Flax?

[charliep]

Actually asked the ARD oilseed specialists the question about out crossing (article above). Flax is close polinated crop with about 1 percent outcrossing. The outcrossing is via insects.

[parsley]

The ARD specialist better give Joe Cummins, professor emeritus of genetics at the University of Western Ontario, Canada, a call and bring him up to speed.


Let's play money$$$$, charliep.

200,000 bushels of Triffid got crushed.
So we know that amount was grown.
What's 1% of 200,000 bushels?
Per year, at say four or five years?

If it was $$$money, you'd be on the calculator,adding it up for your next paddling trip, right?

It's Triffid, tho. You temporarily forgot your multipication tables, right?

[Fransisco]

Pars, if you think I called you a witch in a previous post you should go back and read it again. I didn't.

What I meant by the comment is that you seem to be on a witch hunt. Pitchforks,torch's,phony trials based on little or no evidence. That sort of thing.

If you want to convince me that gmo's are immoral,or unhealthy or that someone is actively growing triffid flax then you will have to use facts and connect the dots.There are all sorts of people out there who believe that speculation and innuendo are good substitutes for thinking. I'm not one of them.

[charliep]

Actually the discussion is about the pressence of an unregistered genetic marker in Canadian flaxseed production.

So a question. If you tested every field of flax in Canada at the genetic level, do we have any idea of what the level of contamination would be? If I was a farmer, I would do the genetic test out of curiosity. I would also work back through a process of reviewing my seed sources. Did I or my neighbors grow triffid? When is the last time I bought certified seed and from who? If I used common seed, only stuff I have grown or did I buy it from a neighbor? Do they have an idea where the seed came from?

[Fransisco]

That would be a reasonable evidence based approach.

[parsley]

fran, I just try to keep the arguebarbs diluted: I am not sensitive at all, I am only having a bit of sport, so accept it as such, will you?

We are farmers, not adversaries.

charliep, trying to keep me on topic is like trying to keep a fencecrawling cow out of the oats swath, but you already know that.lol

Checking seed source sounds good to me<p></p>
<p class="EC_style8ptBK"><strong>[URL="http://parsleysnotebook.blogspot.com/2009/09/following-genetic-trail-of-triffid-gmo.html"](I did a wee bit of checking)[/URL]</strong></p>

[Fransisco]

That's good, just making sure.

[Fransisco]

SITUATION UPDATE
CANADIAN FLAX IN EUROPEAN MARKETPLACE
WINNIPEG, MB (September 11th, 2009)

On September 8th, 2009 the European Commission issued a Rapid Alert notification, confirming the presence of CDC Triffid flax in some Canadian flax samples. To date, we have not seen any laboratory results that would prove this to be the case. We are working with the Canadian European Mission in Brussels to determine what prompted this action.

European labs have been testing Canadian flax and initial analytical results indicate, in some samples, the presence of NPTII, a genetic marker common to many GM crops. Some of these
labs are now stating that this indicates the presence of CDC Triffid, a genetically modified flax, not approved for production in Canada.

The Flax Council of Canada considers the possibility of genetically modified flax to be a very serious issue. The Council is also in discussion with Foreign Affairs International Trade Canada (DFAIT), Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), to keep them apprised of the situation and enlist their assistance with potential trade issues.

In conjunction with industry experts and scientists, the Flax Council of Canada is working with Plant Biotechnology Institute in Canada and the Canadian Grain Commission’s Grain Research Laboratory to establish a proper protocol that will conclusively determine if Canadian flax contains CDC Triffid. Since DNA testing is extremely sensitive, and technology has improved considerably in recent years, this protocol has to be carefully developed to ensure accurate and reliable results.

As these results become available, we will communicate further with you.

[parsley]

Why do the CGC and GFIA and Gov et al spend all this time flailing their arms?

A little note for the Canadian Grain Commission:

1. Check out Quality Assured Seeds. They were initially in charge of Triffid seed!

If you can't find incorporation records, phone the University of Saskatchewan and say in your finest voice of authority,(practice in front of the mirrror if you have to,) "As officials of the Canadian Grain Commission, we require the names of the registered owners of Quality Seeds.
And go "hurrumph."

U of S can recognize a funder's voice a mile away, if you feel the need to put the Minister on the phone.

2. Phone Quality Assured Seeds shareholder's and ask them who bought Triffid seed from them!

3. Call each of the forty who purchased Triffid. Ask for seed grower their records.

Every record will be in order, won't they?


That way, the CGC can reassure the EU with documented proof, that the marker is not from Canada.





Right? Pars

[charliep]

Is this the way the organic industry will deal with one of its own when
someone steps offside? Will you automatically assume they are guilty
without knowing all the facts? Do you want the CGC to be the
executioner?