Seeds of Change

Farmers, biotechnology, and the new face of agriculture. With special guest facilitator Suzanne Hanna.

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Sault Sainte Marie
Friday July 4, 2008
Screening begins 20h30
Venue: vélorution outdoor theatre (162 Old Garden River Road) @ dusk

Canada / 2004 / 72 Minutes

Everyone has heard both the positives and negatives of genetically modified crops, from biotech companies like Monsanto and from environmental and consumer groups like Greenpeace, yet no one has actually heard from those who actually grow the food we eat - the farmers.

"Around the world, Canada or Ethiopia, it's the same: farmers have been kept out of the loop in terms of the development of new technologies."

-Author and researcher Pat Roy Mooney, quoted in the film

The newly released film Seeds of Change, a seventy-minute documentary film made by University of Manitoba (U of M) professor Stéphane McLachlan, U of M PhD student Ian Mauro, and independent videographer Jim Sanders, is a balanced yet hard-hitting exposé of the controversy surrounding genetically modified crops and how they have changed the face of agriculture in western Canada.

Special Guest Facilitator: Suzanne Hanna

-Employed by Community Living Algoma for the past 29 years
-Seasonal worker at New North Greenhouses for the past 9 years.
-Past President of the Sault Ste. Marie Horticultural Society and a member of Seeds of Diversity Canada.
-Latest project: Co-organizer of the 1st Annual Seedy Saturday event here in Sault Ste. Marie and the expansion of the Allard Street Community Garden which is now entering its sixth year.

Allard Street Community Garden
105 Allard Street
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

Garden Hours
April to October
Seven Days A Week
8am – 8pm

The Allard Street Community Garden site offers raised garden beds and planter boxes for easier accessibility, permanent flower and herb beds, rhubarb bed, a mini fruit orchard, a children’s play area and permanent pathways. The shade structure, complete with picnic tables, offers relief from the sun and a place to socialize with other gardeners.

To support our commitment to sustainable environmental practices, we offer educational resources and support to promote composting, water conservation and natural pest control strategies. A compost demonstration area is on site.

“We not only grow vegetables, we grow hope” is our motto because we hope to build community as well as gardens. Our garden is open to anyone; even visitors who wish to sit on benches and watch.

Garden tours are available upon request.

For more information on the Allard Street Community Garden:

Sault St. Marie Horticultural Society
759-2893

Canadian Red Cross
759-4547

Clean North
759-1573

Dada World Dada (DWD)

Dada World Dada is a multi-media production house that makes content for TV, Internet, radio and movie screens as well as material for educational purposes. DWD also specializes in the production of festivals and events. In all of its activities, DWD's goal is to foster diversity, give voice to those left voiceless, and stimulate people into being active participants, rather than passive spectators.

DWD has produced numerous films such as the feature length documentary entitled "The Real Thing: Coca, Democracy and Rebellion in Bolivia". "The Real Thing" has been screened and broadcasted internationally. For more on Dada World Data Productions, visit their web-site at www.dwdtv.org.

Dead Crow Productions

Dead Crow Productions is a Winnipeg-based organization coordinated by Stephane McLachlan and Ian Mauro due to the barriers created by University of Manitoba regarding video research. It specializes in educational and research video documentaries on social justice, and environmental and agricultural issues.

To date, Dead Crow has produced a number of works, including:

1. a feature-length video documentary on western Canadian farmer experience with GE crops, entitled 'Seeds of Change', which was co-produced with DWD.
2. a short video documentary that summarizes Percy and Louise Schmeiser's six year legal battle with Monsanto over genetically engineered (GE) crops, while discussing issues relating to food safety, life patents, and biotechnology as a whole. This film was co-sponsored by the Council of Canadians and has screened throughout North America, UK, Japan, Bangladesh, and Australia
3. a short educational video on the impacts of Roundup Ready Wheat on Prairies farmers and the environment, featuring Dr. Rene Van Acker. This award winning film was co-sponsored by the Council of Canadians and has screened throughout North America, UK, Japan, and Australia.

This video work largely arises from the research activity of Mauro and McLachlan and their role as internationally recognized experts in the field of farmer-focused research regarding the impacts of GE crops and, indeed, risk as a whole. Working at the University of Manitoba, their research makes extensive use of surveys, group and individual interviews, and video documentaries with farmers to better understand the on-farm risks and benefits of GE canola and wheat. Their work has received extensive media attention and they are often requested to consult with government, industry, non-governmental organizations, and farm groups throughout the world.

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