Flax again, again and again

[oneoff]

This "Triffid" issue has ramnifications that are too important to let die; with the Flax Council having the last word.
Here's the last word from Grainews on Jan 22/2010 "While certified seed is subject to rigorous quality standards and can be efficiently tested, there is no effective way of testing all farm-saved seed from all 12,000 flax growers in Western Canada in a timely manner or ensuring the reliability of the samples," the council said."
The council referred to is the Flax Council of Canada.
Damned if I recall letting any group speak for me on this issue. It would seem logical that if they indeed can make the decisions; then they also should be held responsible for the current mess. There hasn't been any hint that the Flax Council or anyone else assumes any liability for past actions; and I am very suspect about their ability to make decisions or what their place in their industry should be. Farmers have been left out of their agricultural industry.

[oneoff]

Lets analyse the Flax Council's position. First the insinuation that farmers can't accurately sample their seed; but you can count on the sampling methods of researchers and seed growers. If that were true; along with rigorous quality standards for certified seed then there would be no need to conduct this one sided debate.
Secondly it is implied that there would be unmanagable 12000 flax seed samples required, at least one from everyone growing flax. From what I've seen; not every farmer cleans their own seed; nor grows their own flaxseed; and when it involves purchasing flaxsee supplies farmers do pick the best seed source they can find. You'd almost think that the flax council has determined that farmers are the source of a problem. Further; for those farmers saving their own flax for seed; it will have been effectively sampled multiple times before next fall. Promoters of certified seed have never acknowledged the Triffid test before any flax can be sold to the elevator (probably from the same bin as the homegrown flaxseed). Also remember the tests on that same flax that the elevator company will run to protect themselves; and the tests at the buyers end to triple check the previous tests.
Thirdly; if even breeders seed is contaminated then maybe its farmers who should be setting standards and issuing demands to those who have failed farmers.
Finally; I realize no one from the other side is listening; or cares one bit about what farmers think. They stick their head up once and thereafter ignore further comments; because their plan was set and in place before any response was possible.

[bucket]

If 12000 farmers have to buy certified seed then I would suspect there should be 12000 tests done on the certified seed - one for every farmer. Not just a bulk test on lots of seed. As a farmer forced to buy certified seed I will be asking for a specific test for the lot that I buy along with the assurance that if I end up with Triffid they will be paying for the cleanup costs and any losses incurred.

[wmoebis]

My question would be.

If your flax tests possitive do you have recourse to the original seed supplier or how did the admix get in there? Who is liable for contaminating your seed.

I still think that anyone who tests possitive could trace back seed and let it be public where seed was purchased so we could decide if we want to trust that grower again.

Again, is there anyone who has tested possitive and where was the seed purchased? Or did all the contmination come from one grower?

[food4u]

My seed was purchased from a local seed grower and it came back negative. WHY should I have to purchase new seed again this year????? To me this a way to divert the problem away from the cause and put the blame on the producer. If we all buy new seed for this we are admitting we( grain producer) the cause of the problem.

[TOM4CWB]

I got a letter from the CSGA yeserday;

They recommend testing our pedigreed seed in 10t lots.

Seed growers who had absolutely nothing to do with terifid are no more happy or responsible for the problem than commercial growers. I have thousands of busels of pedigreed seed... not one call for it.

PLEASE stop blaming we seed growers who are just as affected and hurt as you are... for this problem. By far the majority of seed growers had nothing to do with this problem!!! There was no grand scheme to rip off farmers... except in your imagination!!!

[bucket]

I agree tom but then why are all the costs being sent to farmers.

If the seed industry doesn't want to address the issue of who is at fault in their membership then the seed growers who do care about the industry should be doing a 1:1 seed exchange would be the obvious solution.

[dave4441]

Why not a testing system for farm saved seed. I mentioned this in a earlier thread but it had no uptake. If grower had someone like SGS (private CGC) take the sample from his seed bin and submitt for testing, there would be just as much traceability as the guy that buys 80 acres of certified seed and seeds 480 acres. This will happen, then everytime he sells, he sells everything from 80 acres, shows cert seed report to buyer for 80 acres, (80 acres at 20 bushels per acre is a super bee load) and he gets around any certified seed requirements. There will be people not even ask for the testing, so i fail to see how forcing anyone to use certified seed is ever going to work. Flax industry can not police this thing so you better have a system in place that makes sense for people to use, or it is irrelvant and the real problems and risk to industry will remain.

[grrrr]

Does the EU not import soybean meal from South America and is a good percentage of that meal not G.M? Why are they making such an issue of a trace of G.M. in flax?

[oneoff]

Some person(s) let Triffid get loose. It's as though those responsible just don't want to zero in on those people. We shouldn't trust any system that isn't accountable. This story is much much bigger than the flax market; and may very well be the tipping point for drastic changes in Canadian agriculture.

[wmoebis]

Tom can you/will you, name the minority of seed growers that had something to do with this problem? Or does CSGA or the flax council know?

This way we as commercial producers will know who NOT to deal with. Thereby possably moving some of those thousands of bushels of yours.

By the way we still haven't heard from anyone who has had flax that tested positive. Could it be just one grower?

[oneoff]

Maybe some of the answers have been dug up by "parsleys" sleuthing. Its pretty hard to argue with quotes from the Court of Queen's Bench. Please use links in "parsleys" "Why IP..... thread" or go staight to the "Law Society of Sask" website and read the facts of every Sask court case as accepted by the presiding judge. I've quoted from parsley who links to the full text



"IN THE MATTER OF THE BANKRUPTCY AND INSOLVENCY ACT


R.S.C. 1985, c. B.-3 AS AMENDED
AND IN THE MATTER OF THE PROPOSAL
OF FARMPURE SEEDS INC.
[1] FarmPure Seeds Inc. (“FarmPure”) applies for an order approving debtor in possession (“DIP”) financing pertaining to its proposal proceedings under Part III - Division I of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (the “BIA”). The entity agreeable to providing the DIP financing is Pickseed Canada Inc. (“Pickseed”), the purchaser of all the shares owned by FarmPure Inc., FarmPure’s parent company. The share purchase agreement is conditional upon Farm Credit Canada (“FCC”) and Royal Bank of Canada (“RBC”) compromising FarmPure’s indebtedness to them, and upon the acceptance of the proposal under the BIA by the unsecured creditors with corresponding court approval. Furthermore, the agreement is conditional upon court approval of Pickseed granting FarmPure interim financing.


[2] This somewhat convoluted transaction arises from the following. FarmPure’s core operation is acquiring specific seed varieties under licence from seed development agencies such as Agriculture and Food Canada and the Crop Development Centre of the University of Saskatchewan. It propagates seed under federal inspection, distributes seed and collects levies on certified seed. Approximately 200 growers produce certified seed under contract with FarmPure." end of quote

So 200 seed growers were in business with FarmPure (that came about from a whole line of other companies that controlled the CDC Triffid variety of flax. Have I got that right?

[haveapulse]

This story is much much bigger than the flax market; and may very well be the tipping point for drastic changes in Canadian agriculture. We can only hope!

The thirteenth man in the field is in our field, who put him out there is a billion dollar question in a game that potentially can get replayed for years with the potential scenario that bad sequel have. Therefore, getting the thirteenth man off of our field is not quite as simple as a game clock ending. Getting him off the field, and stopping this clock as quickly as possible in this horrible game we are caught in is essential to restore confidence in our customer: the world grain buyer.

The adage: "Time is money" applies here, and in my opinion better in one year than two or ten.

Therefore,purging the system of Triffid, fast and in the most precise manner we can is our best route to restore the confidence of our customer.


Certified seed is the quickest route to that source. While it may cost a few extra dollars it is essential fee to be paid to isolate that thirteenth man on our flax fields today.

As for long term policy to insure Canadas reputation as credible global suppliers, the tipping point will be in our response to this challenge: the world buys commodities from the best and generally the cheapest supplier, they are not a customer of ours, we are a customer of theres'.

[oneoff]

Good points haveapulse. If it would only take one year to restore this situation; and if there were adequate certified seed supplies; and if this opportunity of limited pedigreed seed were made available at something near actual costs; and if Triffid like problems don't become regular occurances; and if there are real buyer issues (and not some real hidden agenda) then your suggestion certainly should be looked at.
Otherwise we need to look at additional solutions. Given a chance to become involved; farmers could come up with viable solutions. Its just that bigger players will never allow that to happen; and as you know farmers have had a history of not being able to muster a unified front.
Some day that will change. My prediction is that when those left quit competing with their peers for an opportunity to sell at a lower price; then there will be a basis for some market control.
In the meantime; surely we can rally around a specific instance (that everyone should knows will happen again soon) .

[oneoff]

Good points haveapulse. If it would only take one year to restore this situation; and if there were adequate certified seed supplies; and if this opportunity of limited pedigreed seed were made available at something near actual costs; and if Triffid like problems don't become regular occurances; and if there are real buyer issues (and not some real hidden agenda) then your suggestion certainly should be looked at.
Otherwise we need to look at additional solutions. Given a chance to become involved; farmers could come up with viable solutions. Its just that bigger players will never allow that to happen; and as you know farmers have had a history of not being able to muster a unified front.
Some day that will change. My prediction is that when those left quit competing with their peers for an opportunity to sell at a lower price; then there will be a basis for some market control.
In the meantime; surely we can rally around a specific instance (that everyone should knows will happen again soon) .