13 ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER AUGUST 2024 HB4 has been in development for more than 20 years since a research group of the Litoral Agrobiotechnology Institute, known as CONICET-UNL, discovered the sunflower hahb-4 gene-activated plant response mechanisms to abiotic stress. Farm barns to silos, 11,000+ farmers like you have one thing in common. They are understood, valued and insured by The Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group. Find a qualified broker in Commonwell Country today: commonwellcountry.ca/farm NOTHING SMELLS AS SWEET ` j v `j jv `v `jv h OMOP=NJP=é~ÖÉ=~Ç=ÅçéóKéÇÑ===N===OMOOJNOJOM===QWNQWOR=mj the development of cereal varieties. To move things forward, it needs the participation of growers and industry. DIRECT FOOD SOURCE Despite the inevitable nature of GM wheat’s acceptance, Scott Krakar maintains the major stumbling block for domestic acceptance, not just among consumers, is by processors and millers. “The overwhelming response today is ‘No’ – millers in developed nations are not interested in GM wheat,” says Krakar, grain merchandiser with London Agricultural Commodities. “There is too much negative connotation and fears from consumers for millers to be interested in GM wheat. Wheat products already have a segment of the population advocating against gluten consumption, and cereal companies face negative media with glyphosate residue detection, resulting from pre-harvest burndown applications discovered in trace amounts.” Such a marketing challenge is not what millers and food companies want. It’s not that the industry is completely against genetically modified wheat, adds Krakar. In many cases, it makes perfect sense, especially in developing nations. Even wheat production in Argentina could see an expansion with the adoption of the HB4 variety, where grower production risks are mitigated as crop production becomes more predictive with inclement weather conditions. “This is potentially the opening of the door of GM wheat, assuming customers buy the foodstuff produced,” says Krakar, noting it also depends on the traits produced. “Drought tolerance, for example, would be more beneficial to Western Canada, but if there were a trait that could prevent fusarium or in-field sprouting, growers in eastern Canada would be very adoptive.”•
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTQzODE4