” of the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA). In Summer, 2021, there was public outcry to proposed increases to “maximum residue limits” of pesticides in food, and this consultation (set out in Discussion Document 2022-01) is the result. The extended deadline for comments is June 30, 2022.Below at the heading “Objective 2 – Improved Transparency” are our comments on the second objective. Our thoughts on the third and last objective, “Increased Use of Real-word Data and …Read More
Glyphosate MRL Proposal Not Based on Sound Science
PMRA’s Proposal to increase glyphosate in legumes is not consistent with science or the law
Here’s an update to the glyphosate MRL story, the story of Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency’s (PMRA) proposal to permit more glyphosate in foods. Safe Food Matters Inc. (SFM) and Prevent Cancer Now (PCN) received information on the “confidential test data” underlying PMRL 2021-10 (the Proposal). The data was received from PMRA on January 28, 2022, more than eight months after the date it was requested, May 12, 2021.
The groups report that the scientific and legal basis for the Proposal is ill-founded. This article provides a summary …Read More
