What this means is that the Grain Growers will accept the position of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency after studying a GURT in a particular seed.

"We are committed to science-based regulations," said Grain growers executive director Chris Moran. "We are neither for or against GURTs. We think there are drawbacks and there are merits. If our growers choose to use that seed with that technology we believe that’s a business decision for them."

She added that socio-economic or political factors are not regulatory issues but are issues to be decided by the marketplace and producers. Despite concerns about cross-pollination, Moran said due to the nature of the seed "it won’t contaminate" another field.

The Grain Growers are a national umbrella group representing 10 organizations, including the Ontario Corn Producers Association.

A Farmers Forum survey (see page 10) found farmers polled are overwhelmingly opposed to GURTs. When told of the poll and the frequent request by farmers for more information before making a decision, Moran said the results "are probably a question of people not thinking about it critically."

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture are now examining the issue of this new gene.

Two leading grains and oilseed farmers in eastern Ontario are also against the GURT, including Moose Creek’s Alain Leduc.

"Companies have gotten to some of the entities that represent us," Leduc said, adding that some farmers are waking up to the idea that it’s less expensive to collect your own seeds and plant next year. Leduc grew 1,600 acres of soybeans last year, using 60 per cent of his own seeds with a germination rate of 98 per cent, he said. "If a farmer produces a seed he has a right to grow it again."