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Re: GE buffer zone requirements



David et al:
The guidelines below are the Canadian Food Inspection agency (a minor
sub department of Ag Canada) field release data for a large number of GM
crops. I understand that the separation distances are binding but they
are in my estimates unreal , for example Canola is know to spread pollen
 much further than the established limit but change lags knowledge by
many years. I understand that the separations were many based on
commercial seed production conventions for non GM crops that were not
scientifically established but based on convention, belief and
agreement. Cheers, Joe
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/plaveg/pbo/dir/dir0007appe.shtml#APPENDIX%202
APPENDIX 2: MINIMUM ISOLATION DISTANCES AND
PERIODS OF POST-HARVEST LAND USE RESTRICTION


Crop

Minimum Isolation Distance

Period of Post-harvest Land Use Restriction

Agrostis palustris (creeping  bentgrass)

300 m (without cropping)

3 years

Beta vulgaris (sugar beet)

3 m

2 years

Brassica carinata (ethiopian mustard)

200 m from other Brassica spp.

3 years

Brassica juncea (brown mustard)

200 m from other Brassica spp.
50 m from weedy relatives

5 years

Brassica napus (argentine rape)

200 m from other Brassica spp.
50 m from weedy relatives

3 years

Brassica rapa (polish rape)

400 m from other Brassica spp.
50 m from weedy relatives

5 years

Capsicum annum (pepper)

20 m

1 year

Cucurbita pepo (squash)

650 m

1 year

Glycine max (soybean)

3 m

1 year

Hordeum vulgare (barley)

3 m

2 years

Lens culnaris (lentil)

3 m

1 year

Linum usitatissimum (flax)

3 m

3 years

Lolium perenne (perennial ryegrass)

300 m (without cropping)

3 years

Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato)

20 m

1 year

Medicago sativa (alfalfa)

300 m

3 years

Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco)

400 m

1 year

Phalaris canariensis (canary seed)

3 m

2 years

Pisum sativum (pea)

3 m

1 year

Populus spp. (poplar)

2 guard rows

5 years

Sinapis alba (white Mustard)

400 m from other S. alba
50 m from other Brassica spp.

5 years

Solanum tuberosum (potato)

one blank row

2 years

Trifolium repens (clover)

300 m (without cropping)

3 years

Triticum aestivum (wheat)

30 m

2 years

Vitis spp. (grape)

Bagging of flowers

3 years

Zea mays (corn)

100 m

1 year


dsc17@CORNELL.EDU wrote:
Hello folks
I am trying to look up the requirements/laws/guidelines
for establishing buffer zones to prevent contamination
of non-GM crops by GM crops (in both organic and
conventional farming)
I spent an hour (unsuccessfully) searching the  USDA
web page and figured maybe one of you can save me some
time...

questions:
does a farmer growing GM crops have to establish a
buffer? or are those growing non-GM crops responsible?
is there a difference (in the second quesiotn) if the
farmer is organic versus convnentional?

are these legal requirements or just suggestions?

thanks, in advance
David


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