Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food

Comité permanent de l'agriculture et de l'agroalimentaire

For immediate release

Ottawa, December 12, 2016 -

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food tables its report on genetically modified animals for human consumption.

Mr. Pat Finnigan, Chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food tabled in Parliament today the Committee’s report on how the government could improve the regulatory framework around genetically modified (GM) animals for human consumption.

“Health Canada’s approval of a GM salmon for sale as food brought a lot of attention on the potentially increasing availability of GM animals for human consumption, and it is essential to ensure transparency in the regulatory process and provide for better traceability of these animals,” said Mr. Finnigan.

“Canadian farmers have used GM crops for almost 20 years, but foods from GM animals still have to be accepted by the market,” also noted the Chair, “the Committee’s focus was to help farmers and consumers benefit from new technologies without compromising trust in the regulatory system.”

The Committee made four recommendations to give the government directions on how to improve confidence and provide adequate information to farmers and consumers with regard to the approval of GM animals.

The report is entitled Genetically Modified Animals for Human Consumption, and is available on the Parliament of Canada’s Web site at: http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=e&Mode=1&Parl=42&Ses=1&DocId=8674228

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