Isolation Map Updates and proposal for establishment of

CSA Isolation Map Committee

Timothy Blank - CCIA 3/25/15

Two new maps in last 2 years: • I. Sunflower: Physical map established in 1980’s to coordinate hybrid sunflower

production in N. California. Map is now online and used to coordinate the planting of ~50,000 acres of sunflowers annually. Isolation in both time and space utilized.

• II. Vegetable map (California): Used by a number of seed companies for several vegetable crops in California’s Central Valley and Central Coast.

• III. Alfalfa Isolation Management Map: Developed after coexistence discussions during the deregulation process of RR alfalfa. This map displays GE and GE-Free Grower Opportunity Zones, and maps ALL GE alfalfa and ‘Adventitious Presence Sensitive’ seed fields in the Western United States

• IV. Treasure Valley Sweet Corn Map: Released in 2014, this map was developed to serve the sweet corn industry in Idaho’s Treasure Valley. The parameters were determined by a committee of the Idaho-Eastern Oregon Seed Association (IEOSA). GE sweet corn fields and non-GE sweet corn nurseries are mapped.

• V. IEOSA Small-Seeded Vegetable Pinning Map: Released in 2015, this map replaced two physical maps that served Southern Idaho and Eastern Oregon. It is used to map all Carrot, Allium sp., and Brassica sp. seed production in the region.

USDA Stakeholder Workshop on Coexistence

• CCIA invited for its contributions to different regional seed industries

• Recently developed isolation maps commended as prime examples of industry-lead initiatives to foster coexistence in the seed industry

Unlike the other 4 maps CCIA hosts, the CA vegetable map lacks:

• Definable committee/group to give CCIA direction

• Guidelines for map use • Guidelines for admission of new users • Mediation process • A stated understanding of CCIA’s duties and

boundaries as the 3rd party host

Goals:

• Minimize isolation conflicts by maximizing communication

• Keep isolation/coexistance practice and guidelines in the hands of the seed industry (and not the courts or federal/state/local regulatory agencies)

• Increase efficiency/reduce costs

Proposal: • CSA establish an Isolation Pinning Map

Committee – Standing committee of the CSA or a subcommittee

of the vegetable group – Committee could define/develop:

• Guidelines for map use • Who has access to map • Isolation distances for conflict notification • Mediation process • MOU between the CCIA and the Committee

1) Guidelines

• Mutually agreed upon guidelines for pinning • Starting and end dates • How precedence is determined

II) Who has access to map?

• Vested seed companies only? • Small independent contract producers? • Growers who save their own seed? • Commercial growers/companies whose

commercial production may produce pollen? • Seed growers already contracted with

company? (I do not recommend this)

III) Isolation distances for conflict notification

• Distances, based on prior industry input, have already been programmed, but these could be refined

• These distances determine at which point a isolation conflict notice is generated (real-time and email)

IV) Mediation process • Mutually agreed upon process for how to resolve

isolation conflicts prior to planting. • The seed industry has a unique opportunity to take

initiative to self-regulate. Don’t let void be filled others. • Note well:

– CDFA Seed Dispute Resolution Procedures do not apply to isolation conflicts – CDFA has no jurisdiction in isolation conflicts

– USDA has no regulations – There are no court precedents in the US for (pollen-

mediated gene flow) isolation conflicts to date (closest cases involve spray-drift)

– Generally speaking, there are no state or local regulations in CA concerning coexistence policy in seed production (some right-to-farm or negligence policies might apply if pursued)

V) Vegetable Seed Industry and CCIA agreement/MOU

• Simply put in words what has been the CCIA’s practice and intent since the inception of the maps, namely, CCIA is a 3rd party host providing a neutral platform and has no intention or authority to legislate, regulate, mediate the guidelines and policies of the map.

CCIA Mission: To provide services and support research that promotes the

improvement, production, distribution and use of superior quality seeds and

other agricultural products.

Timothy Blank 530-574-6459

tjblank@ucdavis.edu