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COEXISTENCE IN NORTH DAKOTA. Brad Brummond September 2005. SITUATION. North Dakota is a national leader in Certified organic production Oil seeds (flax and sunflower) Cereal grains North Dakota is increasing it’s acres of transgenic crops Soybeans Corn. SITUATION.
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COEXISTENCE IN NORTH DAKOTA Brad Brummond September 2005
SITUATION • North Dakota is a national leader in • Certified organic production • Oil seeds (flax and sunflower) • Cereal grains • North Dakota is increasing it’s acres of transgenic crops • Soybeans • Corn
SITUATION • Organic and IP markets have low to no tolerance for transgenic crops. • Biotech markets need pure seed for traits to work. • World market is increasingly demanding specialized and branded products.
HOW TO PROTECT MARKETS • Products need to be segregated and genetic drift contained. • Agriculture needs to work together to guarantee markets. • If markets can not be met we lose markets and income for North Dakota.
ISSUES (AS IDENTIFIED CWG) • Liability • Segregation • Tolerances • Seed Certification Standards • Germ Plasm Purity • Opportunity and Consequences • Neighbor Relations and Communication • Education of Consumers
COEXISTENCE WORKING GROUP • July 02-05 • Made up of stakeholders • Developed Best Management Practices • Organic growers and one conventional grower withdrew in protest over BMPs. • See handout of BMPs
HOW DO WE COEXIST • Communication • Industry • University • Regulatory • Producers • Seedstocks • If we do not communicate and help each other we all lose.
HOW DO WE COEXIST • Strict segregation practices must be followed. • Equipment cleanout • Facilities clean • Tarp trucks • Dedicated resources
HOW DO WE COEXIST • We must maintain genetic purity. • If we do not have pure lots how can we serve our markets? • Buffer strips • Distance • Pretest seed • Planting dates
OTHER WAYS • Understand contracts and risk • Be a good neighbor • Insurance??
ISSUES YET TO BE RESOLVED • How far is far enough? • Liability? • Tolerances? • What to do with unintended presence in seedlots?
WHERE ARE WE NOW? • BMPs developed • Communication started • Other states and nations continuing efforts. • North Dakota was one of the first efforts in coexistence.
CONCLUSION • We must remember that coexistence is a journey, not a destination. Brad Brummond North Dakota Coexistence Coordinator
Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of USDA
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This material is based upon work supported by the Cooperative State, Research, Education and Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Nebraska Experiments, University of Nebraska, under cooperative agreement number 2000-38640-11923 Additional funding was provided by Monsanto