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Martin PICK -
Vice Chairman - Pickseed Companies Group - Canada |
June 2002 |
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From your
perspective, what are currently the major issues, significant
challenges and key opportunities in your sector of the
Canadian seed industry? |
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The Forage &
Turf seed industry has become somewhat minimized in the
headlong rush towards biotechnology. While herbicide tolerant,
transformed forages and grasses are in the wings, their use
and resultant payback to the technology owners is
undetermined. The industry-wide obsession with GMO issues has
paralyzed industry spokespersons from dealing with some very
crucial day-to-day issues. For example the subsidized grass
seed production from the European Union is tantamount to
dumping. Other industries would be pounding on their
respective governments to be of assistance. The issue barely
gets a nod from industry associations. The issue of variety
registration in Canada has been in a state of animated
suspension for the past 2-3 years and again industry has to
deal with this example of beauraucratic lethargy in isolation.
A major challenge (opportunity) would
be to return to a level, international playing field. Canada
has some of the best forage and turfgrass seed production
opportunities, cheap land, outstanding growers, a highly
modernized infrastructure enabling Canadian production to be
very low cost to the world - without artificial stimulus. The
opportunity is there. The challenge is to get the issues on
the political table. |
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