Thank you.
On behalf of the Canadian Soybean Council, I would like to thank the committee for inviting us to participate in the discussion concerning biotechnology.
My name is Michelle McMullen, and I am currently the manager of the Canadian Soybean Council.
The Canadian Soybean Council represents the interests of 30,000 soybean growers in Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec. We are pleased to share with you some background information on the Canadian soybean industry, our ability to produce both non-GM and GM soybeans, and the benefits of biotechnology to Canadian soybean growers.
Jim Gowland, our chair, will share his experience in utilizing benefits of biotechnology on his farm while producing high-quality non-GM soybeans that are destined for world markets.
Soybeans have been grown in Canada for over 60 years and are grown mainly in Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec. Recently, due to advancements in plant breeding, soybeans are starting to be grown in the Maritimes and Saskatchewan. In 2010, approximately 3.66 million acres of soybeans were planted across Canada, making it Canada's fifth-largest crop in terms of overall production last year. Soybeans were ranked as Canada's third-largest source of farm cash receipts in 2009, with a total value of approximately $1.34 billion. Currently, 65% of soybeans in Canada are genetically modified. The remaining 35% are non-GM that are destined for export markets.
In Canada, GM varieties were introduced in 1997, and the Canadian soybean industry saw the need to re-examine its production and handling systems. Dialogue was initiated with key stakeholders, including government and our customers in export markets, to explore new quality management practices throughout the value chain.
Over the past 14 years our industry has demonstrated that we are skilled and experienced in developing and implementing protocols that can segregate specialty soybeans from bulk-handled grains. The investment of time and infrastructure was crucial to support the coexistence of GM and non-GM soybeans while addressing the needs of the industry's key market segments.
Science and innovation have played a very important role in the success of our industry. Public and private investments into plant breeding have allowed Canada to capture opportunities using both non-GM and GM technologies. These opportunities help Canadian soybean growers add value to their farm operation.
Maintaining our current export markets and accessing new markets will continue to be a challenge for our industry. Many countries, including Canada, have a zero-tolerance policy regarding unapproved events that are developed through biotechnology. It is impossible for our industry to guarantee zero contamination of any GM trait. Approval of new GM traits in our key export markets establishes thresholds that our industry can meet. In the case that an unapproved GM trait is identified in a Canadian shipment, there is a zero-tolerance policy, and one possible action is the closure of the border. However, it is critical that Canada's regulatory system remain predictable and science-based. If approval processes in foreign and domestic markets deviate from science-based processes, Canadian soybean growers could face significant delays in new varieties developed through biotechnology becoming available.
Canadian soybean growers are currently using varieties that are at least two years behind those of our competitors, putting us at a competitive disadvantage. Establishing low-level-presence agreements with our key export markets and working towards the harmonization of international approval processes for GM traits needs to be a priority to help ensure the competitiveness of Canadian soybean growers. The Canadian Soybean Council believes that the government's and industry's efforts should focus on negotiating low-level-presence agreements with our customers and harmonizing approval processes for GM traits.
Now Jim will share his comments on the use of biotechnology on his farm.