Regulation, Procedures, and Rules for Triffid

[parsley]

Let your mind run wild. What are the only ways for the gene to get there if due diligence was followed?

[ward.toma]

We all know there are many ways for that
to happen, on and off farm. Which is why
approvals for your product should be
obtained in your markets prior to release.

[parsley]

Approval has indeed been given by the market in Europe to buy Canadian organic flax.

But there is one element over which organic growers have no control, and of which the Univerity of Saskatchewan canola breeders never anticipated, either .

It's called cross-pollination.

Cross pollination has indeed been an uncontrollable consequence for the canola breeder.

Do you suppose offficials such as Gordon Pugh has inquiries about cross-pollination?

Which brings us to property rights and responsibility, doesn't it?

When commerical action/inventions destroys markets, and destroys property by permanently changing a commodity's basic quality, there should be a compensatory action plan.

I realize thatin some jurisdictions, that compensation and property rights may be a foreign concept.

But I place them on the table. Again.

Parsley

[oneoff]

You ask about potatoes and as I recall; cutting the eyes out of a potato will yield identical tubers generation after generation. So if you are sure that you keep cutting the "eyes" from your favorite seed stock; and have always selected the sprouts and eyes from that line which dates back prior to GM monkey busines on potatoes; then sure it should test negative and should indeed have no detectable trace of GM material. It indeed should have no GM material in any of your tubers grown in that way (past, present and future).
However if potato flowers (above ground) and if potatos have any chance of cross pollination and if there were any GM pollen available anytime in the past; and if you even once grew your favorite potato variety from those potato seeds (not eyes because I am pretty sure they clone themselves in a simple reliable method of sowing a potato crop) then all bets are off that there isn't any chance that you are now propogating GM potatoes; and maybe every last one of your crop is GM material tainted.
Parsley: It's not a matter of being careful; or thinking your production is GM free. The genie is out of the bottle; and can't be put back in. You can't test for 0%; and if your could the test usually destroys the sample. (and remember the inherent problem of getting a representative sample; the test limitations and sensitivities; sources of error etc.etc.

When the golden or yellow flax has red or brown seeds in it and its virtually impossible to keep them out; then no one knows the heritage of the red or brown ones. You don't even know for sure about the golden flax if researchers are wrong about it being 100% non cross-pollinatable. The industry says that flax doesn't cross pollinate; but sure as heck there are rare instances and thats all it would take. For all anyone knows' maybe thats how the occassional red and brown seed get to show up in registered seed growers golden and yellow flax.
You say use our imaginations about ways that ccontamination may happen. Well it could be a any simple accident; mistake; spill; mixing; pollination event; deliberate act; natural occurance; deliberate selection or combination thereof.
It has happened with flax; and neither you nor I can ever escape the effects. None of the flax production can ever be known Triffid-free when there is absolutely no way of currently detecting that fact.

[oneoff]

As for other crops and species; a very good starting point are the notes that GM government regulators require to be conducted about the crop you may be interested in including some GM material in.( I don't recall the agency where they are posted)

In those reports you will find very comprehensive reports citingup to hundred or more year old reseach on the characteristics of crops such as flax. It's very interesting reading; and will outline the crops wild relatives that may be impacted when out-crossing will inevitably occur.
The list may very well include some of your most favorite varieties that may take on GM traits; without you ever knowing or expecting it.

[wd9]

So does Canada's organic flax have zero triffid in it? At what level has it tested at?

[parsley]

My point, oneoff, is, IF there is harm, (you claim GM harm is inescapable),then responsibility goes with with it. Is that a fair statement? Pars

[parsley]

You probably can't speak for all Canada's seed growers, nor can I speak for all of Canada's organic growers. Pars

[TOM4CWB]

wd9,

Who is testing to see if our wheat is GM free?

[charliep]

What is everyones definition of GM? Hard to test for something when there isn't agree on what it is?

Is clearfield wheat a GM variety? Will the new flaxseed developed by directed mutagenesis be GM? By whose definition?

By the CFIA definition, all plants developed in Canada are genetically modified.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the discussion was Parsleys highlight of the USDA release on Alfalfa/Vilsack's statement.

Nobody commented on it or Parsley's suggestions for change.

[URL="http://agriville.com/cgi-bin/forums/viewThread.cgi?1294249326"]USDA[/URL]

[TOM4CWB]

Charlie,

All the RR Wheat grown out at Indian Head... I understand they had RR Superb at field scale.

[bucket]

There was also supposedly a rr wheat field in an irrigation district near lake diefenbaker.

If they are going to multiple something, they are not going to do it on dryland. Food for thought, folks.

And if they were testing wheat for the rr gene out of canada they would have found it already. Its being done no doubt.