72 / SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2017 STATUS AUSTRALIA The health benefits of colored rice are being investi- gated by doctoral students at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga. Purple, black, red and brown rice are under the microscope to see if they can inhibit obesity and its related diseases. “The seed coats of colored rice are rich in antioxidants, and our aim is to test the role of these chemical compounds in reducing blood clotting, inflammation and chemical damage to cells in overweight or obese people and in those who have type 2 diabetes,” says Esther Callcott, a medi- cal research student at CSU’s Functional Grains Centre. The researchers seek people to partake in the study who are aged 18 to 65 and are overweight or have Type 2 diabetes, non-smokers, who are not pregnant and who do not suffer any chronic diseases. Participants will be asked to complete a health and food questionnaire, body measurement, and give a sample of blood. “Once we receive the partici- pant’s blood sample, we will add the colored rice extract, and we will perform multiple tests,” says Kiara Thompson, another medical research student. “We’ll perform specific testing in regards to inflammation and cardiovascular diseases. They are tests that you would normally not get done at your doctors and the participants world STATUS A look at seed industry developments around the globe. Researchers look to plants for health benefits in Australia, while those in the United Kingdom study a devastating tomato disease that’s causing economic losses for growers. will receive all of their results at the end of the trial.” — Source: ABC News Australia. STATUS BRAZIL A movement to increase production of conventional non-GM soybeans is gaining traction in Brazil’s largest soy-producing state of Mato Grosso as farmers anticipate growing demand from Asia and Europe. Brazil was an early adopter of transgenic crops, and more than 96 percent of its soy harvest is of GM varieties, which helped to transform the country into the world’s larg- est soy exporter. The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri- Biotech Applications annual survey of global biotech crops reports that Brazilian farmers increased GM crops in 2016 by 11 percent, or 12 million acres from 2015. Biotech crops, such as corn, soybeans and cotton, are genetically modi- fied to resist pests or disease, tolerate drought or withstand sprayings of weed killers like glyphosate. — Source: Reuters. STATUS CANADA Canada’s federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) Ministers of Agriculture and representa- tives met to discuss the path forward to developing the next agricultural policy framework, which will help Canadian farm- ers and food processors grow their businesses. Ministers are committed to continued support to the agricultural sector and will reconvene in July to ensure work is on track to launch the next framework April 1, 2018. FPT Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to developing the next framework and discussed the next suite of programs and services for the sector, including Business Risk Management programs. The importance of trade and market development was also discussed. Canada and the United States have a long- standing history of coopera- tion and remain each other’s No. 1 trading partner for agricultural products. This mutually beneficial and highly integrated trading arrangement supports millions of middle class jobs on both sides of the border, and FPT governments will continue to foster this strong relationship. Ministers also committed to preserve the integrity of the supply management system. FPT Ministers emphasized the importance of agricul- ture and agri-food to the Canadian economy. The 2017 federal budget outlines the Government of Canada’s plan to support the agricultural sector and underscores the importance of the next frame- work, which will help define and drive the future of agricul- ture across the country. The current agricultural framework, Growing Forward 2 (GF2), is a $3 billion invest- ment for strategic initiatives