Flax?

[bucket]

What is the current situation with the Europeans as they stop buying flax?

Something to do with finding a genetically modified flaxseed gene marker.

Does it go back to the early part of the decade when someone was developing gm flax and europe said no thanks? So the variety Triffid was disposed of - supposedly. Or did some honest seed grower keep a little for himself to keep expenses down?

Currently there are no bids on flax and the overage on contracts goes to 6.50/bu.

Where is mr. Merchant on this one? If some buffoon kept that gm flax and screwed the market he should be facing a class action suit as there is no gm flax varieties registered.

[furrowtickler]

They are going to lower the price as far as possible before they have to start to buy. Same as you going to Wal/peavy mart. Harvest it, store it, and go hunting in Nov., enjoy X-mass season in Dec, it will all be good in Jan/Feb/Mar - JMO.

[Fransisco]

Looks like they might be starting to realize how crazy their zero tolerence policies really are.


EU Agricultural Ministers To Mull Risks Of Strict GMO Policy

The European Union Council of Agricultural Ministers will meet
Monday to discuss the economic risks posed by the EU's tough policy of
rejecting agricultural imports that contain tiny residues of
unauthorized genetically modified material, an EU official said Friday.

The issue made headlines in June when Germany and Spain blocked
cargoes of US soy...one of which amounted to 35,000 tonnes...that were
found to contain traces of GM corn not yet approved in the EU. After a
number of separate incidents, a total of 200,000 tonnes of soy had been
denied entry by mid-July, according to the EU Commission.

High on the agenda of the Agricultural Council will be the problems
faced by the trading block's livestock industry, which is hugely
dependent on imports of soymeal as the chief component of animal feed.
Feed and food industry representatives have warned due to tight global
stocks the EU faces severe soybean shortages and soaring feed prices in
the coming months unless it eases its zero-tolerance policy.

[parsley]

"But European customers, which buy 60 per cent of Canada's flax, said they didn't want to buy any GM flax."

"<p></p>
<p class="EC_style8ptBK"><strong><a href="http://www.rense.com/general11/gm.htm">("Tell the buyers they're stupid and they don't know what they want!" Was that what the 40 farmers multiplying the seed were thinkin'?)</a></strong></p>

[parsley]

Who's singing, "Someone to watch over me?".......
"<p></p>
<p class="EC_style8ptBK"><strong><a href="results indicate the presence of NPTH, a genetic marker">(results indicate the presence of NPTH, a genetic marker..maybe God put it there)</a></strong></p>

[parsley]

&quot;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class=&quot;EC_style8ptBK&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;[URL="http://www.gmwatch.org/latest-listing/1-news-items/11474-flax-prices-dive-over-gmo-concerns"](results indicate the presence of NPTH, a genetic marker..maybe God put it there)[/URL]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

[parsley]

&quot;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class=&quot;EC_style8ptBK&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;[URL="http://www.non-gmoreport.com/articles/dec08/non-gmo_organic_grain_contracts.php"](Can you name the Big 40 flax farmers who just expanded the organic buyers list?)[/URL]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;


&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class=&quot;EC_style8ptBK&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;& lt;a href=&quot;http://news.tradingcharts.com/futures/3/7/128653973.html&quot;&gt;(And do you suppose the Big 40 will get a Christmas card?)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

[parsley]

And...........


WHO SHOULD PAY?

[parsley]

AND .........

who is dying to eat the beef ...who ate the feed...manufactured from the crushed flax blended into the feed?

If it's banned from Europe, why are Canadians unknowingly consuming i?

And where the hell is CFSA?

And where is the CGC? Still filling deer poop bags, boys?


Which brings us to loss, and responsibility.

Such troublesome little details, right?

Do you have ANY idea of the enormity of the losses here?

Parsley

[mbratrud]

If this proves to be the result of a producer keeping back and growing a product that couldn't be registered, I agree that producer should be made and example of. Makes you feel all warm and fuzzy about changing rules on KVD. There is always some A$%%^$E out there that can't play by the rules. This is going to be very costly.

[Zaphod]

I realize the customer ultimately decides, but there is no evidence that the Europeans are smarter consumers, just pickier.

One rumour I heard was that some of this flax was being grown in the US, where it wasn't illegal and then it came back into Canada.

[charliep]

Before anyone gets too excited, we should likely wait for the facts. With traceability and sampling in the elevator system, they will become apparent.

If the marker gene is present, the next step will be a process review in Canada.

Will highlight there are 3 to 4 mills in Europe that depend on Canadian flaxseed to meet their linoil (paint and linoleum). Virtually no flaxseed grown in Europe (especially since the EU system quit paying farmers in places like the England to grow it) so they will be shut down.

There is no comment on the safety of the flaxseed - only the flaxseed that contains this gene marker has not been approved for import into Europe. The EU imports millions of tonnes of genetically engineered corn and soybeans that have been subjected to the EU regulatory process and have been approved.

For those that are worried about supply chain effects, perhaps should noted the level of sophistication and level of testing. Suspect the sample was in a 5,000 tonne hold of a ship. Perhaps a word of warning for anyone contemplating breaking the rules around use of chemicals because well, its only a little and will be hidden as my load is blended (melathion in canola bins).

[parsley]

&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class=&quot;EC_style8ptBK&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;[URL="http://parsleysnotebook.blogspot.com/"](CGC regulates flax)[/URL]&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

[parsley]

charlie, I do get excited, because unfortunately, farmers pick up that tab for future sales, and for lost reputation.

Farmers pick up the tab.....again. Pars

[charliep]

Again, before anyone gets excited we need the facts.

Is the problem real? Was the issue an US flax delivered to a Canadian elevator? Was it a Canadian farmer (individual or group)? Was it a second berth in Duluth to pick up US flax after loading in Thunder Bay?

From there, why is it a government/CGC issue? The variety was de-listed. The EU is enforcing there rules around ensuring strict compliance to their GE approval process (more than flax caught).

If you want government involved, my solution is genetic testing of all samples with the costs and impact on timing of sales picked up by the supply chain (you will tell me the farmer). There would be no exceptions. But you say it is not farmers fault this variety was released. The answer then is to tighten up the CFIA/Health Canada rules around varietal development and approval even more than today (plants with novel traits).

So Canadian farmers live in a world of more regulation around developing and releasing new varieties and higher costs (detection and traceability) versus competitors?

Perhaps the real solution is to work towards international processes that indicate how biotech can be used that are accepted and adhered to by the major crop producing and consuming regions.