GM triffid Flax... who is responsible?

[parsley]

As you wish Jay-Mo

The wife particularly SPECIFIED:

"I DO NOT WANT CUPBOARDS POLISHED WITH LINSEED OIL....(FLAX OIL)."

They were. She sued.


Some farmers/bureaucrats simply won't concede the point that a buyer CAN be and is allowed to be unreasonable. OR moderate. Or fussy. Or wary. Or smart. Or superstitious. It's their money!!!!!!

You want them to fall into line and accept your dictate.

Well, guess what? The world doesn't work that way, and such persistence is foohardy.

Farmers cannot afford foolhardy representation at board tables or on sales missions. Pars

[charliep]

Perhaps to help me understand, it is government regulation that is impacting the ability to move flaxseed. Flaxseed can move under protocols established but no one wants to take the risk of having product rejected at port in Europe. From the linseed crusher standpoint, they likely do not have the same requirements as the organic buyer for the human food market. Yet, they have the same specifications/requirements for entry by regulation. What appears in contracts between buyers and sellers may be different than government regulation but the issue to date is the triffid flaxseed genetic event has not been registered in Europe. Therefore, the tight specifications on imports (slightly higher than zero). If triffid flaxseed had been registered, then we wouldn't be having this discussion and flaxseed would be moving into Europe the same way genetically engineered soybeans do today.

[hlg]

Politicians need votes. Farmers vote.People eat. People vote. Unreasonable rules protect some and make others feel safe. As long as supply is high nothing will change. New higher yeilding varieties help keep supply up. Who does over supply really help? I personally have trouble believeing Monsanto and others really have my,or anyone elses, best intresrts at heart. Their bottom line will always win.

[charliep]

Actually was at an interesting meeting last week and they would argue with your comment about over supply being driven by biotechnology. Their arguement would be it has been the demand side that has driven biotechnology. Need for increased corn for ethanol and increased soybean for China demand. Recognition of the higher demand has driven research investment to capture this opportunity. Crops that have had this extra investment in research (some of which is genetic engineering but the tool/not the outcome) have improved productivity.

Demand pull fueled by investment in research and development.

sorry. Off the topic of who pays.

[hlg]

To bad production and research can`t syay slightly off balance to the flip side. Would be nice to be back in a sellers market. Optimism is such a good feeling.

[parsley]

Co-op's flyer in the mail this week:

QUOTE: "CO-OP
FREE Designer Bag
With the purchase of 3 CO-OP Gold Organic products" UNQUOTE

GMFarmers should educate them Co-op food consumers are stupid?

Past week, when I went to Yorkton, Superstore dedicated a page in their flyer to organic produce

GMFarmers should tell them Superstore food consumers should be buying GM veggies?


What can farmers learn about consumers from current ToysRUs flyers, or from grocery flyers? Anything?

I presume Jay-MO and Kodiak and charliep and gusty and fran will enthiusiastically advocate stamping food with a "Genetically Modified with Farm Chemicals" label on all GM food to show how it aids farmers to produce more. List your farm to take questions. You are all likely more experienced with consumer preferences than I,(fran so often reminds me I cannot speak for organic consumers.)

Label the food you are so proud of producing, with your name on it, I encourage you and feel that flush of consumer confidence spilling into the till. Pars

[parsley]

And yes, charliep, research money goes to the researchers; production increases slightly. But farm prices do not.

This is not what FARMERS need.

I say, reverse it. Grow less, and get more. Contract and value add and sell direct.

[parsley]

Any day now, the fert companies will be getting out the message to farmers:

There is a fert shortage! The sky is falling! Hurry and buy now buy now, or you'll get left in the inferilized lurch. Then it will be the same message for chemicals, but worded a little different.

It's an ageless message that is bought and paid for and distributed by the bought and paid for.

Any day, now. Timing is everything. Pars

[gustgd]

a great tie in article

"the poop on Bio-solids"

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Front/1177803.html

Parsley when we are all putting our pic's on the labels will you be advertising this practice?
Will you be pointing out if your organic competitors do? Will you know if it happens?

[Jay-mo]

Big Organic has gone to great lengths to demonized the term "genetically modified Triffid Flax!!". Otherwise, why not label food as such?

What if instead of the lovely term "organic" we call it "carbon based flax", or "carbtech flax? Not so appealing anymore is it?
I will admit Big Organic has done a great job educating the city-types that think milk comes from safeway, cuz the consumer is always right, right?

[parsley]

You perhaps enjoy embellishing history as you go along.

As I read, in the 90's, Sask. Flax were the ones who had Triffid gathered up and crushed. They knew what the EU wanted to buy. GM flax was not on the list. Sask Flax read the EU's marketing specs and then complied with the request.

You want the Europenas to begin to eat, to experiment with what biotech invents! Is that a good strategy, I ask?

I travelled in the Neatherlands and in Denmark and in Sweden and in Germeny last summer.

The store shelves are stocked differently. They actually want to buy DIFFERENT products and eat different products than we do. Their labels really do reflect a difference.

Organic is desirable. Even Organic makeup is desirable. Organic food is a given.

For example:

Breakfast in the hotels all four countries was consistent:

Granola, piles and piles of fresh fruit, dark heavy rye, whole wheat, triticale, flax etc. fresh warm breads. boiled eggs. Whole grain hot cereal. various bacons Real juices.

Canadian breakfast in the last hotel stayed in Winnipeg, Manitoba.... Danish made with white dough and piles of sweet filling, fried hash browns,fried eggs, white and whole wheat toast, dry cereals, bacon, oranges.

Different approaches. Europeans EAT differently...not just what tastes good, but for nutrition. They are fussy! NO FAT KIDS!

Should we spend money to preach at them to convert them to novel foods, say, or just supply them with what they want to buy?

Q What makes FARMERS the most money?

A Repeat orders from satisified customers.

The Basic Eyeball Test:

Take a look at our school kids. When a buyer comes to Canada, do our school children leave the buyer with the impression that our food is so good they want to buy it for their children?

I really noticed EU school children, yes I did. Pars