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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Monsanto breaks ground on plant-breeding centre

GM canola will be available to farmers far sooner

By: Murray McNeill

Posted: 07/28/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

(From left) Danie Theunissen, Alan Simms, president of U of M’s Smartpark, JoAnne Buth, Conservation Minister Stan Struthers and Ryan Baldwin participate in a sod turning at the site of the new Monsanto Canada breeding centre. (TREVOR.HAGAN@FREEPRESS.MB.CA)

MONSANTO Canada broke ground Monday on a new state-of-the art plant breeding centre that will get new types of genetically modified canola into farmers' hands sooner than otherwise would have been possible.

The new $12-million facility, which will be built next door to Monsanto's Canadian headquarters at the University of Manitoba's Smartpark, will be the new ground zero in the company's ongoing quest to develop new genetically-modified canola products for the world's grain growers.

First up on the product-development list is a new generation of herbicide-resistant (Roundup Ready), higher-yielding canola, Monsanto officials said in interviews following Monday's ground-breaking ceremony.

That will likely be followed by canola products with other farmer-friendly traits, including a resistance to drought and an ability to use nitrogen (fertilizer) more efficiently.

Monsanto public affairs director Trish Jordan and Seed and Traits Lead Ryan Baldwin said the company hopes to have the Roundup Ready, higher-yielding canola ready within five or six years. The other genetically modified variations could be ready in as little as five years after that.

"What this is going to allow us to do is really ramp up the breeding," Baldwin said, although he and Jordan were reluctant to speculate on how much it will speed up the product-development process.

Danie Theunissen, Monsanto's spring canola breeding lead, said it used to take 10 to 12 years to develop a new plant product. But new technological advances have enabled researchers to reduce that to five to eight years. And that's good news for both farmers and companies like Monsanto.

"It's all about having the right product in the market at the right time," he added.

Several farmer representatives were on hand for Monday's ground-breaking ceremony, and said they look forward to seeing the new facility fully operational by late next year.

Rolf Penner, Manitoba vice-president of the Western Canadian Grain Growers Association, said he grows a lot of canola on his Morris-area farm and fertilizer is one of his most expensive crop inputs.

"If they can breed a crop that uses less nitrogen or uses it more efficiently, that would have a huge effect on my bottom line," he said.

Penner said some Manitoba farmers could also benefit from the development of a more drought-resistant canola product, although that might be hard for some to imagine after all the rain Manitoba has seen this year.

Canola Council of Canada president JoAnne Buth said canola, which was only developed in Manitoba in the 1970s, has evolved into one of Canada's leading crops.

"We must keep investing in this crop, and I think that's what Monsanto is doing here today," Buth said. "Our entire industry will benefit from this."

Jordan said two other Canadian cities -- Calgary and Saskatoon -- were also considered as sights for the new breeding centre. Monsanto Canada officials were able to convince its U.S.-based parent that Winnipeg was the best site. "We fought pretty hard to have it here," Jordan said. "It's a good fit for us here because the grain industry is here and a lot of our customers are here."

Baldwin said there are also benefits to having the new breeding centre next door to Monsanto's Canadian headquarters.

"(It) will also allow us to increase synergies between the breeding, product development, supply and commercial aspects of our business to ensure we deliver on the pipeline of new, beneficial crop technologies for our farm customers," he said.

murray.mcneill@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition July 28, 2009 B4

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