Clearfield Sunflower Approved

VANCOUVER - Jan 24 - SNS -- Chemical monoculture is rapidly approaching in Canada's specialty crop industry, with the regulatory approval of BASF Agricultural Products Clearfield confectionary sunflowers.

The company said this latest approval is the final step in a three-step process for Clearfield sunflowers which included approvals by U.S. regulatory authorities of Clearfield sunflower oil for food use in 2003 and approval of Clearfield sunflower meal for feed use in the U.S. earlier in 2005.

"This approval supports the expansion of U.S. production of Clearfield sunflowers to include confectionary sunflowers for the first time," said Jason Ward, Marketing Manager with BASF. "Specifically, this approval supports the development and introduction of new Clearfield confection sunflower hybrids with our seed partners, the first of which we expect to see available in the United States in 2006."

Ward notes that the approval by Canadian authorities, in accordance with regulations for plants with novel traits, is important to the continued growth of both the in-the-shell and dehulled sunflower markets.

"This approval will create new opportunities to continue the expansion of sunflower acres and markets for those acres," Ward said, adding that new Clearfield confection sunflower hybrids are developed to be tolerant to Beyond® herbicide, the herbicide component of the Clearfield Production System for sunflowers.