The grain industry continues to mull the question of how to regulate the release of genetically modified crop varieties without jeopardizing markets. (ref. 2727)

Much of the discussion is about market acceptance and where that should fit in relation to the regulatory regime for approving new crop varieties in Canada.

There are suggestions by some that the two should be dealt with separately.

The current system for approving crop varieties is science based and deals with issues such as crop quality and agronomics, as well as potential risk to the environment and human health.

The expertise needed to examine those aspects of a crop variety is different from that needed to determine market acceptance.

Kevin Muxlow, with Grain Growers of Canada, thinks the grain industry offers the best forum for reviewing market acceptance of a GM grain variety.

He said such a review by industry stakeholders could perhaps be done through a process parallel to the science-based review before new crop varieties are registered.

Unless a consensus can be reached for dealing with market acceptance, Muxlow said Canada could lose the potential benefits that biotechnology can bring to the industry.

"We don't want these things shut down," he said, while noting caution is needed when GM varieties are brought to the market.

At the centre of the debate about market acceptance is Roundup Ready wheat, a genetically modified crop being developed by Monsanto.

Several farm groups want assurances it will not be released commercially until there is some certainty that Canada's export markets for wheat will not be jeopardized.

Monsanto spokesperson Trish Jordan said Canada needs a consistent process that deals with all marketing issues arising from the development of a GM grain variety such as Roundup Ready wheat. Monsanto has not set a target for when it would like to have that variety available to Canadian farmers.

Besides market acceptance, factors like segregation, identity preservation and international standards for tolerances also need to be looked at. But Jordan said market acceptance cannot be worked into the current science-based regulatory system for approving new varieties.

"Market acceptance is very difficult to define."

Jordan would favour a collaborative approach within the grain industry for resolving the marketing issues of GM wheat.

An industry working group has been formed to examine marketing issues and potential costs and benefits of bringing Roundup Ready wheat to market.

Patty Rosher, the Canadian Wheat Board's market development program manager, said it is not yet clear how the issue of market acceptance for GM wheat can be tied in with the variety registration process.

She said one possibility is to have an ad hoc committee that deals with marketing issues.

The recommendation of that committee would then go to the federal minister of agriculture for review. That would be in addition to the current process for variety registration.

But Rosher said at this point, the federal government does not seem keen on adding socio-economic factors to the registration process.

** NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed for research and educational purposes only. **