SEDGEWICK, Alta. – Alberta farmers may be split on the value of the Canadian Wheat Board, but those attending a recent CWB meeting were united in their opposition to Roundup Ready wheat.
Farmers at a wheat board accountability meeting in Sedgewick were unanimous in their opposition to its introduction after a call for a show of hands by a farmer in the audience.
“That’s a definite no. That’s how we feel,” Byron Richardson of Brownfield, Alta., told wheat board representatives.
The central Alberta farmer said he’s not opposed to GM crops. Transgenic canola is an important part of his rotation. But a recent trip to Europe convinced him Canadian farmers must understand their customers’ concerns and not grow GM wheat.
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“We have a vested interest in maintaining our market in Europe,” Richardson said.
Unlike the introduction of GM canola with its effective weed control, the introduction of GM wheat has few benefits for farmers, he said. Farmers already have the option of using glyphosate as a weed control in their crops. Another GM crop isn’t going to help farmers financially.
“To me, we have a huge amount to lose and not a great deal to gain.”
Richardson said Monsanto, which is developing a GM wheat variety, would be the financial winner, while farmers would lose their best and most lucrative customers for prairie wheat.
“It would be a lottery win for Monsanto, but I can see the farmers would be the loser.”
Dave Wesley of Killam, Alta., wasn’t convinced wheat board directors Allen Oberg and Ken Ritter had heard the farmers clearly.
“We need you to come out with a solid stance that we don’t support this,” Wesley said.
“The wheat board has got to be really tuned in.”
Ritter said Roundup Ready wheat has been the biggest concern he’s heard from farmers while crossing the Prairies during the wheat board’s accountability meetings. The wheat board chair said it’s a larger concern than transportation hassles or the American wheat tariff.
“What matters most is the whole GM issue.”
He said the wheat board has heard the farmers and he thinks the message is also getting through to federal officials.
Two years ago, when Ritter met with federal agriculture minister Lyle Vanclief and deputy minister Samy Watson, the federal position was that the decision must be based on science, not market acceptance.
During a recent meeting in Saskatoon, Vanclief told him market acceptance by grain customers must be part of the decision to introduce Roundup Ready wheat.
“It’s apparent the government is starting to listen.”
Ritter said GM wheat could cost prairie farmers $500 million to $1 billion in lost sales.
“If we introduce it, it will cost this country and this industry their market,” he said.
But the wheat board still hasn’t given farmers a clear no. Oberg said the board’s position is no, unless four conditions are met: market acceptance; grain segregation; a proven agronomic benefit to farmers; and an answer to environmental concerns.
For Richardson, the no with conditions was fine. He said the wheat board must walk a fine line not to offend other farmers.
“There are farmers on both sides.”
