AC Navigator???

[wedino]

From the "Questions Farmers are asking" page in the Mar/Apr 2001 issue of Grain Matters. (Why can't I open the "Question Farmers are asking" page in Grain Matters on the CWB site?) If it could be opened I would've pasted it. Any way, I'm wondering why
AC Navigator, a SWP variety, was licenced when it is not visually
distinguishable from other varieties of CWAD? It appears that catastrophic problems can be expected if it is mixed with conventional durum.

Comments please!

Later........Cam

>>Grain Matters is a bi-monthly publication distributed FREE-OF-CHARGE to Prairie farmers<<

[TOM4CWB]

Isn't it interesting that the new white wheat is in exactly the same position!

The CWB and SWP do intresting things together, things that no one else is allowed to do!!!!

[charliep]

I should leave to CWB but just a quick note.

Just to put Navigator durum into perspective, it claim to fame is high gluten strenghth (similar to the characturistics of glenlea/the other extra strong wheats for the spring wheat class). Its target market is Europe in competition with domestic produced durum in southern areas (Italy) and in the high quality pasta market. It is incremental business over and above historical Canadian durum exports. It is a new market opportunity.

Your question about impact on other sales of blending with other wheats is something I have been quizzing people about but I am still want to do more research. I also don't know why it is a SWP variety (navigator is their variety, SWP has relationship with the mills buying it, etc.).

The interesting question to me is how novel trait/specialty wheats should be handled. That is, we have a customer that comes to us and says this is a product/wheat with the following quality chararacturistics that I would like to buy from you. Western grain industry/farm managers determine they can produce the crop/breed for the traits and based on risk/reward analysis determine it can be done profitably. The question comes down to how the industry makes it happen (or do we leave the non traditional business to other countries).

The above process happens effectively/efficiently in canola for varieties that produce novel trait oils. It also works for organic farms from the delivery side (leaving other issues alone for the moment). Is the process much different for specialty wheats?

[ianben]

Hi All
Is not this what a Warburtons contract is?
Why can't the same thing be used to supply niche customers demands with the premium paid to farmers for whatever reason is used in that instance.
There are defintely value added markets for segregated varieties and special baking qualites. The CWB should a least try to help you meet these demands and provide a better service to its customers.
Did the CWB have anything to do with the Warburtons contracts in the first place??
Have Warburtons had to do all the work themselves, despite the CWB??
Would this sort of contract satisfy Tom Adam Parsley and Organics, where the farmer got the premium for their niche quality and the CWB helped find the markets?

Regards Ian

[wedino]

Charlie, The point I tried to make is that Sk Pool can get a variety licenced while others cannot. ex. Grandin, & lately a variety that shows resistance to fusarium.

This quote is from Grain Matters. >>AC Navigator, a SWP variety, was licenced when it is not visually
distinguishable from other varieties of CWAD?

Let's apply the rules to everyone in the trade!!

Later.........Cam

[charliep]

Ianben - Teal wheat variety (are there others?) fits within the quality and KVD standards of the Hard Red Spring wheat classes so there is no issue with blending with other CWRS wheat. There is quality variation within our wheat varieties by class but for most customers, this doesn't present a problem under the current system. Warburton is variety specific in their contract (almost like a maltster on malt barley). As a note of interest, we grow five types of wheat with different end uses - bread wheat (Canada Red Spring wheat), noodle wheat (Canada Prairie Spring), blending wheat with high gluten strenghth (extra strong), cookie wheat (soft white spring) and pasta wheat (durum). To date, we have tried to segregate these classes visually. As you can tell from the discussion, some of the varieties that are coming on board (same comments for old varieties) are in the grey areas between these classes in terms of quality characturistics and target market.

[charliep]

I wasn't at the PRRCG meeting where the registration for Navigator was recommended so can't comment on those discussions. Take note that the Prairie Grain Registraiton Recommending Committee is made up of reps from every aspect of the industry. The CWb is only a part of this committee.

Navigator is providing a near term solution to a growing competitive problem that our durum had. The protein levels have been lower over the past number of years than customers like Italy would have liked. The Aussies and others had some high protein strong gluten product and were gaining in this market. Navigator gained acceptance and kept us in these markets.

Remembger Pathfinder was also a strong gluten variety that was tried out at the same time, but was not as acceptable as Navigator.

There is no question that views are continuing to change in terms of how we react to new market demands overall. Issues like patently held varieties and how to deal with them is a new issue, but one that there will be more demands for in the future.

The concern raised comparing Grandin - Grandin didn't show any new or unique market potential which was one of the reasons it was left as an unregistered variety.

Tom

[bobn]

Tom said"
The concern raised comparing Grandin - Grandin didn't show any new or unique market potential which was one of the reasons it was left as an unregistered variety."

I beg to differ on your reasoning about
Grandin not having any new market potential. Does a 30% yield advantage not mean a better market potential, since it would be more profitable for the farmer, even if sold at a lower price? Having grown Grandin wheat for 5 years in a row, I can confirm a consistent yield advantage, and with it's short straw, was easy to harvest with yields in the 60-70 bushels per acre. The excuse about not being able to keep Grandin wheat separate from other varieties, somehow doesn't make any sense anymore.

It's the same old story. Grandin wheat was not connected to any of the CWB's favored sisters!

[TOM4CWB]

thalpenny on Grandin!

The CWB monopoly extends to the types of wheat we grow for human consumption!

Grandin is registered and grown in eastern Canada! A market is there if the marketer wants to compete with United States DNS wheats.

It is obvious that the CWB does not want to compete on a level playing field with US marketers, because the transparency it would create would tell a really interesting tale.....that the CWB is so afraid of they can't stand the idea of it. COMPETITION!!!