http://www.thestarphoenix.com/business/Farm+union+targets+trade+pact+with+Europe/3674004/story.html
Farm union targets trade pact with Europe
By Hannah Scissons, Saskatoon StarPhoenix October 14, 2010
SASKATOON — The trade agreement being negotiated between Canada and the European Union ultimately will be just another tool for large corporations, says the National Farmers Union.
On Thursday, the organization launched a campaign against the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, saying "draconian" provisions in the agreement would virtually eliminate the age-old practice of farmers saving and reusing seed from their crops.
The NFU obtained a draft of the agreement and said it contains provisions that a farmer's land, equipment and crops could be seized — and bank accounts frozen — if the farmer was accused of infringement of intellectual property rights attached to plant varieties owned by global corporations such as Monsanto, Bayer and Syngenta.
"I think very quickly, this would generate a culture of fear in the countryside because farmers can't defend themselves against those entities," said Terry Boehm, president of the NFU.
Farmers essentially would be forced to purchase seed annually — regardless of whether they've saved their seed from the year before — resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in increased expense, he said.
In addition, the trade agreement would take away the ability of municipal and provincial governments to favour locally produced goods and services and open the door for multinational companies to stake claims to such public services as drinking water provision and health care, said Boehm.
When contacted for comment, the federal government did not make anyone available for an interview but supplied a statement from International Trade Peter Minister Van Loan. He pointed out an agreement with the EU has the potential to increase trade by more than 20 per cent.
"Canada is committed to negotiating a comprehensive agreement that will open doors for business and help create jobs for Canadians," Van Loan said.
© Copyright (c) The StarPhoenix
Farm union targets trade pact with Europe
By Hannah Scissons, Saskatoon StarPhoenix October 14, 2010
SASKATOON — The trade agreement being negotiated between Canada and the European Union ultimately will be just another tool for large corporations, says the National Farmers Union.
On Thursday, the organization launched a campaign against the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, saying "draconian" provisions in the agreement would virtually eliminate the age-old practice of farmers saving and reusing seed from their crops.
The NFU obtained a draft of the agreement and said it contains provisions that a farmer's land, equipment and crops could be seized — and bank accounts frozen — if the farmer was accused of infringement of intellectual property rights attached to plant varieties owned by global corporations such as Monsanto, Bayer and Syngenta.
"I think very quickly, this would generate a culture of fear in the countryside because farmers can't defend themselves against those entities," said Terry Boehm, president of the NFU.
Farmers essentially would be forced to purchase seed annually — regardless of whether they've saved their seed from the year before — resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in increased expense, he said.
In addition, the trade agreement would take away the ability of municipal and provincial governments to favour locally produced goods and services and open the door for multinational companies to stake claims to such public services as drinking water provision and health care, said Boehm.
When contacted for comment, the federal government did not make anyone available for an interview but supplied a statement from International Trade Peter Minister Van Loan. He pointed out an agreement with the EU has the potential to increase trade by more than 20 per cent.
"Canada is committed to negotiating a comprehensive agreement that will open doors for business and help create jobs for Canadians," Van Loan said.
© Copyright (c) The StarPhoenix