NATIONAL
GenServe Laboratories Receives Further Accreditation
The Saskatchewan Research Council’s GenServe Laboratories has received ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation. Laboratory accreditation is awarded according to criteria and procedures specifically developed to determine technical competence. GenServe’s accreditation assures customers that the testing services at the Saskatoon laboratory are accurate and reliable and will meet domestic as well as international industry and governmental standards.
Farmers Continue to Invest in Wheat and Barley Breeding
Voluntary producer wheat and barley check-offs, which were previously collected and administered by the Canadian Wheat Board, are now being collected at point of sale at grain handling operations licensed by the Canadian Grain Commission. Deduction coverage is limited to licensed grain handling operations and deductions will not be collected on imports, producer-to-producer sales, and feed and exports not delivered through licensed operations. This interim program provides a check-off that will enable farmers to continue to fund the Western Grains Research Foundation, the Canadian International Grains Institute and the Canadian Malt Barley Technical Centre at a level equal to the funding they received from the Canadian Wheat Board prior to August 1, 2012.
Initially, the Alberta Barley Commission will administer this program on a cost recovery basis to enable the program to get started, but it’s expected that provincial commissions will eventually be established to assume responsibility for the check-offs. “The ABC took on this role because we think that farmers see the value in the recipient organizations,” says Lisa Skierka, ABC’s general manager. “At the time we were the only existing provincial barley or wheat commission in Western Canada. As a grass-roots farmer organization we think it makes sense for farmers to control their own check-off dollars, and we are happy to administer [the program], on a temporary basis, until other provincial farmer organizations evolve.”
Growing Forward Agreement Reached for Canadian Agriculture
The federal, provincial and territorial ministers of agriculture have reached an agreement on the content of the Growing Forward 2 policy framework for the agriculture, agri-food and agri-products sector. The new five-year agreement includes investments in strategic initiatives of over $3 billion for innovation, competitiveness and market development, including a 50 per cent increase in governments’ cost-shared initiatives. The governments also agreed to continue to deliver a complete and effective suite of Business Risk Management programs to ensure farmers are protected against severe market volatility and disasters. Modifications to AgriStability and AgriInvest programs will ensure that Canadian producers continue to have access to a strong and effective suite of BRM programs. AgriInsurance (crop insurance), AgriRecovery and the Advanced Payment Program will continue to help farmers manage production risks and provide cash flow assistance.
Under the new agreement, governments will continue to work to increase access to international markets and to reduce obstacles to trade, promoting growth and competitiveness for the entire agriculture, agri-products and agri-food sector. This agreement sets the stage for federal, provincial and territorial governments to complete bilateral agreements so programs will be in place by April 1, 2013, when the current framework expires. The next annual federal, provincial and territorial ministers’ meeting will be held in Halifax in July 2013.
International
DuPont Pioneer Receives Product Approval
U.S. and Canadian farmers can now plan for 2013 spring planting with Pioneer brand corn products featuring Optimum AcreMax XTreme insect protection technology. DuPont Pioneer has received all necessary regulatory approvals for import into major world markets of grain grown from Optimum AcreMax XTreme products. All necessary state approvals have also been received, allowing U.S. growers to plant products with this technology. Optimum AcreMax XTreme products offer growers a single-bag refuge option in areas of the Corn Belt requiring protection from both above- and below-ground insects. Optimum AcreMax XTreme products also offer herbicide tolerant traits—Roundup Ready 2 and LibertyLink traits—including those hybrids acting as the refuge plants.
Viterra Updated Regulatory Approval Status
Viterra Inc. has updated the status of regulatory approvals of the proposed acquisition of Viterra by Glencore International PLC. The sole remaining regulatory approval is the approval of the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China under the Chinese Anti-Monopoly Law. Glencore continues to engage with MOFCOM to ensure approval as soon as possible. MOFCOM is expected to continue its review into September.
EU Confirms Farmers’ Right to Cultivate GE Crops
The European Court of Justice has clarified the legal requirements for the cultivation of genetically engineered crops in member states of the EU. The court confirmed that additional national authorization procedures, introduced on top of the existing approval process conducted by the European Food Safety Authority, were unlawful. It also declared that co-existence measures are not mandatory to grow GE plants. “The cultivation of GE organisms such as the MON 810 maize varieties cannot be made subject to a national authorization procedure when the use and marketing of those varieties are authorized,” the Court of Justice said in a statement.
Monsanto Offers Royalty-Free Access to Biotechnology
Monsanto Co. will provide a royalty-free research license to the academic community and other non-profit research institutions to a newly-issued U.S. patent related to the Agrobacterium transformation method. The announcement has the potential to further advance research and development of new technologies in row crops such as soybeans, cotton, and canola, as well as specialty crops such as alfalfa, potatoes, tomatoes and sugar beets.
