POSITION STATEMENT: TRANSGENIC FLAX
Background
• The Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission, representing over 13,000 registered flax producers in Saskatchewan operates to promote and enhance flax production in the province for maximum return to producers through market development, research, leadership and communication in the industry.
• The Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission is committed to encouraging open communication across the value chain from producers to consumers; industry to government to meet our mandate.
• The Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission recognizes the future of biotechnology in agriculture is dependent upon consumer acceptance and that recombinant DNA technology (the transfer of DNA from one species to another) may well be accepted when benefits to consumers, producers, the environment and health are demonstrated.
• The Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission recognizes that consumers are not united in understanding and acceptance of products containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) produced via recombinant DNA technology.
• The Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission acknowledges that there are no commercial GMO flax varieties in the Canadian marketplace.
• The Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission supports a regulatory environment based on sound science that openly communicates clear and meaningful information to stakeholders.
Policy Statement
The Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission will support commercialization of a transgenic flax variety in Canada when:
• The variety meets Canada’s current regulatory approvals for food, feed and environmental safety.
• Regulatory approval for the transgenic event is obtained in the following export markets; the United States, the European Union, Japan, and Mexico.
• An identity preservation system is in place and a rapid, cost effective test for identification of the specific GMO trait is available.
• Saskatchewan flax producers realize positive benefits and financial returns from the production of the variety.