Triffid Flax: the rise, fall (and resurrection) of a genetically engineered crop

~ Cami Ryan, B.Comm., Ph.D. ~Bioresource Policy, Business and Economics

Total Utilization of Flax Genomics (TUFGEN)

University of Saskatchewan

March 15, 2010

Matters of Flax:The ongoing 'Triffid' Story

2

Total Utilization of Flax GenomicsFunded by Genome Canada ($CDN12 Million)

Leads: G. Rowland (CDC, U of S), S. Coultier (AAFC)Enhance flax’s usefulness through rigorous

genomics researchAssist flax breeding and varietal improvement

3

Canada’s Flax Industry: an overview

Triffid’s Regulatory Timeline from Development to Deregistration (1988 – 2001)

Triffid: The Return 2009 to present Canada-EU Protocol Domestic Stewardship Program Testing / results Costs

Where are we at now? Exports to date Changes… Protocol / Stewardship Program

Outline

Uncle JacobGrandma’s kitchen table

Circa 1971

"That %($*%& flax straw is a %($*

%& pain in the @$$!"

5

Plant with novel traits (PNT)Developed in 1988 by Al McHughen (Crop

Development Centre / U of S)Value of Triffid was primarily environmental

 Tolerance to soil residues of sulfonylurea-based herbicides

Cultivated the year after herbicide was used in fields

Alternative to continuous cropping of wheat/barley and to summer-fallowing

Triffid (FP 967)

6

Plant with novel traits (PNT)Developed in 1988 by Al McHughen (Crop

Development Centre / U of S)Value of Triffid was primarily environmental

 Tolerance to soil residues of sulfonylurea-based herbicides

Cultivated the year after herbicide was used in fields

Alternative to continuous cropping of wheat/barley and to summer-fallowing

Triffid (FP 967)

7

Global Flax Production(000's MT)

Source: FAO Stats

Canada

India

US

China

8

Canadian Flax Production (000's MT)

Source: FAO Stats

9

Top Export Destinations for Canadian Flax (000’s MT)

Adapted from Canadian Flax in Europe: Grower Information Sheet (SaskFlax)

10

Domestic Production of Flax (000's MT)

Source: Flax Council of Canada

11

1988 – CDC Triffid created 1989 – start of field trials (to 1994)1994 – registration process begins1994 – marketing rights obtained by Value

Added Seeds1996 – approved for livestock feed use in

Canada1996/97 – EU importers raise concerns

over commercialization of Triffid

Triffid Timeline: from Development to Deregistration

12

13

Triffid Seed Production

Image source: Pandora’s Picnic Basket (McHughen) (2000)

141997

C. D. Ryan, University of SaskatchewanM. St. Louis, University of Saskatchewan

Data for maps provided by: Canadian Seed Growers Association

15

1997 (May) – stakeholders convene to discuss stewardship

1998 (Jan) – SK stakeholders convene to discuss production bans / deregistration

1998 – approved for food use in Canada1998 – approved for food and feed in US1998 – Triffid to be contained on farm / no

further production

Triffid Timeline: from Development to Deregistration

161998

C. D. Ryan, University of SaskatchewanM. St. Louis, University of Saskatchewan

Data for maps provided by: Canadian Seed Growers Association

171999

C. D. Ryan, University of SaskatchewanM. St. Louis, University of Saskatchewan

Data for maps provided by: Canadian Seed Growers Association

18

2000 – recall and crush organized2001 – CDC Triffid transported / crushed2001 – CDC Triffid Flax deregistered

Triffid Timeline: from Development to Deregistration

19

CDC Triffid Production (# acres)

20

21

22

23

enables the quick and effective exchange of information between Member States and the Commission 

Information exchange WRT to food or feed

Facilitates rapid and coordinated action of Member States

What is the RASFF?

24

Searching the portal…

25

Searching the portal…

Notifying country

26

Belgium

Italy

Poland

Romania

Slovakia

UK

Cyprus

Sweden

Commision Services

Slovenia

Denmark

France

Greece

Luxembourg

Austria

Finland

Germany

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

FoodFeed

RASFF Notifications – notifying countrySeptember 2009 – February 2010 (n=100 )

27 September 10/09 – Western Producer

28 September 10/09 – Manitoba Farmer

29

30

31 September 17/09 – Western Producer

32 September 17/09 – Western Producer

33 September 17/09 – Western Producer

34

35 September 30/09 – StarPhoenix

36 October 29/09 – Globe & Mail

37

RASFF search results…

45 Countries17 Countries92% Food Products

38

RASFF Food Notification

RASFF Feed Notification

Country of Origin

n = 100 notifications

RASFF Notifications NetworkBy Country of Origin

Belgium

Canada

Netherlands

Germany

Austria

Poland

Israel

Denmark

Italy

China

TurkeySweden

RussFed

US

France

Swiss

UK

39

World Production of Flax 2000 - 2008

>5M Tonnes

1-5M Tonnes

100K-999K Tonnes

<100K Tonnes

40

World Production of Flax 2000 - 2008

>5M Tonnes

1-5M Tonnes

100K-999K Tonnes

<100K TonnesCountries of Origin of FP967(according to RASFF notifications)

41

World Production of Flax 2000 - 2008

>5M Tonnes

1-5M Tonnes

100K-999K Tonnes

<100K Tonnes

??

?

??

Other potential sources?(based upon imports into EU 2000 – 2008)

42

Flax Prices (January 2-December 15, 2009)

1/2/

2009

1/12

/200

9

1/22

/200

9

2/1/

2009

2/11

/200

9

2/21

/200

9

3/3/

2009

3/13

/200

9

3/23

/200

9

4/2/

2009

4/12

/200

9

4/22

/200

9

5/2/

2009

5/12

/200

9

5/22

/200

9

6/1/

2009

6/11

/200

9

6/21

/200

9

7/1/

2009

7/11

/200

9

7/21

/200

9

7/31

/200

9

8/10

/200

9

8/20

/200

9

8/30

/200

9

9/9/

2009

9/19

/200

9

9/29

/200

9

10/9

/200

9

10/1

9/20

09

10/2

9/20

09

11/8

/200

9

11/1

8/20

09

11/2

8/20

09

12/8

/200

90.00

2.00

4.00

6.00

8.00

10.00

12.00

14.00

Adapted from: SaskFlax

43

1/2/

2009

1/12

/200

9

1/22

/200

9

2/1/

2009

2/11

/200

9

2/21

/200

9

3/3/

2009

3/13

/200

9

3/23

/200

9

4/2/

2009

4/12

/200

9

4/22

/200

9

5/2/

2009

5/12

/200

9

5/22

/200

9

6/1/

2009

6/11

/200

9

6/21

/200

9

7/1/

2009

7/11

/200

9

7/21

/200

9

7/31

/200

9

8/10

/200

9

8/20

/200

9

8/30

/200

9

9/9/

2009

9/19

/200

9

9/29

/200

9

10/9

/200

9

10/1

9/20

09

10/2

9/20

09

11/8

/200

9

11/1

8/20

09

11/2

8/20

09

12/8

/200

90.00

2.00

4.00

6.00

8.00

10.00

12.00

14.00

NPTII Marker Gene Found EU

Flax Prices (January 2-December 15, 2009)

Adapted from: SaskFlax

44

1/2/

2009

1/12

/200

9

1/22

/200

9

2/1/

2009

2/11

/200

9

2/21

/200

9

3/3/

2009

3/13

/200

9

3/23

/200

9

4/2/

2009

4/12

/200

9

4/22

/200

9

5/2/

2009

5/12

/200

9

5/22

/200

9

6/1/

2009

6/11

/200

9

6/21

/200

9

7/1/

2009

7/11

/200

9

7/21

/200

9

7/31

/200

9

8/10

/200

9

8/20

/200

9

8/30

/200

9

9/9/

2009

9/19

/200

9

9/29

/200

9

10/9

/200

9

10/1

9/20

09

10/2

9/20

09

11/8

/200

9

11/1

8/20

09

11/2

8/20

09

12/8

/200

90.00

2.00

4.00

6.00

8.00

10.00

12.00

14.00

1st RASFF NotificationSept 8

NPTII Marker Gene Found EU

Flax Prices (January 2-December 15, 2009)

Adapted from: SaskFlax

45

1/2/

2009

1/12

/200

9

1/22

/200

9

2/1/

2009

2/11

/200

9

2/21

/200

9

3/3/

2009

3/13

/200

9

3/23

/200

9

4/2/

2009

4/12

/200

9

4/22

/200

9

5/2/

2009

5/12

/200

9

5/22

/200

9

6/1/

2009

6/11

/200

9

6/21

/200

9

7/1/

2009

7/11

/200

9

7/21

/200

9

7/31

/200

9

8/10

/200

9

8/20

/200

9

8/30

/200

9

9/9/

2009

9/19

/200

9

9/29

/200

9

10/9

/200

9

10/1

9/20

09

10/2

9/20

09

11/8

/200

9

11/1

8/20

09

11/2

8/20

09

12/8

/200

90.00

2.00

4.00

6.00

8.00

10.00

12.00

14.00

1st RASFF NotificationSept 8

NPTII Marker Gene Found EU

Canada-EUProtocol

Flax Prices (January 2-December 15, 2009)

Adapted from: SaskFlax

46

Canada / EU Protocol established – October 2009Canadian Government, FCC, flax exporters and

DG Sanco of the ECOutlines system of sampling (one sample for

every 5K bushels)Testing (at 0.01% levels)

Documentation…and more documentation….

Canada-EU Protocol

47

Canada / EU Protocol established – October 2009Canadian Government, FCC, flax exporters and

DG Sanco of the ECOutlines system of sampling (one sample for

every 5K bushels)Testing (at 0.01% levels)

Documentation…and more documentation….

Canada-EU Protocol

The hope is to meet strict EU import requirements and allow for secure/predictable flaxseed

supply!

48 November 5/09 – Western Producer

49

‘construct specific’ test now used to identify GMO markers in flax (@ 0.01% = 1 in 10,000 seeds)

As of January 11, 2010…Only 20% of producers had submitted samplesLevels of positive results in supply chain:

Producer/elevator: 3 – 5%Railcar: 10 – 15%Vessel holds: 7%

CDC Parental lines tested positive:Mons (released in 2002)Normandy (released in 1995)

Testing & results to date…

50

0.01% represents one seed in 10,000

This representstrace levels of GM content…

51

3234 Producer Samples Tested

Source: Barry Hall, Flax Council of Canada

As of February 18, 2010

52Source: Barry Hall, Flax Council of Canada

Test Results… (>=0.01%)

3.2%

53

Test Results… (<=0.01%)

Source: Barry Hall, Flax Council of Canada

6.3%

54

Demurrage/holding costs30K$ per day1M$ per monthEstimated 7M$ costs as of February 2010

Loss of sales costsTesting (all along the value chain)

105$/sample (producers)$195/sample (grain companies)700$+ if you want to put a rush on it

Downstream costsEU feed and industrial market (shortages)

Summary of Costs

55 February 18/10 – Western Producer

56

57

Changes to the Stewardship Program

58

Changes to the Stewardship Program

59

2008/09 (000’s Tonnes)

2009/10 (000’s Tonnes)

Canadian Flax Export Volumes

Data compiled from: Grain Statistics Weekly - CGC

60

August - February

2009 / 2010

August - February

2008 / 2009

Total Exports (000’s Tonnes)

308.4 350.2

Average Price per Tonne

367.48 525.39

Average Price per Bushel

9.33 13.35

Total Value of Exports

$114,449.36 $179,493.51

Flax Exports

12%

30%

30%

36%

61

CDN Flax Export Revenues

Data compiled from: Grain Statistics Weekly - CGC2008/09 2009/10

62

63

64

65

This spring:•Czech Republic•Germany

Following years:•Sweden•The Netherlands

AMFLORA

66

Thank you!Cami Ryan306-966-2929cami.ryan@usask.caBlog: http://cami.posterous.com/Twitter me @CamilleDRyan

Acknowledgements:Dale Adolphe, CSGALinda Braun, SaskFlaxBarry Hall, Flax Council of CanadaErwin Hanley, SaskFlaxDr. Bill Kerr, U of S Dr. Gordon Rowland, U of SDr. Stuart Smyth, U of SAlvin Ulrich, Biolin Research Inc.