Thursday, March 14, 2013

Soybeans, forages to get faster oks


New soybeans and forage varieties will get faster approvals if the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s proposals are accepted.
The proposals have been posted on its website and it is gathering public comments until May 23.
It says the changes will reduce registration costs and will encourage small businesses to engage in plant breeding and file for variety registrations.
But none of this applies to genetically-modified varieties. I think that's foolish because the risks, as far as I'm concerned, are far less with the manipulation of individual genes than with scattergun gene scrambling via chemicals or radiation, which was common practice long before GMO technology came along.
The CFIA proposes to drop several current processes, including review panels to recommend which varieties deserve to be registered. The applications would go direct to CFIA staff which would make the decisions.
Edible soybean varieties are already handled under this less onerous registration protocol, termed Schedule III, Part III.
The forages involved are alfalfa, birdsfoot trefoil, bromegrasses, canarygrass, alsike clover, red clover, sweet clover, white clover, forage-type fescues, lupin, orchardgrass