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Friday, May 20 2005 @ 02:00 PM PDT |
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 On May 26, the Northern Maine Development Corporation (NMDC) will host a workshop on expanding canola production in Northern Maine. GE Free views expanded Canola production as a potentional gold mine for farmers in the County, if and only if the Canola is GMO-Free.
There's a strong demand for non-GMO canola/rapeseed in Europe and within the
North American natural/organic food industry. Unfortunately, GMO contamination of non-GM and organic canola in Canada has been a problem. In
fact, organic farmers in Saskatchewan now grow little or no organic canola because of the problem, and they tried to launch a class action lawsuit against biotechnology companies but a judge ruled against them.
Market Opportunities for GMO Canola
GMO-Free Canola is becoming increasingly hard to find with many purchasers offering premium prices. Bob Hiebert, owner of Seed Direct in Canada is offering contracts for non-GMO and organic canola. You may want to speak with him. Other contacts for
non-GMO canola are Montana Specialty Mills, and SK Food. If you are a farmer interested in market GMO Free Canola, please contact GE Free Maine and we'll put you in touch with possible buyers.
A Model to Consider
Maine would be ideal for a GMO-free canola zone. A group of farmers in Georgia have established a co-op, Farmers Oilseed Co-op, to produce and sell
non-GMO canola and capitalize on the market demand. They realize that most canola in North America is GM, so they want to capture the non-GM niche. They are building a processing plant to do this. Maine could do the same thing and capitalize on its non-GMO status.
The organic/natural food industry in North America would support non-GMO/organic canola production because it's hard for them to find non-GM. We urge Maine Potato Farmers who are considering growing canola and the Northern Maine Development Commission to make Maine a GMO-Free Canola Zone.
Please contact the following individuals and encourage them to include the possiblity of growing GMO-Free Canola in Northern Maine in their feasibility study:
Rob Clark at the Northern Maine Development Commission Toll Free in Maine: 1-800-427-8736 or via email rclark@nmdc.org
Joe Lallande of Maine Pototo Growers, Inc at info@mpgco-op.com or write him at PO Box 271, Presque Ilse, ME 04769
Talking Points
GMO-Free Canola is a great opportunity for Maine farmers to fill a niche market and garner higher prices for their GMO-Free Canola. Feel free to pass on the names of GMO-Free Canola purchases mentioned in their article.
By growing GMO free farmers are not subject to the corporate control and possible lawsuits if contamination occurs. (ie. Percy Schmeiser's case)
GMO-Free Canola would help stabilize the Aroostook County potato economy.
GMO-Free Crops are better for the environment.
a GMO-Free Canola Processing Facility would creating hundreds of jobs in Northern Maine.
Email info@gefreemaine.org or call 244-0908 to get involved GE Free Maine's campaign to prevent the introduction of new GMO crops into Maine's environment.
Click Read More for more background on Canola in Maine.
Kellogg grants funds for canola study in County
Tuesday, May 17, 2005 Bangor Daily News
CARIBOU - The Northern Maine Development Commission has received a $46,400 grant to fund half of the cost of a feasibility study on the economic viability of processing canola in Aroostook County.
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation of Battle Creek, Mich., grant will be matched by $46,542 from Maine Potato Growers Inc. to fund the $92,942 study that will be done by Business Advisory Services of Denver, Colo.
Work on getting the money started three years ago, said Robert Clark, executive director of the NMDC.
Aroostook County potato growers cultivate 5,400 acres of canola as a rotation crop for potato fields. Once harvested, the seeds are sent to Quebec and Cape Cod, Mass., for processing into canola oil and canola meal.
Soils in Aroostook County have proven to be good for growing canola as a rotation crop. The crop is easily visible in summer when the canola fields turn a bright gold color.
CapCanola has become an important rotation crop for potatoes. It is a cash crop for growers and is a leading source for vegetable oil and oil meal in the world. While world demand for canola oil is high, just a small part of it is met by the United States.
"This project, if it happens, could help stabilize the Aroostook County potato economy," Clark said Monday morning.
"We hope to make canola a value-added crop for potato growers," Joe Lallande, president of MPG, said. "This could also produce jobs in Aroostook County if the processing can be done here."
On May 26, the NMDC will host a workshop with people in the industry on the possibilities for canola. He hopes growers and agricultural officials will get together.
"It can be grown here," Alain Ouellette of the NMDC said. "We have additional applications for grant money in the pipeline with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
"Additional funding will be needed to get such an industry on its feet, if it is believed viable," Ouellette said. "This study will also create a business plan for the proposal."
The bottom line of the project is to get a processing plant in Aroostook County and to increase money paid to growers for canola, according to Lallande. Canola could become the second largest cash crop in Aroostook County after potatoes.
Usually, a rotation crop is a sacrifice for potato growers. They need rotation for potato acreage so as not to deplete the resources of the soil.
It was unknown Monday the amount of acreage needed to make a processing plant viable. The feasibility study will answer questions like that. Backers hope the acreage would climb if growers can see money in it for them.
The best timeline would be for something to happen with the project for the 2006 crop. The feasibility study is expected to be complete by the fall or early spring of 2006.
NMDC officials said the funding by the Kellogg Foundation marks the first important step in establishing a sustainable canola processing industry in northern Maine.
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