Why EU Triffid Flax Trade Barriers ?

[wd9]

I like mushrooms

It was interesting when pesticide free production, which would have been a great product, was proposed at CFIA, they said it would confuse the customer and it was disallowed. What a shame.

If you want to confuse a green peacer confirm that they feel ethanol is mother natures fuel.

Also find out from them if GMO is bad, they almost certainly will agree.

After doing so, let them know the bacteria used to break down the sugars are GMO to produce mother natures fuel.

And that the DDG's fed to cattle also contain these, and that they eat the meat from it.

What a circle of fun to have.

[rockpile]

First of all, why the ill will and animosity towards those doing something 'different'? And what happened to respecting 'freedom of choice'? Anyone entering the organic industry faces many challenges like lower production at first, the long transition time and the many hoops to jump through to get there. Agreed, there are many areas of the Prairies where organic just won't fly because of soil, climate and weed competition. But that is no excuse to slam those who try and can.
On GMO's, two things to consider - one, it is very new technology and has had it's well hidden bumps along the way, but more importantly, no one knows the long term impacts of altering DNA and whether or not trans mutations may occur down the road which could result in some nasty side effects. Secondly, it is creating new life forms that could not occur naturaly, like implanting DNA from salmon into a tomato to increase frost tolerance. The fact is, salmon and tomatoes do not normally mate! This is both yet to be defined as a sound scientific issue to be observed and proven, as well as one of ethics and boundaries. (Jurassic Park, perhaps?)
As for Europe, who invented the tramline? These folks add chemical fertilizers, fungicides, growth stimulators, growth regulators, and all sorts of crap all season long and get paid by the govt to grow the huge crops they generate. In Europe agriculture is a social program, that was clearly stated in the late 1980's. Like I said before, you want to catch their attention? Hit them in the wine belt. These are long established heirachies that have major political and generational influences on Europeon governments and have had so for decades. Scare them and you hit the power strokes of the EU! As for the EU, this is a clear case of 'The Emporer Wore no Clothes'. We just have never had a Federal Govt in Canada during the last 30 years that had the balls to confront these guys! And folks, It's just that easy. And no, it's not starting a trade war, we've already been under siege for 25 years and all we've done is turn the other cheek, as well as turning around and bending over. It's time to stand face to face and set the rules for the new global community.
Rockpile

[parsley]

Well wd9, I have to say you made me laugh, and made me chase the words in their gamely circle. lol I enjoy inventive thoughts. And after a day in the city, I feel like having some sport.

Modification.... for disease prevention, for size, for hardiness, for strength, for shelf life.

Modification for taste? ......hmmmm

Now if you had indicated you liked not only mushrooms, but particularly WILD mushroons, I could have argued that modifying them could possibly eventually, permanently unpopulate them, losing their taste that cannot be forgotten. Rather like today's bouquets with no smell.

But you did not specify, so I can only assume you are yet oblivious to that wild taste, oblivious to tastes which pleasure; fully game to risk 'modifying at whim'...... to improve that which you have yet to discover?

It's the nuances that pleasure the senses. Color, texture, smell.

Compare a mushroom not rotting in a refrigerator crisper for three months, to a fresh wild mushroom.

You poor thing, you need to learn more about food. LOL Pars

[parsley]

Well, rockpile, I was aggressive, so I deserved a good slap across the ass. It wasn't about organics. Most of the time, the guys on AV are pretty darn tolerant of me, more than I deserve.

There is a lot of money involved with GM crops and a lot of people stand to personally gain from testplotting, also gain from multipication. The Triffid folks lost a lot of dollars. Right now, there are a lot of farmers getting hefty cheques for their experimentation.

But maybe my rant reminds them that there are other players who also stand to lose a lot of cash through stupidity and carelessness.

Segregation is a topic that is important for everyone to discuss.

And the importance of diligence.

Pars.

[rockpile]

Interesting and insightful Pars. I gather you get off on ass-slapping (lol)! Still, it is a very serious issue as per trade and livlihood. All the best,
Rockpile

[wd9]

Pars, much like the EU whose statements allow much speculation and assumption, you simply missed the magic kind i enjoy so very much. But also like the EU I would never admit to it.

[Choice2U]

Rockpile....just a few thoughts on your comments:

re: altering DNA - Evolution is the result of altering DNA which has been going on for about 4 bln years. I'm sure not everything that happened here by chance was a good thing. For the last 100 years, we have been cross polinating and altering plants/animals, etc with an unnatural process using a tweezers. I am sure that this process allowed us to cross species that would not have done this sort of thing in nature. Now that we have begun to identify specific genes on DNA stands, we can use this tweezers to more precisely pick the traits that we want.

Re: EU and trade - the WTO has tried for years to get countries to agree to rules. Unfortunately, those damn Europeans AND CANADIANS are two faced and want their cake and eat it too. Here's Canada's position..."Europe, let's have free trade on grains so you can no longer subsidize. Oh, and by the way, we still want our ability to tarriff others dairy products."

Lastly, I agree with you totally on the tramline comments. Go to a restaurant in Switzerland....you'll see dogs next to the table, birds crapping everywhere, most of the people smoking but thankfully NO GMO.

[greybeard]

Farming has always been something of a crapshoot. Unfortunately for us there is now a new spot on the dice for food safety. When it comes up you can be out of the game if you have all your money on the line. Recent examples are BSE and “swine” flu.
Consumers have a poor ability to assess risk, but they assume that when it comes to food safety, you can’t be too safe.
Using BSE as an example, some in the supply chain lost big time, while some experienced windfall profits. The bigger problem is the shift in the share of the pot that has remained in place. Once the top of the chain gets used to those margins it soon becomes status quo.
If there are windfall profits to be made on “food safety” how often will we see it crop up.?
Those that sell direct will be insulated and may in fact benefit from food safety scares. Most use it as a cornerstone of their marketing program. Maybe the only actual producers to participate in the windfall.

[parsley]

greybeard,

I will reiterate, and you will be indeed tired of my drivel, but two things I know: Consumers trust farmers; they do not trust government.

Corporations seldom get that kind of good will even with massive PR expenses!
Conventional farmers allow bureaucrats to speak for them, and negotiate rules for them. To me, that's asking for trouble.

The other point is farmers recieve less share of the pie, because they let others take over. You have to fight to keep your place in business.

How much money is made from the byproducts of processing? ie hulls alone are worth money. For heaven's sake, few farmers know the WORTH of the grain they sell.Scheesch Pars

[parsley]

wd9,
Missed or ignored are two very different chosen actions. As does the EU, the latter is the more effective way to provoke the bold.