Canada's Canola Industry Launches GMO Concern Counter-Measures

Escalating public concern over Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in the food sector has prompted Canada's canola industry to launch an education program and warn that the banning of GMOs would lead to higher costs for canola consumers, trade sources said. An estimated 40 to 50% of the canola grown in Canada has been genetically modified.

"I think at the end of the day, the consumer is always right," said Charlie Pearson with pro-AG Strategies, a farmer advisory service. "And while European consumers have been bantering about the health issues over genetically modified food—canola included—North American users were only now becoming interested in knowing more about it."

Statistics Canada on April 23, estimated that 13.985 million acres would be seeded to canola in Canada during the 1999-2000 (August-July) crop year. This compares with seedings of 13.535 million acres during 1998-99.

However, while there is a need to have a global wide education program in place to address the public concern over GMOs, efforts to implement such a program are still not on the drawing board, Dale Adolphe, president of the Canola Council of Canada said.

And while no global education program has yet been established, there have been some steps taken already by some Canadian groups in order to address the public concern over GMOs. The Food Biotechnology Communication network, an organization made up of Canadian companies including the Canadian Consumer Association as well as the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors, have established a 1-800 number for questions on GMOs, said Adolphe.

And while canola could and would get tarnished by any real negative publicity on GMO's, the immediate heat is on Canada's food regulators and the Canadian government to dictate policy on the subject.

"Canola producers are really the innocent bystanders in all of this, and the growers, as well as the industry, is operating on the basis that the quality and environmental safety standards that are in place have been signaling the okay to go ahead and commercialize the use of these GMO products."

Adolphe acknowledged that there hasn't been the pressure yet to address the issue on a greater plain quite yet, but it may only be a matter of a short time away amid the growing coverage by the media and the public's response.

Consumer to bear the cost of GMO-free products
"Consumers need to keep in mind that it will be more expensive and risky to grow conventional canola as opposed to genetically modified seed and that they will eventually bear the financial burden if that is the chosen path," Pearson said. "Much like organically grown products, the cost will be higher."

Pearson noted that producers, who are already economically challenged to keep productivity up amid a poor financial climate are more likely to plant the genetically modified canola as opposed to the alternative. "In these tough economic times, the producer has to go with all the technology he can, and if that includes the use of biotechnology to improve yields, then that's what the grower will use."

He noted that through the use of biotechnology, canola was now being grown on land once considered to impossible to even consider. "Conventional canola requires clean land to grow, but with the use of GMO seed, the producers can plant the crop in almost any type of terrain."

Depending on the level of public outcry, the Canadian industry may also look at ways of identity preserving GMO foods, such as canola, Pearson said. The trick will be accomplishing that feat, he indicated, noting that the task of keeping general canola and GMO canola separate through the grain handling system will be difficult, if not more expensive.

"There will be a cost for any identity preservation program and it will be the consumer who has to eventually pay for it," Adolphe indicated.

Course plotted, little hopes of turning back now
The issue of biotech has already been charted, according to Mike Jubinville, with ProFarmer Canada.

"The industry has progressed quite far already, where 40 to 50% of the canola that is seeded in Canada has been genetically modified." Jubinville said there may be a slowdown in the usage of the GMO canola when the public outcry hits its peak, but the long-term trend says that's the direction we're heading with little stopping now.

"The level of consumer acceptance worldwide may take some time, but it is bound to happen," Jubinville said. "And while Europe is the real bastion of resistance, eventually that obstinacy will be eroded."