GMO Wheat

[charliep]

If the rules haven't been followed, then there will be
law suits. In Canada, the rules are well defined under
CFIA rules around plants with novel traits release
protocols.

If you disagree with the current approval process, you
need to work with government to change the process.
The federal NDP did put forward proposed legislation
that would have added market acceptance to the
criteria versus strictly science.

Given the separate varietal systems, seed distribution
and grain handling systems in the US and Canada,
there is almost no chance of this event occurring in
no Canada. Customers could require this step which
is what you both seem to support.

This is not a human health issue but rather a market
access one. It is also a hill to stand on for anyone
opposed to genetic engineering. I follow plant
breeding a bit and this is old technology that will
used because its there/can be taken off the shelf but
the next real advances will come from other non
traditional plant breeding technics.

[charliep]

Not your question but the costs of bringing new seed
technology to market are humungus and the return
potential in Canada minimal. This is a situation that
has to change if Canada wants investment in wheat
breeding. One of the aspects that companies want is
clarity of rules and at least some protection from
frivolous law suits. All countries including your gold
standard Europe have this with additional comments
there protection around plant breeder rights
including compensation for investment much clearer.

Don't know how a genetic trait that hadn't completed
the approval process got out of the genie bottle. I
suspect that is what the investigation will determine.
There may be law suits in the US based on their
processes. This genetic event has not been found in
Canada to my knowledge (maybe you have other
evidence) so not our issue at this point and a way to
increase market share although we do not grow a lot
of soft white wheat (class that was impacted).
Australia will benefit the most.

[TOM4CWB]

Dear Charlie,

The 'rules' are NOT being followed.

How did Triffid get into the breeder seed of all the
varieties at CDC Saskatoon? That 'should' not have
been possible. This fiasco cost our farm at least
$100K... and who had to pay? We the growers.

How do you sue with no proof who did what?

Not worth the energy or lost sleep... and the CDN
establishments know growers are too easy going and
big hearted to do anything about this travesty.

Not going to say anything about the RR wheat... all
that will do is cost us $$$Billions!

Cheers!

[charliep]

Perhaps the question then. Do you believe we have
the glyphosate tolerant gene in western Canadian
wheat? Should we be testing for it or more important
should our customers be asking for it? I note that
most farmers use this herbicide. Are glyphosate
tolerant volunteer or otherwise wheats showing up in
fields - your everyday test you do as farmer. This is
how the event was discovered in Oregon.

[wmoebis]

Charlie:

Could you explain more on this issue
and how it works today? You said:

"Given the separate varietal systems,
seed distribution
and grain handling systems in the US and
Canada,
there is almost no chance of this event
occurring in
no Canada."

Are you saying that RR wheat would have
different KVD. Unlike RR canola verses
****seed which are not readily
distinguishable?

[charliep]

I am just saying we have separate systems for
approving new varieties. yes some unregistered
varieties come across the border but our varieties for
the most part are developed in Canada. I realize
plant breeders could use genetic material but I
assume with new technology that there must be at
least some screening for unregistered genetic events.

In the case of the grain handling system, a US farmer
or otherwise cannot deliver into the western Canadian
primary elevator handling system.

So if the RR ready showed up in western Canada, it
would have to have been introduced from our own
breeding system. Triffid taught us some lessons. I
don't think at this point there is anything to indicate
the problems have been repeated in western
Canadian wheat. It is a question be be asked and
answered by tested for the gene/genetic markers. I
note from Tom's last comment the potential outcome.

So the question is how Canada approaches. More
complex than simply lining up for law suits.

[wmoebis]

Good topic;
I question on how the wheat was
detected in Oregon. Was it a random test
or politically motivated?

Reminds me of both the Percy Schmeiser
and the Hudye Farms cases. Were these
random checks or politically motivated
checks, to make a point in each case?

How many farmers randomly or regularly
test rogue plants that get past sprays?
Either on chem fallow or become
volunteers in say RR canola fields.

In Canada, KVD and our inspection
services used to govern and control
these issues. Today that is down loaded
onto producers through our varietal
declarations we sign at time of delivery
and we are personally liable for all
costs to the industry if we deliver
rogue seeds, whether we are aware of the
contamination or not.

[TOM4CWB]

Dear Charlie,

You asked; "Do you believe we have
the glyphosate tolerant gene in western Canadian
wheat?"

How was the 'rougue' triffid gene discovered?

If anyone had told you... this triffid gene that was so
carefully kept separate... could end up in the breeder
seed of 6 varieties of flax... and spread all over the
world... you would have said they were crazy 6 or 7
years ago.

Yet it happened... AND NO ONE is willing to even
discuss how this could have happened... with the
complex breeding and regulations we have to make
sure it couldn't happen.

It is beyond belief that triffid got spread everywhere...
and I question if it didn't mutate 'naturally' for it to so
completely contaminate everything in the flax world.

Now what about wheat? Did the same thing happen?

It did in the US!

Who is checking here? Would they admit the gene is
loose... even if it is in the system?

Want to place bets... that they would cover it up...
rather than have the cost and embarrassment of trying
to put the RR roundup wheat genie back in the bottle?

Cheers!

[charliep]

Tom,

A very complex issue. If the gene is in some wheat
varieties or for that matter, the genetic marker, it will
be found eventually. It is always a matter of who you
want to find it first. You or the customer.

wmoebis - A lot simpler that you suggest. A farmer
was trying to use glyphosate to spray a wheat crop
and there were plants that didn't die. They took the
plants to an expert to find out why. The gene for
herbicide tolerance was found to be present and this
has (from my understanding) been confirmed up the
line to USDA. In that sense, everyone here tests their
wheat for the gene every time they try to spray out
volunteers/use a as a desiccant - wheat plants that
don't die from an application of glyphosate may
contain the gene.

[wmoebis]

Thanks Charlie. I didn't realize that:

"everyone here tests their
wheat for the gene every time they try
to spray out
volunteers/use a as a desiccant - wheat
plants that
don't die from an application of
glyphosate "

That must take some time and be
expensive, given the hundreds of
thousands of acres to cover to look for,
pick and assess every plant that
escapes.

I've seen lots of samples of RR canola
that has a few wheat kernals in it after
harvest and delivered to elevators that
are just assessed as dockage.
Farmers/agents just think it is some
planets that didn't get hit with spray
or late volunteers. Maybe all these
kernals should be picked out and sent
away for gene testing just incase wheat
is becoming resistant like some of the
weeds.