In a previous post Colibri forwarded on 3/17, Deborah MacKenzie wrote:
> Buckwell presented his findings in Brussels earlier this month.
> He says that similarly stringent segregation--although not on
> the basis of genetic modification--is already widespread.
> "Different varieties of wheat, for bread or pasta, are already
> strictly separated from farm gate to production plant," he says.
> And in the US, soya growers already distinguish beans used
> in different kinds of tofu for export to Japan.
As specific, value-added traits, especially quality traits are incorporated
in grain varieties (transgenically or by traditional breeding), a major
concern in the seed industry is how to capture some of that value. Grain as
a standard commodity does not make it very easy for the seed industry to
capture value from many kinds of improvements.
I believe that public fear of genetic engineering and the desire of the
milling and seed industries for identity-preserved grain, will work together
to gradually decommodify grain crops. I think this may improve the lot of
the small farmer, by distinguishing products in the marketplace, and by
creating opportunities to manage crops to specifically enhance an end-use
property.
Dale
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