Regulation, Procedures, and Rules for Triffid

[charliep]

The last paragraph refers to our processes in Canada with regards to new biotech crops or crops where there has been a significant change to function.

[oneoff]

Until we can bring ourselves say zero means zero; then it is obvious why people won't agree with basically anything. They have their own interests to protect; and continue to lie to themselves about near perfectness that can never be achieved again.

[ward.toma]

Charlie

No we wouldn't be talking about it. The
political approval differentiates GMO
from non gmo.

[charliep]

In Europe, zero means zero on crops varieties that are developed using
genetic engineering/transgenics and have not been approved by the
European Food Safety Agency and the EU parliment. Other
biotechnology plant breeding processes have a different standards or
none. Genetic events need to be registered even though they may not
be imported directly but show up adventiously (hopefully my spelling
works) in things like dust (corn dust in soybeans) which has a different
standard.

All countries are different on this including Canada. We have regulatory
processes around plants with novel traits.

Simple observation. Carry on the discussion

[charliep]

I note ward uses the term GMO. The CFIA definition for GMO is:

GM stands for "genetically modified".
An organism, such as a plant, animal or bacterium, is considered genetically modified if its genetic material has been altered through any method, including conventional breeding.
A "GMO" is a genetically modified organism.

[URL="http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/sci/biotech/reg/terexpe.shtml"]CFIA definitions[/URL]

[charliep]

Should correct a mistake. EFSA is European Food Safety Authority (not Agency).

[parsley]

I've said often that Organics has zero tolerance for GM, that organic buyers don't want modified food. But don't take my word for it, look it up.


A note for you.

In the early 1960's an engineer's wife smuggled some potato eyes with her, from her family's garden in Germany, when they moved to Canada. The same potatoes had been grown by her family ever since she could remember. Tradition.

She particularly liked them because they are blood-black on the outside, but pure white on the inside, early, good yielders, small eyespots, firm, cook and fry particlularly nicely, excellent taste, and they store well even into July and occassionaly August in my storage bin in the basement.

They were my customers' favourite potato to buy in the market barn. Her family grew them for a century she told me. I have grown them continuously for only twenty five or so years, keeping the best seed. Our farm has never sown any modified potato seed.

Would you agree that these potatoes would most likely meet 0% tolerance requirements ?

Members of a Swedish community also brought their beans with them from Sweden, in the late 1800's and planted them every year. I have grown them for decades. They can mature at a little over 60 days, I say they have climatized to Saskatchewn's 40below, are nutty, brown, and are very good in baked beans. The other beans we grow are also old old established heritage vaiieties. We keep our own seed.

We grow a specialy soybean that is by far, the besty soybaean I have ever tasted, and trust me, I'm an eater. They mature early. We keep our own seed.
We have grown French lentils for decades. ..etc, etc, etc, .you get the picture, don't you? We originally selected heritage varieties mainly for taste, btw.

Would you agree that these Swedish brown beans et al, would most likely meet the 0% tolerance requirements ?

What factors would most likely bring a different test result?

Feel free to make some suggestions, and then I'll respond. Pars

[charliep]

You can correct me but when use GM, you are talking specifically about crops that have been developed using genetic engineering/transgenics.

To help me understand further, there are no specific industry issues (you may have them as an individual) in having clearfield lentils or wheat genetics in an organic sales (genetics could come from blending or out crossing). Both were developed using mutagenesis.

[ward.toma]

To be consistent then, the EU GMO is
Canada's GE.

The heritage vegetables are not GE plants
in the EU.

[charliep]

to follow up, what are the processes for the organic industry to approve new varieties that have been developed using biotechnology plant breeding techniques other than genetic engineering.

Example, a new variety of wheat is developed using a biotech solution other than genetic engineering that has resistance to fusarium. I assume the organic industry would accept the finding of the current processes around approving plants with novel traits in Canada and similar processes in other markets like Europe.

[parsley]

Regulation, Procedures, and Rules for Triffid is the heading.

Golden flax, like the potatoes I referred to, have long been an established heritage variety of flax grown and marketed by organic growers.

Providing organics have been diligent, (ie diligenceis very diligent and part of a procedure document) I am asking what could possibly cause a golden flax Triffid-test to go from what should be 0% to showing a Triffid presence?

Or my German potatoes to go from )% tolerance to showing a GM presence?

Pars

[ward.toma]

The unapproved gene would have to be
present in the tested sample.