Flax tidbits

[checking]

The reply number went up on this thread much like a stock of mine, yesterday! I'm here sitting on a 2500 tonne stockpile of flax with as much, or more to lose as anyone. Yet, I'm surprisingly calm; not a bead of sweat forming. So what, Greenpeace found an issue that is receiving more than its 15 minutes of fame in air time. Public interest will wane, and they will be off to fry a bigger whale on the horizon. They are, afterall, just a ship disturber organization. In the meantime, my mind is on the $20.00 I'm sending the organic lady!!!

[tipsy]

choice2u,I think you pretty-well simplified and covered the bases except one.All the work and effert that saskflax the other provical flax organizations along with canadian flax council,in their scientific efferts and its promoting of flax,could this be a major set back.

[mbratrud]

I say focus on other Markets like China and developing stronger demand there. Lets not waste time on Europe. They can get flax from FSU and I am sure producers in FSU are lining up Flaxseed for next year already.

[parsley]

"but bad politics has to be fought"

That's noble, but tough to do.

The problem we're having, as I view it, is we have government speaking for us.

Talk about fighting bad politics with bad politics.

Farmers lose.

The only two crucial players are: consumers and sellers.


choice, unless our representatives are actively accountable, they are useless. Pars

[parsley]

mbratrud

Organics AND conventional food flax has an established food flax market in EU.

GM copulates,contaminates, pollutes and destroys the established food market, shrugs, and looks to move on to China because they pay so well.

Is that what one calls business planning/good marketing? Pars

[parsley]

Send me a cool hundred checking. You can afford it. I'll rent a couple of Ultimate fighting pay per views. LOL Pars

[DanHenry33]

wow, pars you are a little green behind the ears there if you really believe PR will fix the problem with the EU.

We need our scientists, exports etc. etc. to stand up to the illogical and twisted political gamesmanship that certain EU countries are playing....this is not about consumers but about trade barriers.

why didn't the EU approve Triffid Flax??....thats the real question (one you haven't yet asked)....is there a food safety issue we should know about???

[parsley]

I am naive. I fully admit it.

Q What would a farm woman out in the middle of nowhere know about anything?

A Full or empty purses.

I can only look at the past, at all the representatives that have spoken on behalf of farmers for years and years.

For one, we have a Federal government who advocates free trade, uh huh, whilst protecting monopolist CWB at NAFTA and WTO.

Most agriculture has been PLANNED for farmers. By IMPORTANT people, right?

Like the results? Yes if you get a cheque fromn the massive check-offs. or have a gold plated government pension.

Not if you're a farmer.

I am off to a wedding, so I'll be misty eyed and mellow when I reply to Triffidation later, thus, you can look forward to weaker arguments. pars

[cottonpicken]

BREAKING NEWS!!!

"The cottonpicken institute of wine testing studies(CIWTS) has found traces of a banned substance commonly knowen as toe fungus in imported bottles of european wines."

"Although the evidence will not be brought forth-all imports will be stopped."

"Head scientist and chief drinking officer Dr.Pill Pilsner Had this to say:"
"I have come to the conclusion that all european wines pose a significant health risk to the peolpes of Canada"

"what about the lively hoods of the wine producers of europe Dr.pilsner?"

"it is of little consequence,i suggest they set up a strict regulatory body who will stop the toe fungus infested g**** crushing immigrants of sweden who are the main cause of such problems from being involved in the wine making industry"

"several dozen other countries have followed suit,the e.u had this to say"

"We are following the situation closely,the wine industry is important to us,but at this point we dont want to get involved"

"french president sarkozy and german chancellor mercol issued a joint statement"

"it is out of our hands,the wto will resolve this issue"

"wto officials will rule on the issue within the the first half of next decade,Bob mcdonald cbc news,joes bar and grill moose jaw"

"(P.Mansbridge)Still ahead on the national,Governer general Michalle Jean shoots up herion with the homeless in vancouver.Has she gone to far this time?

"I think the drug culture of canada is a beatiful thing and should be preserved at all costs,could you spare a dollar?"

[Zaphod]

I seem to recall an article a year or two ago about a European company that was looking at setting up a linoleum factory in western Cda. Maybe we should get on the horn with those folks. That way we add value right here and avoid relying just on Europe. That's assuming that they'll walk on a GM floor.

[Choice2U]

This isn't about consumers/producers otherwise the EU "government" and the cdn government would be out of the picture. Thus bad politics has a potential as both governments are involved.

This isn't about consumers/producers otherwise organic producers who have a guaranteed protocol (accepted by the EU) would not have to suffer one second because their protocol keeps the GM out of their products.

It's about one government setting its own rules (fine by me as we do it with our supply management sector so Canada is two faced if it were to complain). It's about one government finding a contravention of its rule, not providing evidence to verify its concern, using that concern to broadbrush all similar products including those with supposed tighter protocols. It's about a government that has decided to close a border rather than send one shipment home on a contravention basis and requiring any future shipments to be tested. This would have been a pragmatic, "safe" response that would not stink of a trade barrier.

[Zaphod]

The trade barrier is possible, but my question is why? The EU barely grows flax any more so they're not protecting their own farmers. What is the motive?

[DanHenry33]

zaphod, they don't supply enough soy either and you should see whats happening on that front.....its politics, pure and simple ...the trade barrier makes certain EU politicians look good....and now there is a lively political fight at the highest levels on this issue....http://blogs.ec.europa.eu/fischer-boel/time-to-break-the-logjam-over-gmos/

I hope Pars will actually try answer my questions on why didn't the EU approve Triffid flax when it received the submission in the late 1990's....is there a food or fed safety issue with Triffid Flax?....did the US and Canadian governments miss something?...

[Choice2U]

I'm totally guessing but the EU behind the scenes has been softening in general on the GMO issue over the past few years. What's the best way for the anti-GMO crowd to turn this tide. Have a local agency find/plant/invent (testing has not been confirmed by third party) a GMO scare and get the people up in arms, phoning their politicians, threatening the populace about what would happen if this was their food and not their paint/linoleum.

Can they grow flax?...Germany is the same latitude as Canada. When I was over there, I was amazed to find Canada Thistle, RR Pigweed, Lamb's quarters but then I realized that all NA seed came over on a boat from western Europe 150 years ago and I'm betting their weed control was not great back then so why is it a surprise that we have similar weeds. Maybe with us out of the market, it would be easier to develop more homegrown.

I'm not the conspiracy theorist type but it's interesting to think about things. I've never guessed which corporate takeover would be next in our industry so my spidey senses leave something to be desired.

But sh_t happens and after the fact, things sometimes make sense.

[furrowtickler]

pars, I will love to see the reaction when you and the rest of the organic crowd get your perfectly "wholesome" products regected from the E.U. and drop in value by half over some B.S. excuse. It will happen sooner than later, I will bet the farm on it.
"Manure causes cancer!!!" wich is B.S. but they have the high tach tests and find it in Canadisn grown organic food - but will not release the proof. What will you say then? The consumer is always right , right? Just a thought and a fact of life, IMO.