Is the mustard market drop because of EU GM issues?

[parsley]

1. There has never been, to our knowledge, a GMO mustard developed, certainly not in Canada. And we find it hard to believe anything like that has ever been developed anywhere else."

That is the mustard growers' position. is it correct or not?

2. This is the Government's webpage.


http://www.cfia-acia.agr.ca/english/plaveg/bio/dd/dd0873e.shtml#a1

Plus 2 other webpages I referred to previously.

Since you seem to think you know, would you like to tell the farmers reading this blog which is correct.
#1 or #2?

Simply mark one or the other. Pars

[ColevilleH2S]

#2. The link provided says that the Canadian government as approved trials of Clearfield Mustard. The Clearfield trait, as derived by mutagenesis, is considered non-GMO to the EU. So both of your choices lead to the same conclusion. There is no GMO Mustard.

Pars, there is no fire for your inflammatory rhetoric to fuel.

[checking]

If that is your criteria my pugilist, then I'll never be your neighbour - sigh! Look for the lump of coal at X-mas.

I'm aware of what Mr. Weber is saying, but I'm to the point of not caring how many of our crops are deemed unsafe and blacklisted by Greenpeace and the EU. Put them all on the list. It could force them to grow all of their own needs leaving them less time to come up with other crap that is bothering them. Wouldn't that be fun?

There are few of us that couldn't meet our needs in other occupations more lucrative than farming.

That's my shot. No lead or liquor in it.

[haveapulse]

While the EU stand on GMO may be quite irrational to those of us who produce
GMO commodities and recognize the ability of technology to assist in many facets of production the aversion of many consummers is real.

Processed mustard is taken off shelves.

11 cargos are on quarantine.

Buyers of raw mustard seed in EU who used to chose Canada first now prefer Ukrainian mustard.

The reality of this EVENT folks is that Canada is loosing credibility as a secure source of flax and now mustard, and from what I see we are doing very little to defend ourselves. We need to tell the EU that we can supply good quality GMO free flax and mustard, and we will have to if we are to maintain this market until such time as the EU change their policy, which we must hope is the final outcome.

The frightning reality we must absorb is that Ukraine used to be thought of as the source of lower quality cheaper supply of mustard and flax to a lesser but growing degree, buyers are now heading there FIRST...

And this is a problem, a long term problem.

And this problem should have necessiate a total review of the regulatory system that let GMO flax enter into the system in the first place.

And yes this should happen yesterday.

In the short term the government should be doing everything they can to insure EU that we have the mechanisms to supply secure non GMO flax and mustard.

For some time I have advocated the need for a DART team to respond to issues like this, I make the comment again.

WE need to be able to as an INDUSTRY urgently respond with necessary actions followed by policy and regulation sooner, not 20 years later.

We are producers we produce food for consummers and this must drive our policy always.

[parsley]

If mustard was rejected in the EU, it presumably could be because it was genetically modified, BUT you claim Clearfield is not a genetic modification, and Clearfield is acceptable in the EU. You also ignore past trials.

It's NOT GM, you state, well, "not in the regular sense of the term", so I'll use your 'term', for the purpose of this reply.

(Those buying organic mustard seed, consider that Clearfield is genetically modified)

Let's also assume that something oddball from GM mustard trials getting mixed up, and also what the CWB coined as "slippage" is not at issue. Agreed?

So, that only leaves us with the another reason likely causing rejection which is Canadian mustard crossing with GM canola, doesn't it?

Would it possibly be this is what is at issue:

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/gmf-agm/appro/ofb-094-325-a-eng.php

A trace of GMO canola testing positive in mustard headed for the EU, as you would know Dave, would be acceptable up to .09

But IF mustard crosses easily with canola, that's where it impacts on organic crops. There is wall to wall canola in the West. Good to question it, isn't it. Just in case.

Organics does business in EU as well as conventional. Pars

Maybe it's time to discuss segregation, would you agree?

Pars

[parsley]

I copied this from my blog as I replied to Dave Kucher's comments there.

It is important for farmers, and I sound redundant, to discuss these issues.

I realize many of you want to shoot the messenger, and I have to say it would be much easier for me to say nothing.

But it IS because I see anticipated sales failed, that I am trying to warn farmers that this can be months before governments sort this out.

We have handed over grain decisions to those who do not suffer from stoppage.

Pars

[haveapulse]

We have handed over grain decisions to those who do not suffer from stoppage... yup your right Pars we do not have an accountable method of priorizing and solving problems in ag and sometimes this just creates cracks in the system that we can plough thourh this time it could be a crevace.

We need an DART team for ag policy. A think tank of business minds not just bureaucrats. A team targeted at short and long term solutions not solutions that take long term and become redundant by the time they are implemented.


While for those of us who are comfortable with GMO it seems to be a tempest is a tea pot, the reality if our rank as a supplier to the world is taking a beating and this is serious to our business long term.

At least on the Titanic they had music.. could somebody please take Ritz a violin.

[Hopperbin]

Parsley the only reason an organic producer would grow clearfield mustard would be for the chemical controle which they claim they do not use. Why would you say your customers think it would be GM?

[Hopperbin]

Ritz a violin LOL. Parsley I am just questioning the organic industry your involved in, I believe that is OK as your own website is based on having an expression of opinion.

[parsley]

I meant that although Dave doesn't consider Clearfield GM, nor does the Canola Commission,( although the Government treats it as a biotech crop, and has to jump all the GM hoops,) actuallly organic growers DO consider it a GM crop.

And I do not want to leave the impression that Parsley considers Clearfield a NON-GM seed.

It is GM

Lawsey. Pars