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Jeff Hoiness


Major Crops: Canola, wheat, barley, peas, lentils

Farm Size: 9,000 acres (3,600 hectares)

Years Farming: 20+

First Planted Biotech Crops: 1995

Favorite Benefits: Increased yield. Access to specialty, identity-preserved markets. Good for environment.

Family: Married, two children

The things that I'm doing on our farm ... with biotechnology are a benefit to all of society.
The things that I'm doing on our farm ... with biotechnology are a benefit to all of society.
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ON-FARM BENEFITS OF GM CANOLA ALSO BENEFIT SOCIETY
Hoiness Reduces Green House Gas Emission with Adoption of No-till Farming

Canada is one of the largest producers of canola — an oilseed used predominately as a food ingredient. Over the last five years, Canadian farmers have produced an average of 6.2 million tones of canola seed per year — the majority of which is exported as seed, oil and meal to markets worldwide.

GM canola was first grown in Canada in 1995, and since then, growers have rapidly adopted the technology. In 2006, 85 percent (11.2 million acres or 4.5 million hectares) of the 13.1 million acres (5.2 million hectares) of canola in Canada were planted with GM varieties.

One reason the technology has been so successful is it enables growers to adopt no-till farming — a reduction or complete elimination of plowing the soil to eliminate weeds and prepare fields for planting. The benefits range from soil erosion control to a reduction in green house gas emission.

"I'm improving the structure of my soil with zero tillage. I'm using less pesticides," says Jeff Hoiness, a Western Canadian farmer who has grown GM canola for more than a decade. "It's better for the environment. We have less soil erosion than we did in the past. I mean, that's got to be good for a lot of other people than just myself."

From 1996 — 2004, the use of GM canola in Canada reduced pesticide applications by 10.5 million pounds (4.8 million kg) and the associated ‘environmental footprint' by 20.7 percent. "We're using less fuel per acre, so that means less green house gas emission," continues Hoiness, comparing his no-till farming practices in GM canola to those he used with a conventional crop. "The things that I'm doing on our farm that I feel are of benefit with the biotechnology are a benefit to all of society."

© 2006 Monsanto Company.  All rights reserved.  The copyright holder consents to the use of this material and the images in the published context only and solely for the purpose of promoting the benefits of agricultural biotechnology.

Video Transcript



Farming in the future, I think, is at a stage now where we're probably getting into the exciting stage again. Most of it has to do with the biotechnology — the renewable fuels; the pharmaceutical; the specialty oils, with respect to canola; the increased awareness of health-related issues. ...

... Canola is a big part of our farm. ... Our markets are anywhere from local markets, ... where the oil is processed either for food or for food grade oil. And then the export markets, where our grain is shipped around the world for processing. ...

Almost worldwide our canola is accepted. Our biggest customers, such as Japan or the U.S. or Mexico — they're all open to the technology. And, it hasn't been an issue for us in terms of finding markets. ...

... I think the market's growing every year for canola oil. ... And so I think it's an exciting crop to be involved in because it is one of the crops that biotech has embraced, and they're able to do a lot of things with it. And I believe we haven't even touched on probably what's going to be beneficial to us as growers down the road. ...

I think biotech canola to me, the first thing that comes to mind, is that we practice zero tillage. ... And that's allowed us to save moisture, and save fuel, and decrease our pesticide use. ...

Because we're applying less pesticides on average, it's allowed us to have more time to do other things — whether it be to expand the farm, to spend more time with the family. ...

For me, I break it down to the basics in the fact that I'm improving the structure of my soil with zero tillage. I'm using less pesticides. ...

It's better for the environment. We have less soil erosion than we did in the past. I mean, that's got to be good for a lot of other people than just myself. We've increased the wildlife habitat. ...

... We're using less fuel per acre. We're using, so that means less greenhouse gas emissions. ... The things that I'm doing on our farm that I feel are of benefit with the biotechnology are a benefit to all of society. ...

You know, there's a lot of positive aspects to the things that biotechnology have led to...

© 2006 Monsanto Company. All rights reserved. The copyright holder consents to the use of this material and the images in the published context only and solely for the purpose of promoting the benefits of agricultural biotechnology.