GMO contamination of non-GMO Wheat

[TOM4CWB]

Charlie and Lee;

What contingency plan is in place to deal with contamination of the non-GMO wheat with GMO wheat?

This is much like BSE, and since GMO wheat has been tested in AB, Sask, and MB, what are we going to do WHEN it is found in the commercial non-GMO grain?

[charliep]

The answer to your question is perhaps not to start growing it commercially until there is export customer exceptance or a trace ability protocol that meets these buyers criteria. From what I know, this is the policy today. I don't know what is happening with breeder/foundation seed but I don't think Canada is ready to release any GMO varieties soon. Other will know what is coming up the variety pipe and issues in the registry process.

Is the risk you idenify blending or are you concerned about genetic polution of other wheats? Should government take the lead role (more regulations) or should it be done commercially (a farmer/grain company can grow the stuff but know you will be sued if it ends up contaminating a cargo).

Are all GMO alternatives necessarily bad? What would thoughts be if a wheat trait could be included using GM technology that had a consumer valued trait (eg. something like a vitamin A enriched rice)? What happens if a wheat could be bred to eliminate a disease (eg. fusarium)? Add frost tolerance?

What would you suggest government's do (other than ban GMO wheat)? By the last statement, don't assume I support GMO wheat. I woud just like to deal with these issues on a scientific basis (including unbiassed risk assessment) and considerable listening to consumer concerns/answers to their basic concerns.

[TOM4CWB]

Charlie;

As we see in the BSE situation science has little to do with the acceptance of CDN Beef, or a road map of how to open the border would already be clearly in front of us.

This situation is not a tolerance level issue, just like BSE does not have a threshold level... 1 cow or 1 kernel that is bad... and we are toast.

We have literally grown out hundreds of bushels of GMO wheat over the past 7 years, have sufficent and secure precautions gaurenteed that not 1 kernel of GMO wheat has been released into the commercial grain system?

I am not at all convinced that we are secure... and for good reason.

What has happened to all the sites over the past 7 years, where this GMO material was grown?

I am a select seed grower, and I know how easily a few kernals can contaminate a whole quarter section...

We work with tolerances, not an absolute zero tolerance... BSE is an active trade situation where Zero tolerance is the standard, as is the situation with GMO Wheat.

It is my seed farm that is at direct risk, and I find the Ag Canada CFIA response to this GMO Wheat lax and unacceptable.

Science cannot heal what has happened with BSE in the EU or Japan.

Emotion rules the day, and a serious look at this GMO wheat escape situation is clearly a prudent risk management to insure escapes cannot enter the commercial grain, as a simple safety requirement.

I have volunteers of wheat that have shown up in my seed crops 7 years after they were grown.

Zero tolerance is unforgiving.

Have we taken the total precautions that prevent adjoining fields (for pollen transfer) and plot land that grew GMO wheat from contaminating our commercial grain system? What do we do when we find GMO wheat in the commercial system?

We have had multipoint releases of this material into the environment, 47 plots grown across western Canada last year alone... with what precautions?

The USA has done the same GMO wheat experiments, what if our contamination came from there in non-GMO seed stocks?

The Science of GMO wheat is irrelevant, just as the "low" risk assesment on you being infected with the BSE infective agent... Charlie... does not open other nations borders to our cattle exports.

I am trying to deal with real problems, in the real world, that have potential to destroy many family farms, including mine.

GMO wheat has great risk attatched. Whether I would like to grow the GMO wheat, or not, is a whole different issue. If I hurt my neighbour while growing this product, because it cannot be contained... because of zero tolerances, must also be taken into account.

These are the issues of the future, in a Bio-tech world... that is fast shrinking, because now, everyone is our next door neighbour!

[charliep]

No answers to your questions so I will seek others advice.

A note of the hypocracy of the whole world. We are all using computers which have a usefull life span. They likely contain elements/things that are not necessarily healthy for people either at the time of construction or when it is disposed of. What steps is society taking to maket sure computers (or electronic gadgets or cars or whatever) are recycled properly with minimal environment/human health risk? What assessment is done of this risk? If we applied zero risk criteria that is required for GMO/BSE, would any of us have access to this technology?

The same things might apply to health products. Eg. birth control pills flushed down sinks - estrogen - fish.