August 16, 2002

Developing a Program for the Coexistence of Sustainable and Biotech Agriculture

Finding out how sustainable and biotech agriculture can coexist will be the focus of a study by North Dakota State University, the Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society, International Certification Services, Inc., which certifies organic crops, and Monsanto.

"We need to insure that if and when a biotech wheat is commercialized, that it doesn’t jeopardize other crop production and marketing systems that we utilize in this state," says Duane Hauck, NDSU Extension Service assistant director for agriculture and natural resources.

"There is a place for non-biotech, organic and biotech crops so our emphasis in this study is how we can coexist. We can do that by identifying and developing best management practices (BMPs) so that producers and grain marketers can avoid cross-mixing of grain. We will also develop educational programs targeted at the producers and marketers."

North Dakota leads the nation in the production of certified organic cereal grains. There is also widespread production of identify preserved (IP) and transgenic crops. The IP industry has built-in tolerance levels for the presence of transgenic organisms. However, there are no tolerance levels in the organic industry.

"The major concern is how the organic, IP, and biotech industries can coexist without compromising the marketability and integrity of organic and IP products as well as the genetic integrity of germplasm and seedstocks," Hauck says.

"Our crops are not grown in a vacuum and the impacts of our farming activities on the ecosystem can’t be denied or ignored," according to Brad Brummond, NDSU Extension agent and coordinator of the project. "The implications of biotech issues on other crop production systems will be addressed by the working group participants as they develop BMPs."

The Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society initiated discussions with NDSU outlining the concerns of the organic industry. NDSU and the society convened two meetings to discuss the implications of biotech crops on IP and organic production.

"The impact of transgenic organisms on organic production systems has potentially serious ramifications," says Janet Jacobson, NPSAS president. "In working together, NDSU, NPSAS, ICS and Monsanto are setting a precedent in dealing with the various issues that will affect everyone involved."

The project will be developed in two phases. In phase one, representatives from the various industries will meet quarterly to define the issues and recommend solutions through the development of best management practices and a BMP handbook.

In phase two, the handbook will be given to stakeholders who will work with farmers and others to educate and effect the implementation of BMPs.

Brummond, project coordinator, has worked with organic and sustainable farmers in North and South Dakota for 14 years. He has assumed positions of leadership in the organic field at both a state and national level during that period.

Others participating in the project with Brummond and Hauck are: Theresa Podoll, Executive Director of the Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society, Annie Kirschenmann, President and CEO of International Certification Services, Inc., which operates the Farm Verified Organic certification program, Luke Bozeman, wheat/canola technical manager with Monsanto and Gary Goreham, chair of the Department of Sociology/Anthropology at NDSU.

The study is funded through the USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program (SARE).

###

Source: Brad Brummond, (701) 284-6248, bbrummon@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Source: Duane Hauck, (701) 231-7178, dhauck@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Rich Mattern, (701)231-6136, rmattern@ndsuext.nodak.edu