Food Agency Accused of Funding Propaganda
SOURCE: CBC-Radio
PROGRAM: WORLD REPORT
DATE: OCTOBER 11, 2000
CFIA ACCUSED OF FUNDING PROPAGANDA ON GMO'S
JUDY MADDREN (CBC-R): The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is being accused of funding a propaganda campaign to promote genetically modified foods. The charge comes after a supplement appeared in the October edition of Canadian Living magazine. David McKie has the story.
DAVID MCKIE (Reporter): The Canadian Food Inspection Agency describes the supplement as a primer, intended to answer consumer questions about genetically modified foods. The eight-page supplement discussed how genetically modified foods are produced, how many products the Agency has approved so far, and how the Agency ensures the food is safe to eat.
What wasn't included were comments from groups concerned about the safety of GM foods. They included Canadian geneticist David Suzuki, the Council of Canadians, and Greenpeace. Their comments were in an original version a writer had prepared for the magazine supplement, but Michael Khoo of Greenpeace says the Food Inspection Agency had his comment removed from the final text.
MICHAEL KHOO (Greenpeace Spokesperson): Somewhere along the line they had a change of heart, or they got scared that the Canadian public might actually hear some of the concerns that scientists and groups like Greenpeace have about GMOs. They thought, we'd better silence that opinion.
MCKIE: Bart Billmer is responsible for GM foods at the Food Inspection Agency. He denied Canadian Living magazine was ordered to remove negative comments from the final text.
BART BILLMER (Canadian Food Inspection Agency, responsible for GM foods): It was their job to develop the story and not ours. We were... We sponsored the development of it, but our role behind that was the fact checker.
MCKIE: But Canadian Living is telling a different story. A public relations consultant hired by the magazine told CBC News that GM food opponents did not meet with the intentions of the Food Inspection Agency.
David McKie, CBC News, Ottawa.