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Letter: New Paradigm Shift?
June 7, 2012
Dear MVS,
I would like to see a new standard by which we measure our environment.
When we see manicured lawns with no signs of weeds and telltale signs of brown patches and stripes down the sides of driveways and around garden beds, we should register disgust and disdain. Warning bells should go off in our heads saying this is a toxic waste dump not a beautiful yard. We should know that it is oozing with chemicals, sprayed with round up (that it is nowhere near as safe as some people think), spread with weed and feed (2,4-D which is one of the two active ingredients in Agent Orange).
I think more and more people are becoming aware of the health risks of pesticides to ourselves and our planet. Many people I know, who used many pesticides no longer use them. It is becoming an embarrassment to be caught using these deadly poisons. There are still those that spread chemicals openly, or worse, the ones that hide behind the cloak of darkness. The late night sprayers! You can smell that unmistakable pesticide residue in the morning but not sure where it came from.
In a time of so much uncertainty each and every one of us should take responsibility.
What pesticides you apply kills others. It is impossible to hide from the chemicals.
Please take the new paradigm shift and see that completely weed free lawns and brown borders around the yard is really just a wolf in lamb’s clothing. He may trick you but he is only waiting with poison fangs.
Jane Emlyn
Lumby
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Richmond turns into GE Free Zone
Will Lumby and the Monashee be next?
May 29, 2012.
Local supporter of turning Lumby and the Monashee into a GE Free Zone have received another boost today.
Last night, Richmond City Council unanimously confirmed a decision to make the city a GE Free Zone. Following the initial unanimous decision by the General Purposes Committee on May 24, 250 Richmond residents turned out last night to support final approval at City Council.
The biotechnology industry lobby group CropLife presented in a failed effort to dissuade councilors from approving the resolution.
“Teachers, parents, farmers, high school students, and other ordinary citizens packed City Hall and spent almost 3 hours making presentations to Council,” said local agrologist Arzeena Hamir with the Richmond Food Security Society.
“We’re really proud of our City Council for taking this bold decision on our behalf. We hope that other communities can take similar action to stop these unwanted and unnecessary crops.” Richmond is a municipality of almost 200,000 people to the south of Vancouver in British Columbia and has about 200 farms.
The City of Richmond agreed to oppose the cultivation of genetically engineered (GE, also called genetically modified or GM) plants and trees in the City, making an exception for the 3 dairy farms that already grow GM corn. The resolution states, “no further GM crops, trees or plants should be grown in the City of Richmond. This also includes GM fruit trees, all GM plants and shrubbery, GM vegetables, GM commodity crops and any and all field tests for medical and experimental GM crops.
” The City also agreed to send letters to all levels of government “requesting strengthened management of genetically modified plants, and including the introduction of mandatory labelling requirements, more transparent assessment procedures and enhanced communication with the public.”
“There’s no room in our communities for crops like the proposed GM apple. We need to invest in organic farming rather than risk its future from GM contamination,” said Tony Beck of the Society for a GE Free BC.
“Last night, the industry tried to dismiss people's concerns about the safety of GM foods and crops but the public is right not to trust corporate tests that are kept secret from them and independent scientists.” said Dag Falck who presented at the meeting on behalf of Nature’s Path Foods which is headquartered in Richmond. “Local communities are stepping up to protect BC’s environment and economy,” said Lucy Sharratt of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network. “The markets for iconic and economically important BC products could soon be destroyed if genetically modified organisms like GM apples and GM salmon are introduced.”
The Richmond Food Security Society and the Society for a Genetically Free (GE) BC introduced the resolution in 2010. Richmond joins other GE free zones in British Columbia such as Powell River, Kaslo, Nelson, New Denver, and Rossland.
“If you care about the food you eat, turn Lumby and area into a GE free community, create food security for our area and build a resilient creative rural economy that includes local food” says local BeeSAFE activist Carla Vierke.
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OpEd:
Serious and negligent water quality issues
threated Area's D and E and the Village
April 23, 2012
By Huguette Allen
At a recent village meeting two items came to light that affect the way our taxes are used and the quality of the water starting at Bessette Creek and going into Shuswap River, Mabel lake, and so on.
Contrary to what was claimed during the elections and the prison debate, Lumby's sewage process has been in non-compliance. MOE (Ministry of Environment) allows the direct discharge of sewage into Bessette Creek on an Emergency permit but it appears that Lumby has been regularly discharging directly into Bessette Creek sewage containing fecal coliform.
Meanwhile extra sewage continues to be added to the load such as what may come out of the seniors facilities - high pollution sewage since it may contain very high levels of pharmaceuticals that that are not removed from traditional sewage treatment systems. Yet new eco-sanitation systems are available but perhaps they were never looked at since everyone has always been told that everything is fine.
The pollution from Lumby's sewage that enters Bessette Creek, a salmon stream, as well as the Shuswap River and Mabel Lake includes all sorts of endocrine disruptors, pharmaceuticals as well as bacteria and viruses. Doing what is necessary to reduce and eventually eliminate this pollution should be a priority, but it is not.
A "Water Park" has been prioritized:
The "Whitevalley Parks, Rec and Culture" committee which includes Councillor Ostafichuk, Director Foisy and Director Fairbairn, have already approved phase one - at the cost of $435,322 - of what is to become a grand "Water park". This 3 phase project will include other high cost facilities and require regular costly maintenance and will add to the community water bill. The water requirements have not been determined but whatever they are, they will be high, and they will add to an already taxed load.
Meanwhile April 22nd's Morning Star had an article entitled "Enderby Spray Park Closed" due to the high costs of maintenance and high cost of water. see: http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/148330555.html
How does this affect our taxes?
It turns out area D and E monies will contribute to this "Water Park" and that area D will receive the pollution into our creeks and our river. This pollution may also affect underground water, not just the creek water.
There is nothing about this in area D or E's OCP. When councillor Fisher asked when would tax payers be allowed to vote or when had they agreed to spend for this park she was told that it was "policy" and that as elected officials they didn't have to ask the public since they had been elected to make decisions.
Where do we go from here?
I would like our community to demonstrate our concerns regarding these issues; perhaps to appear as a delegation at the next "Whitevalley Parks, Recs & Culture" meeting to make it clear that we want our tax dollars to contribute to cleaning up our water - instead of adding more pollution in the name of entertainment, that we would like to go forward instead of backwards.
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Record Crowd Supports
"Local Food as Economic Motor"
January 27, 2012
Residents are reminded the second film in a four part series on Food Security is being presented. The World According To Monsanto , is being shown at the Cherryville Hall on Friday Jan. 27th. at 7 pm. free of charge .
On Thursday, over 100 people attended an event in Vernon seeking to make Local Food the Motor for Economic Development, showing the growing interest in this topic. The evening was sponsored by SENS, the Sustainable Environment Network Society.
"We wanted to give a big picture of how Local Food can be integrated in Economic Planning" said Huguette Allen, a SENS director who organized that evening. "There are exciting local and global initiatives working at making local food a larger part of the local economy, and we wanted to let people know how spending even a small fraction of our food dollars locally could add millions of dollars per year to the local economy, save farmland, increase health and food security. Then, when you integrate local food into what is called the "Creative Rural Economy" you multiply the revenues, create jobs in a variety of sectors, and build attractive, resilient and healthy communities."
Wendy Aasen of the Food Action Society stimulated great interest by explaining all the components of a community food system, showing that many are already in place while others are in the planning stage. Examples of how Vernon council is using local food in their economic plans were given by Brooke Marshall, Vernon's environmental planner and supported by Michelle Jefferson, of Vernon Tourism, who explained that tourists are increasingly looking not only to buy local produce, but to live the experience of a farm. The attractive slides of the Vernon area shown by Jefferson confirmed that the North Okanagan is a prime area for small diversified farms and orchards that can provide the diversity of food needed locally while being attractive to visitors.
"There is a new type of awareness about our food that has been developing for years but only seems to be coming out now" said Terry Dyck, a SENS director. This statement was supported by many of those presents during the open discussion part of the evening. There was agreement that people want to reconnect with their food, with the people who grow it, and want to know that what they eat will contribute to nourishing their families, not only to feed them.
A presentation given by Jane Emlyn and Carla Vierke of a new initiative called "Bee SAFE" stimulated a lot of questions and interest as to why they felt such a movement was needed. "We feel that Genetically Modified crops and extensive use of pesticides are a direct threat to organic growers because it simultaneously puts their livelihood in jeopardy while reducing consumer access to safe food. GM plants are cross pollinating with other plants while pesticides pollute our water, soil and air. Since GMO growers will not publicly identify themselves, we thought we would identify instead all the places where safe food and crops are being grown, so that we can encourage the production of safe food in a positive way" said Vierke.
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SAFE to open storefront
office in Lumby
July 21, 2012
A recent showing of the documentary “Food Inc” has added momentum to an already strong movement of locals – who are trying to pitch more “local”.
About 60 people ignored the winter weather to take in the event in Cherryville, the first of four films that revolved around food and agriculture. The effort garnered so much support that a new organization emerged from it – complete with financial support.
Called “Bee SAFE” which stands for Securing A Food Economy is now a local effort designed to promote an agriculture that is safe for the bees, bring food security to our area, and help build an economy that is healthy and can benefit everyone.
Organizers Huguette Allen, Carla Vierke and Jane Emlyn are pleased with the results so far.
“We have been offered an office on Vernon Street in Lumby as well as some financing for the rent. We aim to raise awareness about growing safe food, free from contamination from Genetically Modified crops (GMO) and from sprayed pesticides. We hope to provide information and educate through films , workshops , networking with communities and groups who are also interested in this goal and to identify those who support this vision”, says Carla Vierke
One of the goals of the group is to have all people who support its vision place a “Bee S.A.F.E” logo on their property that can then be identified on local maps. This will show where safe local food is grown and available.
They are also building a database of the skills, seeds, equipment and help that is available in our communities so people can help each other, trade equipment and learn how to grow local food “as nature intended”.
Communities across Canada are building their economic vision based on the new “creative rural economy” where culture, history, art, education, green industry and agri-tourism flourish. To learn more, organizers are encouraging people to attend, “Local Food and the Creative Economy” a presentation being held, Thursday January 26th at 7pm, at the Schubert Centre, 3505 30th Ave in Vernon.
In the meantime Carla Vierke is tasked with preparing their new space for a grand opening so she’s searching for office equipment, if you are able to help you can email her at carlaonsugar@hotmail.com or call her at 250-547-6292.
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Local food takes
centre stage in Cherryville
January 10, 2012
Local food activists are inviting everyone to watch the film “Food Inc”, Friday January 13th, free of charge at the Cherryville Community Hall.
“If you care about the food you eat, please join us even if you've seen this excellent film since after the film we will discuss how to make Lumby and area a GMO free community, create food security for our area and build a resilient creative rural economy that includes local food” said organizer Carla Vierke.
“Food Inc” is the first film in a 4 parts series that will be shown at the Cherryville Hall this winter to promote "GMO and Pesticide Free food".
Another event organizer, Huguette Allen expresses her concern about the local food landscape.
“Most of us have come to depend on the global food supply instead of on local food. Our access to the global food supply is dependent on stable population and food production, climate, stable transport system, stable politics, and stable prices. None of these are projected to be stable - population is growing while food production has peaked, climate instability is and will be playing havoc with crops, oil availability and prices will affect transport and prices of food, politics will change exports, and prices are projected to skyrocket. Add to this the diseases that are more and more common due to factory farm practices, and our vulnerability is truly in the danger zone.
Allen stresses that our local food supply has diminished considerably as have our knowledge, skills and abilities to store, process and use local food. Although we live in an area where we do have access to rural land and gardens, we produce very little of what we need to survive year round - most of us would starve if we had to survive on local food alone during 9 months of the year.
“Until 50 years ago, most Canadians ate a mostly local food diet year round surviving winter on root vegetables, stored apples and pears, canned and dried fruits and fermented or pickled vegetables - fresh oranges and bananas were available as a treat around special holidays only”, she said.
According to both Vierke and Allen, a local food economy would not mean that we would stop imports of coffee, oranges, bananas, etc... but that we will be able to stop imports of foods we can grow here as we learn to produce more of our mainstay foods - beans and grains, dairy products, meat, 75% of our vegetables and fruits - as we build the infrastructure and skills needed to store them properly, process them, and use them.
”A local food economy should be part of a "creative rural economy" that revolves around tourism, culture, history and the arts, and a number of sectors that make us resilient to the vagaries of the global economy,” said Allen.
“We hope that everyone who cares about the food we eat and the crops we grow will join us”, said Vierke.
The film starts at 7 pm and entrance is free of charge. For more information call Carla Vierke at 547-6292 or Huguette Allen at 547-0272.
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About Bovine Tuberculosis
What is bovine tuberculosis?
Tuberculosis is a contagious disease caused by an infection in the lymph nodes which is then spread to other organs like the lungs. This disease affects practically all mammals, and before control measures were adopted, was one of the major diseases of man and domestic animals.
What are the signs of disease?
Generally, enlarged lesions in lymph nodes or other tissues examined post-mortem can indicate the presence of the disease. In some instances, the disease only becomes apparent when it reaches an advanced stage. However, the disease organisms can lie dormant in the host for its lifetime without causing a progressive disease.
Nevertheless, if the disease is progressive, the general signs are weakness, loss of appetite, weight-loss and fluctuating fever. When the lungs are extensively diseased, there can be an intermittent, hacking cough.
How is this disease spread?
Tuberculous cattle with open lung lesions throw micro-droplets of the disease agent into the air by coughing. Adult cattle are infected by the inhalation of air-borne dust particles to which the disease agent attaches itself as well as contaminated feed and water facilities. Young calves may be infected by drinking unpasteurized infected milk.
Certain scenarios can create a considerable risk of transmission and introduction of tuberculosis into other herds. The movement of infected animals from one herd to another with subsequent extended close contact can increase this risk.
Can bovine tuberculosis be spread to humans?
Bovine tuberculosis may produce infection in humans. Owners and handlers of infected cattle are at risk. Anyone who may have come in direct contact with infected animals should seek medical advice. Quarantining of the premises ensures that no other humans can come in direct contact with the infected cattle or premises.
How is bovine tuberculosis controlled in Canada?
Bovine tuberculosis is a reportable disease in Canada. When it is reported, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) follows a strict testing and eradication program. Regulations require that all infected animals as well as all exposed susceptible animals be destroyed. This is the only proven way to eliminate the disease.
Because 95 percent of all commercial animals slaughtered are sent to a federal abattoir, the CFIA uses an abattoir surveillance system which looks primarily for tuberculosis-like lesions in the lymph nodes of slaughtered animals.
When a farm has been declared infected, it is immediately put under quarantine and the provincial health department in the area of the known infection is alerted.
Are owners of cattle ordered destroyed compensated by the federal government?
Owners can be compensated up to the maximum amount established under the Health of Animals Act.
What measures are taken for cleaning and disinfecting a farm?
The owner is responsible for cleaning and disinfection of infected premises. Cleaning and disinfection can be carried out only after all the animals ordered destroyed have left the premises. Once a CFIA inspector has confirmed that the premises have been cleaned and disinfected, the quarantine can be lifted. The owner must wait 30 days before the premises can be restocked. Replacement animals will be tested at specified intervals for a period of up to four years. If the owner waits one year before restocking, no testing will be required.
What can owners do to ensure their cattle do not have tuberculosis?
There is no preventative treatment to protect animals from becoming infected with tuberculosis. Cattle buyers can require that animals be tested before purchasing. However, this does not provide 100 percent guarantee. Some infected livestock seem to be in prime condition, showing no evidence of infection until they are slaughtered. In some instances, the disease organisms lie dormant within the host's body for its lifetime, both in animals and in humans, without causing progressive disease.
How do I get more information?
Western Area: 403-292-4301
You can find your local CFIA District Office
on the CFIA website at www.inspection.gc.ca
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Food & Farm
GMO Fight Hits Home
June 6, 2011
For Area D resident Huguette Allen it is yet another uphill battle to protect the environment and secure our local food supply.
This time it’s the looming threat of Genetically Modifies Organisms (GMO) and corporate food producers trying to manipulate farming and food production. Allen’s in the company of a growing number of critics trying to raise awareness about GMO creeping into our food supply with the latest threat being GMO Alfalfa.
“The government needs to put a moratorium in place immediately while there is still a chance to protect what is a vitally important crop to farmers from genetic contamination,” says New Democrat Agriculture Critic, Alex Atamanenko (British Columbia Southern Interior), who believes stopping Monsanto from registering its GMO alfalfa, already approved by Canada’s Health and Environment agencies, a top priority.
Atamanenko says alfalfa is not only important to conventional farming but it is a particularly valuable crop to organic farmers who use it to fix nitrogen and as a soil-building component in their crop rotations. “Farmers have been clear – they don’t want or need Monsanto’s genetic manipulation of one of nature’s most perfect crops.”
For Allen it was a passionate plea to the Village of Lumby and then the North Okanagan Regional District to make the region a GMO Free Zone.
She told local media that there is a need to be concerned about genetically modified plants and their potential impact.
“The more we know about genetically modified plants, the more dangerous we know they are - it’s an experiment being waged on people,” she said.
Allen believes there are genetically modified plants already being used in the North Okanagan and she would like communities to take a stand.
“I hope Lumby will be a genetically engineered free zone so when other things go on the market, we can send a clear message that we don’t want it,” she said.
But Allen insists that declaring Lumby or the North Okanagan a genetically modified free zone would not be a ban or restrict farmers’ activities.
“It would not be just legally binding. It would be just an opportunity to educate farmers.”
According to Alex Atamanenko, Prime Minister Harper has refused to act on his earlier motion calling for a moratorium in Canada as well as his call to urge President Obama to reverse a recent US decision to allow the unrestricted cultivation of Monsanto’s Roundup Ready alfalfa in the US. “It is only a matter of time before unwanted genes from the US will begin to turn up in Canadian fields and Harper’s refusal to intervene with the US decision is a complete abdication of his responsibility to protect Canadian farmers,” noted Atamanenko.
Atamanenko recently lost the battle to protect Canadian farmers from the loss of their markets as a result GMO contamination when his private members bill C-474 was defeated in the House of Commons. The Liberals and Conservatives subsequently initiated a Committee study on the biotech industry which is currently ongoing.
“I am encouraged to see at least some signs that the Committee is responding to the many impassioned pleas we have heard from number of witnesses to stop the introduction of Monsanto’s Roundup Ready alfalfa,” concluded Atamenenko. “I will certainly be supporting the committee motion just introduced by Liberal Wayne Easter recommending a moratorium on GMO alfalfa until further research is completed.”
For both Allen and Atamenenko educating other decsionamkers is an uphill battle. After Allens presentation to Lumby Village Council, Mayor Kevin Acton commented, “She has a compelling story.”
However, no decision was made by council which says they will research issues surrounding genetically modified plants and seeds.
“It warrants having a look at - I’m not a scientist. I don’t know much about it,” said Acton.
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farm
October 17, 2013
Bullish on the real news in the Monashee
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