Flax 2

[parsley]

What if an American grower shipped the Triffid into Canada and sold it in Canada, but didn't disclose it was Triffid, with the purpose to destroy established Canadian shipments of flax into the EU food market and step in and take over that market ?

Intent is often looked at.

What was the intent of the Manitoba grower to not grow one of the countless varieties of available flaxseed, to instead choose Triffid, when he was aware of the risk he was putting the established market in?

What does it say about him? Was it his intent to destroy the EU food market? Was he paid by someone to trash the food market? Was he paid a lot of money by someone to advance the breeding of GMO flax, "because, looksee, we already have a contaminated market so what's the big deal" ? Was there intent to injure one of the trade in Germany, for example?

Intent. I'm off to a funeral. So it will give plenty of time for others to reply, and fran likes a quick reply. LOL

[haveapulse]

As I understand, the renegade seed was released as a trial to the then "Value Added" seed growers. There is a known list of who received the genetics. Despite advise to dispose of the seed obviously some or one did not. As I understand with current legislation the act itself is not illegal. The rest we can suppose, is now our history.

I expect the EU will raise their GMO tolerance at some point. Hopefully sooner than later.

I expect GM0 technology is here to stay.

Our challenge as producers is to define our success in the system so we can survive in a world with varying patent laws and as a result production costs.

Our statistics prove that as production increased, gross income grew and net income remained often lower to static, when adjusted for inflation quite dismall actually, and
often requiring subsidies in our recent history to remain postive. As a result, I expect the most important question to the farming community is the question of the share of the pie.

For farmers we an see the success of the CDC program to bring us positive net returns. Pulse crop levys have created publicly owned varities and technology which insured that revenue from this intellectual property remained in farmers hands. Revenue which now often exceeds that of the GMO Cinderella crop canola.

And so our role as responsible producers to the next generation is to question who wins and who looses with technology. Indeed to open another can of worms if allowing total control and direction to be only in the control of shrinking in number often collaborative world oligopolies is a wise way for the future.

Did we go too far when we abandoned our public breeding programs?

Does the success in the CDC pulse program speak volumes to the success of public breeding programs properly administrated.

No grower levy on seed, amazing revenue on the crops, great varieties now world class!

The question to me is more about who owns the technology as they control the miracles and the direction of the miracles for the future. As contract peasant growers we are amazed, but we should contemplate soon how to benefit equitably from the process.

Before we go Rah Rah we should reflect.

[haveapulse]

Ps Thanks Pars and Fran for a fabulous sparring..great stuff on both sides... Rah Rah to you both!

[cottonpicken]

Flax should not be eaten
I don't care what any health nut says

[checking]

If you are going to eat flax, you need to chew it to receive any of its nutrient value. Otherwise its value is a little fiber. No teeth, then invest in a grinder. What I really wanted to ask is "Are there any organic wild game hunters out there?"

[parsley]

"organic wild game hunters"

That's funny.

[cottonpicken]

Essential fats that become rancid become poision.

Cockroaches eat axle grease but they dont eat margarine.

[parsley]

That's why you should grind flaxseed as you use it. Treat it as if it is fresh milk.

Reading labels resulted in throwing all the margarine out the fridge decades ago, never to buy again.

[checking]

The reason I ask is because yesterday my combine rousted a cow-calf moose pair out of a low spot. Beautiful sleek hides from all that ripping standing flax, chewing, and throwing the straw over their backs. Trouble is, how do you keep the wayward rascals from getting into the triffid patch? Organic eaters will never have the experience of chowing down on a delicious moose steak. Although I understand they have been domesticated in Russia, and with the cream milk being 8 to 10 times the concentrate of dairy, it's no wonder they can raise two calves to 800 lbs in little more than four months. There is a market somewhere there for you!!

[Fransisco]

So Pars would you be in favour of banning margarine then? Since it is so "unnatural".