Flax again, again and again

[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.

[oneoff]

The beauty of 'bloke's suggestion is that it makes perfect sense.
However at the AmeriFlax booth there were packets of roasted golden flax; and a nice larger bowl from which the treats were no doubt drawn. Even to a color blind individual; the red specks of off breed varieties were clearly evident. When asked who provided the golden flax; the answer given was that it was a registered seed grower. Another earlier comment was that Triffid was a golden flax variety. Its just makes a person think that North American industry has put our faith and future in the hands of common bumbling souls.
PS I was told that the USA had previously registered Triffid and later withdrawn the US registration; just as was done in Canada. Lets now see if someone does't push for keeping our admittedly contaminated flax out of the USA which is becoming increasingly "confident" that they don't have the same problem.

[oneoff]

I overlooked reporting what may be the most important feeling that the US industry may very well have. Several spokesperson said that they detected there may be some movement away from zero tolerance of GM materials in Europe in regards material such as in Triffid flax. When questioned as to why that would ever happen; every one of them seemed very firm in what thay had just said.
Also the US rails were clogged with Sask Grain Corp cars; Government of Canada, Province of Alberta cars and the CWB cars. There is a definate shortage of paint in tha USA too. Without a word of exaggeration; the three trains observed had at least two-thirds of the couple of hundred cars owned by the Canadian taxpayers. What were they being used for? and what companies were using them? Does anyone pay the owners? Who keeps track? and how could a person find out any of these answers? More questions with no answers. No wonder few can be bothered to care.

[oneoff]

AND HERE IT IS ALL NEATLY SUMMARIZED in the US Farm paper "AGWEEK" dated Jan 25/2010. John Duvenaud (publisher of "Wild Oats Grain Market Advisory" says


Winnipeg, Manitoba- European flax users are reeling from the closure of Canadian Flax imports after the discovery of the Triffid gene in German muffins. They operated on inventory for a few weeks, or closed, but are coming back to normal operations through American imports. American imports are not subject to the same degree of Triffid testing as Canadian imports. The American flax mostly comes from Canada or is replaced by Canadian imports.
US flax exports quadrupled after the Triifid episode, while imports from Canada doubled. Canadian exports have resumed, but few commercials risk sending a vessel. Shipments are mainly by container.
The trade floated a trial ballon in December that would have required all flax farmers to use certified seed to be able to sell to elevators. The same people who got every farmer to sign an affidavit attesting to their class of wheat, with unspecified liabilities, after the government got rid of KVD, must have thought this up. Turns out there are too may alternative flax buyers to enforce that. Still, most buyers do require that a farmers flax be tested for Triffid before delivery. The test costs a $100 dollars and takes three weeks, unless you pay $300 for a quick response.
The sobering conclusion of that extensive testing is that the Triffid gene is everywhere across the prairies including in pedigreed seed. If your flax tests negative, count yourself lucky and don't be sure your next test will pass. The trade has adapted. Flax without Triffid goes to Europe and, to a lesser extent, Brazil. Flax with Triffid goes to the United States. Trade is brisk at $8.50 per bushel.