FSC Contemplates Dropping GE Tree Ban, while USDA Considers Releasing GE Trees with Lucy Sharratt

Breaking Green

For decades, the Forest Stewardship Council also known as the FSC has had a core policy of prohibiting the commercial use of genetically engineered or genetically modified trees in its certification program. But that ban is currently under threat as commercial interests push for a plan that would have the FSC overseeing test plots of GE trees in what has euphemistically been called a learning project.
Currently the US government is also considering allowing the release of genetically engineered American chestnut trees into US forests. Along with opponents in North America, Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (also known as CBAN) has noted that this dangerous experiment threatens a spread of GE trees into Canadian forests as well.
CBAN has recently released a report The Global Status of Genetically Engineered Tree Development: A Growing Threat, which sheds light on the current status of efforts to genetically engineer trees for release into the wild and use on plantations.
In this episode of Breaking Green we will talk with Lucy Sharratt of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network.
Lucy Sharratt works in Halifax as the Coordinator of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network, also known as CBAN. CBAN brings together 16 groups to research, monitor and raise awareness about issues relating to genetic engineering in food and farming. CBAN members include farmer associations, environmental and social justice organizations, and regional coalitions of grassroots groups. Lucy previously worked as a campaigner and researcher on this issue at the Sierra Club of Canada and the Polaris Institute in Ottawa. Lucy also coordinated the International Ban Terminator Campaign which secured a strengthened global moratorium on genetically engineered sterile seed technology.
Lucy has a Master’s degree from the Institute of Political Economy at Carleton University and has authored numerous articles in various books on the subject of genetic engineering.
Don't miss this episode and subscribe to Breaking Green wherever you get your podcasts.
Report The Global Status of Genetically Engineered Tree Development: A Growing Threat
CBAN information on FSC
Stop GE Tree Petition to FSC
Stop GE Tree American Chestnut petition
This podcast is produced by Global Justice Ecology Project.

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Chapters

1. Breaking Green Introduction (00:00:00)

2. Episode Introduction (00:00:27)

3. Introduction of Lucy Sharrat (00:01:35)

4. What are GE Trees? (00:02:35)

5. What is concerning about GE trees? (00:04:22)

6. Are we going to seed forests with GE trees? (00:06:23)

7. Unintended Consequences (00:09:15)

8. Forest Stewardship Council and GE Trees (00:13:28)

9. FSC Membership Opposition (00:20:27)

10. Is the process being fast tracked and is there organized opposition? (00:22:43)

11. Commercial value of FSC dropping ban (00:26:38)

12. Looking Forward with the FSC (00:29:07)

13. Urgent New Issue (00:31:52)

14. Outro (00:33:39)