Flax again, again and again

[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) .

[checking]

"Certified seed is the quickest route to that source."

Bullshit.

You are not listening to what commercial farmers are telling you. Your championed certified seed group has accepted no responsibility for this mess, but insist on being rewarded this year, next year, and likely forever.

The analogy is, simply because it snowed a foot and the ground now looks pure white, doesn't mean there isn't dirt below. Substitute for snow, registered seed growers who failed to turn in their triffid seed for crushing.

They have no credibility. We need to know who they were.

[tipsy]

Tom4cwb when you say, "by far the majority of seed growers had nothing to do with this" that's probably right and I can except that. I think there is lots of blame to go around. Flax council of Canada,provincial flax groups can shoulder some blame if growing Triffid was going to be such a damming issue it should have been better publicized, do not do. Heck let's even throw some blame DuPont's way,they must have known some of their product was going on flax acres,for which there would be no registration. Lets even blame the cwb maybe some of the growers of Triffid want to grow wheat but don't want to go thru the board,so they protest by not growing wheat. But lets face facts,this problem,(and I really question whether it's a ligament concern)wasn't started by a few give away pouches of Triffid at a farm show. In my opinion and limited knowledge one only has to look back when Triffid was put up for public release and see who pick-up the seed for seed multiplication. Do they continue to grow Triffid I don't know. But what I do know is that when there is a problem in the grain industry its always the producer that pays and right now thats me and I don't like the cost,inconvence and bad taste thats been left in my mouth!!!

[parsley]

You are correct oneoff. The full line that began with Fampure. Inc. as the mother had a lot of offshoots created and registered. All used the FarmPure trademark.

Farmpure Seeds Inc.
Farmpure Beverages Inc.
Farmpure Financial Inc.
Farmpure Foods Inc.
Farmpure Global Inc.
There may be some I am not even aware of

FarmPure Genetics Inc. was then established as a holding company and Farmpure Inc., as they say these days, passed i 2009".

FarmPure Genetics Inc. then changed its' name to FP Gentics Inc., the current 2010 model I guess you'd call it, and which I haven't googled yet. Perhaps you would do that and save me time?. And see what you find connected to FP Gentics Inc. ? Thanks

Instead I looked at the issue of rights and responsibilities of property rights.
<p></p>
<p class="EC_style8ptBK"><strong><a href="http://parsleysnotebook.blogspot.com/2010/01/biotech-companies-own-property-rights.html">(Property Rights)</a></strong></p>

checking, you will have some good experience concerning property rights with all the lines running across your farm. Could some apply to biotech issues? Pars

[haveapulse]

To the best of my knowledge CDC Bethune and CDC Sorrel has tested clean through to breeder seed, these are SECAN varieties.


As noted in the comments of Parsley the Farm Pure group is now FP Genetics they and the varieties they list can be found in your seed guide, just by checking.

[haveapulse]

But, the thirteeth man on the field indeed could be very simply the seed that did got away at the breeder level. One vagrant seed in a small bag of breeder seed multiplied. The cost of playing with the forbidden fruit theory.

No evil plot, no evil group, simply human error; just that darn 13th man on the field again..

Perhaps?

What ever the reason we need to purge the industry, and begin with as clean a slate we can muster is as quick a time as we can.

[gustgd]

From:
JOHNSTON'S DAILY
Allan Johnston
P.O. Box 160
Welwyn, SK, Canada
S0A 4L0
Toll Free Phone: 800-324-7778
Toll Free Fax: 800-489-4448
Email: allan@ajagra.com <mailto:allan@ajagra.com>
Website: www.ajagra.com <http://www.ajagra.com>

FLAX CONFERENCE CALL: The Ministery of Agriculture is hosting a conference call at 1 P:M: cst. If you want to question him or officials of some grain companies on flax issues and gm materials please call 800-610-9767 to take part in a free call. Just tell the operator that you want to participate in the Flax industry update call.

[oneoff]

I spent the day at the Minot, ND Farm Show today. I tried to stop at every booth that mentioned trading in flax; and thus had interesting converstions with local elevator companies; the Cargills; organic export traders; even the Viterra mustard men and AmeriFlax group etc.
There are some amazing diferences. If flax is destined for domestic crushing at places like Redwing; then you get answers like "what's Triffid" "we don't test" and a clear impression that Triffid is not a US domestic issue of any significance. It's a different matter when talking to organic traders; or where exports to buyers concerned about GM "contamination" are concerned. In these cases the US has apparently tested a whole 158 samples in the same way Canadian tests are conducted.(Four quadrants of ten thousand seeds as I understand) No positive tests have been found to date. There is absolutely no hint of measures such as requiring certified seed.

One industry representative had thoughts very similar to my own. This person had attended the Saskatoon flax meeting earlier this month and noted the question period being limited to about 3 questions. The person had noted the tone of farmer's concerns; obviously inadequate certified seed supplies if that plan was implemented; and commented that if such a situation developed in the USA that probably the FBI and such agencies would be involved. The person also had been in a meeting with the head of Viterra and felt basically threatened because of their position expressed.
Soooo.... How many tests have been done on Canadian flax varieties? How many tested positive, and what varieties (if any) were Triffid free?. Is it possible that the Triffid results are being blown out of proportion? What are the problem areas? and are there growing areas that have no detectable levels? What levels of test sensitivity is being used in Canada; and am I basically going to be threatened for asking these questions?

OK so I won't get any of these answers. But maybe farmers can access US markets without any of the costs, tests; certified seed; roadblocks, liabilities and worry with marketing in Canada. It might even be a good learning exercise that will be useful when the government or CWB allows Western Canadian farmers the option of marketing the rest of our grains.
Thats not all I learned today; but its plenty enough for this post.

[parsley]

Interesting.

A lot of people are testing their flax. Some with Genetic ID in USA.

If you want to send your results to me, positive or negative, I'll post the location and results on Parsley's Notebook. NO NAMES and complete privacy.

As a note of creprivacy credibility, I've kept cotton's identity, even with the bribes. LOL Pars

[boarderbloke]

oneoff, maybe we should be importing cert. flax seed from the USA if the reg. growers here can't or won't weed out those growers in Canada that grew or are contaminated with Triffid, or won't hold them responsible, or pull their licence, or "out" them or do something to those that are costing all farmers millions. If Triffid was never grown in the USA by reg. growers, their seed will be clean.