Let's protect the bees!

If you think bees are important for our fruit growing community please take steps to join efforts to protect the bee population!

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Lumby holds its 1st March Against Monsanto!

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MEDIA RELEASE - BeeSafe Monashees

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 4^th December 2013

About 250 people came to hear scientist Thierry Vrain's recent presentation on “Genetically Modified Foods and Human Health”, in Vernon last week. Dr. Vrain clearly demonstrated the dangers associated with GM crops. As a geneticist who worked with agriculture Canada for 30 years, Dr. Vrain fully understands why farmers were attracted to the promises of GM crops. However, now that independent science is available and that the initial promises have proven empty, he warns of the dangers of letting these crops continue to proliferate and contaminate the soil, water, and food supply.

Among the issues discussed, Dr. Vrain insisted on the fact that GM crops were never independently tested prior to their release. Test results were given to governments by the same corporations that profited from the sales of the GM seeds and the pesticides used to grow them.

He then spoke of how GM corporate interests are now permeating not only government, but also science as industry finances universities and corporate officials sit on boards of scientific journals.

Dr. Vrain was in Vernon as part of a cross-Canada tour he is doing most often accompanied by Dr. Shiv Chopra, the author of “Corrupt to the Core” a book that tells “what happens when your government chooses to Side-Step Scientific Truth”. Dr. Chopra is the scientist who, when working for Health Canada, refused to sign up on the Bovine Growth Hormone. Unfortunately dr. Chopra was not able to be in Vernon but his speech on the “Canada's Food: the most toxic on the planet” can be heard on BeeSafeMonashees.org

Dr. Chopra talks of how hormones, antibiotics, slaughterhouse waste, GMO and pesticides – and are all in our food system illegally, making Canadian food the most toxic in the entire planet. Europe, in comparison, bans or regulates four out of the five unwanted contaminants.

Both scientists are donating their time to inform people about the danger of corporate food, and the need to act now, and not wait for politicians, in order to take the power back from corporatocracy. Farmers and growers take note: In Vernon, as in other places across BC, people all stand up and cheer when asked “Would you support your region becoming GMO Free?” !

-30-

 

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Readers write - who represents the people?

The article below is in response to the Morning Star's article entitled "GMO issue sent to regional board" published October 23rd, 2013.

If Advisory Committee won't advise and Representative won't represent, who can people count on?

Since NORD was unwilling to make a decision on supporting, or not supporting the resolution proposed by BeeSAFE to be a GMO free community, they formed the RAAC over a year ago. The role of this committee was to advise NORD on this issue so they could make the decision.

The proof of contamination has been admitted by the committee itself showing that co-existence is impossible.

For director Macnabb, chair of the committee to now refuse to give advice makes a mockery of the entire process and of the hundreds of people who showed up at meetings or wrote letters asking NORD to protect organic and conventional growers. It is also an insult to committee members who took their responsibility seriously.

The two communities in RDNO that held a vote on GMO both voted over 90% to become GE FREE.  At UBCM 60% of community leaders voted to ask the province to make all of BC GE FREE. For the chair to now refuse to give advice on this matter is unacceptable. It is a blatant diversionary tactic and a clear refusal to represent the public who has spoken clearly on this matter.

The actions, or non-actions of director Macnabb, have made it clear from the beginning he has been opposed to our region working to be GE FREE.  Further proof came when he took the mic at UBCM  to urge other leaders to not support the resolution to make BC GE FREE.

Clearly director Macnabb should step down as chair of this committee.

Director Macnabb states," the people can make their own choice". They already have. Yet NORD continues to defer this issue, to neither accept the votes that have occurred or do their own referendum, even though they have been informed that time is of great importance. This is a clear indication that NORD is refusing to represent the people.

 

The recent charges against NORD for not doing due diligence in protecting the water of this area can also apply to this. Despite having been clearly informed about the severe environmental, health and economic risks associated with allowing GM crops to continue, they are not protecting our area from further contamination while being completely aware that by not making a decision, they are allowing further contamination.

If the board on Nov. 6th. cannot make a decision based on the will of the people, if they refuse to accept the votes that have occurred as representative, then they must call for a referendum without delay.

Huguette Allen, Jane Emlyn, Carla Vierke

co-founders, Bee SAFE 

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March against Monsanto!

It is an idea born of the frustration felt by a mother over Monsanto's Genetically Modified seeds and the chemicals used to grow them. On Saturday, people all over the world will "March against Monsanto" to advocate solutions that protect the bees, the environment, and our health. Bring a sign and join the March in Vernon:

WHEN: Saturday May 25th, at 11 AM
 

WHERE: Starts at Colin Mayes' office, 3105 29th street, then a walk through downtown to MLA Eric Foster's office and back to MP's office.

 
WHY: to advocate solutions to food production that protect us against Monsanto's GM crops. 

 

For more info: www.BeeSafeMonashees.org

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Readers write - Crowd gathers in Cherryville to oppose Spraying

On Saturday June 30th, close to 100 people gathered in Cherryville to mark their opposition to the Ministry of Forests' plan to spray 20,000 litres of pesticides at the headwaters of the Shuswap and to tell the Province they want “Health restoration Programs” not further degradation programs.

“The Upper Shuswap River watershed includes protected areas, the interior rainforest, the Monashee Provincial Park, all of which will be affected by spraying against the Looper moth” said Carla Vierke as she welcomed people from as far as Ashton Creek to Saturday's rally. “The Ministry of Forest tells us that this spray program has been planned since 2008, showing how pesticides have become an integral part of the Province's arsenal to manage forests for the logging industry. Healthy forests that have plant diversity that provide balanced habitat for a variety of species have no need to spray” continued Vierke.
 

Aline Piche, who spoke on behalf of the Cherryville Water Stewards whose motto is “Protect the Source” was followed by Don Elzer who published extensively in MyValleySun.com and said that he worried about the conflicting information coming out of the Province regarding the caribou. “Who is looking after the impacts of what is happening in the forests? BC Parks tell us that spraying is necessary to protect critical cedar-hemlock habitat for Caribou while the provincial government tells us the Caribou herd's low numbers cannot be sustained, so they are allowing it to become extinct. Naturalists argue that numbers are higher than claimed and that abandoning the herd would open the area up to more logging and heli-skiing in what is sensitive Caribou range. What are we to believe?”
 

Of further concern to Bee SAFE is the fact that contrary to the claims made by the Ministry, Foray 48B is no inoffensive to other species and is not a solution to restoring forest health. Huguette Allen: “Working with nature is the solution, not against it. The Journal of Pesticide Reform of McGill University says that large applications of B.t (the active ingredient in Foray 48B) can have far reaching ecological impacts, dramatically reducing numbers and variety of moths and butterfly species, further impacting birds and mammals that feed on caterpillars. And Foray 48B affects mammals including humans, causing corrosive damage to eyes, skin, digestive systems, provoking cancers, allergies, asthma. We don't need the surfactants, sulphuric acid, and other contaminants used as inert ingredients in our watershed. Bee SAFE's letter to the Ministry made it clear that we're concerned that spraying is motivated by economic factors instead of ecological factors.”

As the rain started pelting down on everyone, Priscilla Judd sang a song she'd written expressly for the rally linking clearcut mountainsides, to recent mud slides, and pesticides. As people stood under umbrellas and rain coats, holding up their signs for all to see, Carla Vierke reminded everyone that this rally was only the beginning, hat although 100 people could not immediately stop the helicopters, their perseverance would win out as long as they remained determined to take back the forest.

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Readers write - No spray demonstration.

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Planting seeds gaining popularity in Lumby -- Bee SAFE workshop standing room only!

Media Release, for Immediate Release

LUMBY, March 10th, 2012.

On Friday March 9th, close to 20 people attended a workshop on acquiring seeds and producing successful seedlings at the Bee SAFE office in Lumby. This workshop given by Jane Emlyn, was the first of many to follow, and will be given again on Friday March 16th, from 3 to 4 PM due to popular demand. 

"More and more people want to start growing their own food and realize they can do it without using expensive chemicals" said Emlyn. "I only have a small plot of land myself, right in downtown Lumby, and yet I manage to grow most of the vegetables my family eats for most of the year. We are seeing more and more people wanting to eat organic food and knowing where it comes from".

More Bee SAFE workshops are planned and posted on the website at beesafemonashees.org. Upcoming workshops include "How to encourage wild bees" by Sharon Lawrence and "Permaculture Design and Principles" by Gord Hiebert of EcoDesign. Entrance is by donation. Evening workshops are also in the planning and Bee SAFE encourages everyone to let them know of workshops they would like to see as well as of the times when they are available to take them by phoning 778-473-3029 or emailing info@beesafemonashees.org

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