oats

[parsley]

I'll sow a few wild oats today.


"November 23, 2006
U of S Crop Development Centre and FarmPure Seeds Team Up on Oat Research and Development
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 23, 2006
2006-11-22-AG

FarmPure Seeds of Regina will invest $300,000 over five years to fund development of superior oat varieties at the University of Saskatchewan Crop Development Centre (CDC).

"Oat research and development, especially the development of improved varieties well adapted to Saskatchewan growing conditions, is critical to long-term success," says Trenton Baisley, CEO of FarmPure, a farmer-owned Pedigreed seed production and marketing organization.

The new agreement builds upon a long and successful relationship between the CDC and farmer-owned FarmPure Seeds to increase and market Pedigreed seed.

This includes newer oat varieties such as CDC Dancer and CDC Orrin. Recently, FarmPure took on the task of producing Pedigreed seed for CDC SO-I, an innovative feed oat with nutritional characteristics similar to barley.

"It's essential that we work together with Western Canadian oat and seed industry players, especially those in Saskatchewan," says CDC oat and barley breeder Brian Rossnagel.

"The feedback and support we receive from our research partners and supporters such as FarmPure are critical to future planning and the success of our oat research and breeding program."

FarmPure's latest investment will enhance CDC's ability to develop and release superior new varieties as quickly and efficiently as possible.

CDC's productive oat research and breeding program continues to focus on refining and improving premium oat end-use quality, as well as developing more disease resistant, higher-performing varieties. Research directions include developing varieties resistant to crown rust for the eastern Prairie region and varieties tailored for specialty food markets.

Established in 1971, the U of S CDC is a nationally renowned centre of excellence in crop research. The CDC seeks to increase diversification of crops and their products for Saskatchewan's farmers and agriculture industry by improving existing crops, creating new uses for traditional crops, and introducing new crops.

FarmPure Seeds is dedicated to providing superior new crop varieties to its members for multiplication and sale. The company is a major distributor of new cereal, oilseed, special crop, and forage varieties in Western Canada.

FarmPure Seeds joins other oat industry players, including Quaker Tropicana Gatorade Canada, Cargill, Super Oats Canada, CanOat Milling and Grain Millers as on-going supporters of the CDC oat research and development program. Core support for the program comes from Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food and the U of S.

-30-

For more information, contact:

Brian Rossnagel
Crop Development Centre
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-4976
www.usask.ca/agriculture/plantsci/cdc.html

Trenton Baisley
FarmPure Seeds Inc.
(306) 791-3770 ext. 221
www.farmpure.com

Michael Robin
Research Communications
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-2427
michael.robin@usask.ca
www.usask.ca/research"

Now, would GP Genetics Inc. inherit every variety from FarmPure Seeds Inc. when 'it', er,and "passed" and er, Trenton "passed by"? pars

[boarderbloke]

so in ten years we'll have 0.1% "CDC SO-I" in milling varieties, where will that get us. Will documents be there to trace the path of the development of this seed, in case something goes wrong again!!!

[charliep]

Just curious on your point.

If I back off 3 steps, how should research and development including plant breeding be done in Canada? How does Canada create on environment where these activities can be carried on with a reasonable risk reward balance for researchers (private and public)? Who should pay and how should benefits be distributed?

Likely will take the pounding but my experience is the companies you talk about tried to be creative and innovative in the products and varieties they brought forward to farmers. The Canadian system sucked the life out of them from both the regulatory and political side. Just my two bits.

[Fransisco]

"The Canadian system sucked the life out of them from both the regulatory and political side."

Yup, that is the problem, and far too many farmers unfortunately think that's a good problem to have.

[redbaron]

Great point Charlie. There are always risks in new products. Who will be willing to take this on and risk the financial implications suggested here on this site. Had a chat with a friend of mine yesterday. Is a small seed grower. He is refusing to sell any flax seed this spring. Does not need the hassle of a possible law suit. Farmers need the research that comes with new products. I have read countless threads saying we do not have enough research dollars in agriculture. We may be our own worst enemy.

[parsley]

charliep, could we agree that companies enjoy the property rights of their patents?

But an owner of a patent is also the proprietor,as is Toyota. Gas pedal comes apart, they recall. Simple.

So far, the biotech industry and their seed grower beneficiaries seem not to get a handle on effective standards and procedures Or recall.

Segregation for example. By professioanls and elites. And I don't mena that condescendingly.

Has segregation worked? And withing segregation there is transparency? Accountability?

People cheated.Agriculture is no different from any other industry. BUT. Was their any disciplinary action? Ever? You know as well as I do that brownbaggers have exported flax. And it doensn't end with just flax.

But let's talk about discipline. How's that working?

Or do you just approve of tallying royalties?(that's sarcastic this time. LOL) pars

[checking]

If you believe the target customers are always right, you need to ask those questions of them as to what they will accept. It does seem to appear that R & D companies have left them out of the loop.

We have been told that these innovative seed traits have been developed because commercial farmers have asked for them. I assure you that I have been left out of that loop also. How many of you have ever received a company inquiry asking what traits you want added to the seed supply?

I believe it is a myth that company R & D is driven by what this commercial farmer would like. That is just the excuse companies use to shed responsibility onto me, who then is forced to pay to try to control the cross contamination event.

There is a lot more that needs to be sucked out of those companies.

[parsley]

Without farmers pressing for the owners of the GM property rights also assuming the responsibility of the GM property liabilities, checking, it indeed appears as if marketplace liabilities will be slipped by and downloaded on the farmer.

One court precedent and farmers are scewed. pars

[parsley]

Public dollars going into research which is then patented and owned by a private company and becomes confidential material is not a sound funding agreement. Nor socially acceptable.

[parsley]

Novel-trait crop varieties that are stacked and unknowingly restacked, will become toxic, particularly when exported as seed.


These mongrels will rest in bins on Cayman?

[charliep]

I note the initial quote was about oats. Not sure how we got from oats to biotech. It also has Brian Rosnagal name. For those who have talked to him (I have), you will know his opinion.

My point is Quality Assured Seeds, Farm Pure and other versions tried to bring innovation to the industry - mainly through traditional breeding mechnisms.

If you don't like the model of how this company invested in new plant breeding ideas (conventional and biotech), what is the model for the future? The tooth fairy? Looking under cabbage leaves? A stork? Divine intervention?

[charliep]

I apologize for misspelling Brian's name. Should be Brian Rossnagel.

[parsley]

charliep, Maybe the toothfairy thing would serve the 21,071 farmers in Manitoba, the 50,598 farmers in Saskatchewan and the 53,652 farmers in Alberta (Statcan 2000)a little better than the central planners have done herding them around.

Although I do admit, the ag companies; two hundred or so seed farmers; the government and the universities; are served well by the setup.

The central planners sent a bill to demand their puke cleaned get up and some farmers don't want to pick up the mop.

That's what this is about, charliep.

[charliep]

Curious as to what your reason for posting the first article? Not
sure the connection between the oat variety in article and flaxseed.

If you are unhappy with the Canadian model for plant breeding
research and commercialization, what is the correct one? Similar to
the GRDC in Australia - a seed levy (not right term) on all varieties
including common seed. Europe - mostly private sector breeding
(same companies as here) with a levy on common seed. US one?
Argentina/Brazil?

I should correct myself. QAS, Farm Pure, et al were simply bringing
forward (commercializing if you) these varieties. They were U of S
varieties developed in their plant breeding program.

[cpallett]

charliep,

One addition to the model might be for the developers and the regulator to have a look at the possible effects of 'genetic drift' on the marketplace before approving the release of a 'plant with novel trait' into field testing or registration for comercial production. Certainly the current Directive of the CFIA (Dir2000-07) that governs whether a new GMO will be allowed to be field-tested makes no mention whatsoever of any form of assessment of impact on the market should genetic drift occur.

Just a thought, but might it not make just a teeny bit of common sense to take a look at the actual and potential effect on producers before you let the genie out of the bottle?

Oh and parsley, there is a legal precedent out there and it's a beauty, if I do say so myself. I think you might like it.