Western Producer | January 6, 2000 | By Ed White, Saskatoon newsroom
Canadian canola growers are, according to this story, uncertain about what to plant next spring because of the uproar over genetically modified crops.
But most industry sources were cited as saying that even though farmers are asking a lot of questions, they aren't turning away from GM seed. Dale Adolphe, president of the Canola Council of Canada, was quoted as saying, "There's uncertainty, and growers are asking what they should be growing,. We don't know what will happen in the next three months, or four months, or 18 months - which is how long growers will be marketing their next crop."
Bruce Harrison of Proven Seeds, the seed division of United Grain Growers, was cited as saying he knows farmers are worried about what would happen if North American consumers and processors turned against GM crops, adding, "The confusion there is generally with GMOs I'm sure is having an effect."
Harrison was further cited as saying seed sales are slower than normal this year, but he thinks it probably has more to do with low canola prices than with uncertainty over GMOs, adding, "Guys are just less enthused this year."
Adolphe was further cited as saying his organization is telling farmers to buy their seed based on their estimation of what will give them the most money, adding, "At this point there is no reason for a grower to make their decisions based on any other basis than whatever they feel is going to give them the greatest yield."
Harrison said UGG takes the same position: "Don't even worry about it. If you are worried about it, you should contract your grain with your grain company. ... Farmers love this stuff. They're just a little concerned about some of the signals they're getting as to whether the stuff they grow is going to be accepted in the marketplace."
