Food Issues: World Food Day

World Food Day was held on October 12, 2013. It was a global day of action to raise awareness of the need for safe, healthy food and to educate about problems with GMOs (genetically modified food) and the companies that produce them (like Monsanto).

Around 500 people gathered in End of Steel Park to listen to speeches on topics ranging from the corporate takeover of our food to the importance of bees to the ethics of fluoride in our drinking water. We also marched around Whyte Avenue.

One of the most interesting parts of the event for me was hearing organic farmers speak about the impact of corporations in their work, and the danger they feel exist from using seeds that are GMO. Most of these farmers drove several hours to make it to the rally, and admitted they felt rather out of their element!

Of course, in case anyone got hungry, the vegan food truck Sailin' On was available on their last service of the season. All of their food was non-GMO. I had a vegan "BLT" with the "B" replaced with coconut.

To view videos of the event, including speeches and footage from the march, just get started with the video posted below or just click here.

Food Issues: March Against Monsanto

In April, I attended a rally against the use of genetically modified alfalfa. At that time, I heard rumblings of a major rally to take place in May against genetically modified foods in general, aimed specifically against the corporate giant Monsanto.

May 25 was the March Against Monsanto. It was a global day of action that saw many thousands of people around the world marching for food security and safety, promoting organic food and food producers. Here in Edmonton, more than 1000 people took part at the march and rally's peak, which began at End of Steel Park and snaked its way through the Whyte Avenue area, before returning to the park.

It was no coincidence that the location of the march and rally was near one of Edmonton's most popular farmer's markets. The event was as much encouraging people to buy local and organic as it was against corporate domination of our food (and lives in general).

Indeed, the March Against Monsanto is about changing people's attitudes towards food and where and how it is produced rather than just being against a corporation. It is about educating people about their choices and hopefully encouraging them to make choices that are healthier for themselves and the planet. And it is about implementing policies for honest labelling so that people can make these informed choices.

For a full photo set from the event, click here. For videos, click here.

Food Issues: Saying No to GMO

In my other life, I am very involved in Edmonton's activist scene (and by "activist," I mean left-wing, granola crunching, tree-hugging, hippy sorts of things). People who know me in real life, or even just online, won't be surprised by this fact. Part of the reason why I started a food blog was that there really was no seamless way to integrate my interest in writing about food with my main blog, where I usually write about social issues and events.

However, earlier this week I attended an event that was very much about both food and activism. Day of Action to Stop GM Alfalfa took place on April 9 outside of the office of Laurie Hawn, MP Edmonton-Centre. Farmers, food security activists, and people from the general community came out to express their disapproval of genetically modified crops.

Genetically modified crops pose a problem to farmers, particularly organic ones. If a farmers wants to grow a crop organically and his field is surrounded by other farms growing GM versions of the same crops, there is a problem if there is seed drift due to wind or cross pollination. The farmer can actually get fined by companies patenting seeds for growing those crops without a license - even if it happens by accident!

Another problem is the use of chemicals in GM crops - crops which are used as feed for farmers growing livestock. Alfalfa is used in feed and farmers who wish to avoid GM alfalfa are finding it harder and harder to do so.

What can we as food consumers do about GMOs? Buy local. Buy organic. Take a stand. A "March Against Monsanto" is scheduled for May 25.

For my full set of photos from the event, click here. A video playlist of speakers is here.