Make your Community GM Crop Free before pharmaceutical Crops contaminate your food supply.

For years we've actively campaigned local as well as provincial and federal governments, to become GE-Free. Members have given private and public presentations and handed MPs Colin Mayes & Mel Arnold written bills urging them to present them in the House of Commons. Members have handed Regional District of the North Okanagan directors, as well as various mayors and councils, motions they could use to stop GM Crops.  None of this has yet been done, which is why we felt we had to start the Bee SAFE movement.

Since then, we've given more presentations, have shown films, held events and garden tours, and have allowed citizens in Cherryville and Rural Lumby to vote as to whether they want agriculture that is GMO FREE. Over 93% of voters said they want GM Contamination stopped.

Once GM crops are grown, they contaminate all wild and cultivated plants in the same family that are within reach of pollination by wind or insect. So if we want to keep our food supply healthy, we need to stop GM contamination. GMOs are dangerous to our health.

Already sweet corn is contaminated. 33% of the sweet corn sold in markets and stores throughout BC is GMO. Already Canola test plots have been grown in the riding, and repeatedly sprayed with dangerous chemicals that are banned in Europe. At least one of those plots was within close distance to a primary school yard and was sprayed numerous times during the school year.

The next GM crops to be approved are GM apple, GM fish, GM trees, GM alfalfa, GM pharmacrops. These turn ordinary plants such as corn into factories that can produce antibiotics, insulin, blood thinners, cancer drugs.... In the US, pharma corn has been proven to contaminate other crops. If you want to make sure the food you grow or buy is not contaminated with antibiotics or blood thinners, then you must fight GM CROPS IN YOUR OWN COMMUNITY.

SPEAK UP:

1. Be convinced. Read the information provided on this website and understand that government is not protecting our food supply and that it's up to us, to you, to act on this and that acting is urgently needed if we want clean water, clean air, and healthy food that is not corporately controlled.

2. Tell your mayor and council or area director, your MLA and MP, you want your community protected from GM contamination and that you expect them to take action immediately to stop new GM crops from being planted. Urge them to act in their capacity as elected leader to rid your community of existing crops. Send them an email and please copy beesafemonashees@gmail.com so we can keep track of the support for GMO free communities.

3. Hold a public presentation. If you don't get a satisfactory answer from your mayor or director within one week, phone or email again requesting they have you come as a delegation - this will allow you to speak to council for 10 minutes. Either use this as a base or let Bee SAFE know immediately and we will send you a 10 minute verbal presentation you can make. If you feel you need more expertise, we will accompany you and be willing to answer questions from council.

4. Hold a vote?If your elected officials do not act, then hold a vote in your community. This requires getting lots of public attention first, so make sure to write local media, and have voting ballots and boxes available in public places for at least one month to give everyone a chance to vote. Contact us if you need help setting this up.

5. If all else fails, GM crops will have to be eradicated by other means. Can GM growers be persuaded to change?  Many are now doing this.  In Europe, GM crops were eradicated. Let us know what your thoughts are and let us continue to do all we can to stop polluting agriculture and to build healthy communities.

Less Guilt - More Action!