A board member with the Irrigated Alfalfa Seed Producers Association of Alberta says alfalfa seed producers are not the only ones who should be concerned about the commercialization of Roundup Ready alfalfa.Weldon Hobbs, an alfalfa seed producer and IASPA board member from Lethbridge, said dairy and beef producers have been quiet about the issue of GM alfalfa, even though it could have a significant impact on their costs of production.“In my opinion, this product (Roundup Ready alfalfa) would represent quite a sharp increase in the cost of livestock production and dairy production compared to what they’re used to paying,” said Hobbs, a former IASPA president who also serves as director of the Alberta Alfalfa Seed Commission.“When it (Roundup Ready alfalfa) was being sold in the United States, it sold for anywhere from $6 to $7.50 a pound whereas conventional seed was anywhere from $2.50 a pound up to $4.50 so this is quite a sizable increase in the cost of the seed itself.”The commercialization of Monsanto’s Roundup Ready alfalfa has many alfalfa seed producers fearing a loss of markets due to the unintentional contamination of Canada’s conventional alfalfa seed supplies.Roundup Ready alfalfa is a transgenic or genetically modified product that could disrupt Canadian alfalfa seed exports into GM sensitive markets such as Europe.It is not registered for commercial production in Canada but it has received feed, food and environmental approvals by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.Monsanto officials have also confirmed that the company will probably seek approvals this spring from the Pest Management Regulatory Agency.If granted, the PMRA approvals would clear the way for Roundup herbicide to be sprayed on the crop.The only remaining hurdle to commercial production in Canada would be an application for commercial registration by the crop’s Canadian agent, Forage Genetics International.According to Hobbs, commercial production of GM alfalfa would pose a significant threat to Canadian alfalfa seed markets.“Right now, our alfalfa seed can be sold worldwide,” said Hobbs.“Once and if we do become contaminated, it will only be a matter of time before we have a limited number of market outlets for our seed. Until the majority of markets accept this new product, we’re looking at it and saying that it’s beginning to limit our production and marketing possibilities.”He said there would be a high risk of transferring of genetic material from GM alfalfa crops to conventional and feral alfalfa, especially in irrigated areas of southern Alberta where alfalfa seed producers farm close to one another.He also suggested that the contamination of Canada’s commercial flax supplies last year should signal to Ottawa that steps are needed to protect Canadian farmers.“We look at that and we don’t understand why Ag Canada hasn’t reviewed their current position on Roundup Ready alfalfa.”Trish Jordan, a spokesperson for Monsanto Canada, said commercialization of GM alfalfa in Canada is not expected any time soon.“In the case of alfalfa seed producers who grow alfalfa seed for export to European countries, clearly they have a significant business there … and we don’t want to do anything to jeopardize that,” she said.“And I think there’s a lot of time to look at these things. Forage Genetics has not made any decisions whatsoever with regards to Canada and the commercial introduction of Roundup Ready alfalfa.“That decision will at some point have to be made by them but again until the situation has been resolved in the United States and commercial sales have resumed there, I don’t think they’re going to spend a lot of time thinking about the Canadian market and what they may or may not do here.”
Read Also
Farmland advisory committee created in Saskatchewan
The Saskatchewan government has created the Farm Land Ownership Advisory Committee to address farmer concerns and gain feedback about the issues.
