Planning Identity Preservation IP Systems for Crops

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Planning Identity Preservation (IP) Systems for
Crops

• Bill Wilcke
• University of Minnesota
• Biosystems Ag Engineering Dept

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What is Identity Preservation?

• IP involves growing and handling crops in ways
  that prevent mixing with seeds or DNA from other
  crops.
• IP might also involve documentation such as
  keeping records, saving samples, inspecting crops
  and facilities, and/or testing of crop purity.

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Why use Identity Preservation?

• To meet customer demands for
• Specific varieties or hybrids.
• Crops that have (or do not have) certain
  characteristics.
• Crops that are grown in certain ways.
• To prevent the crop being produced from
  contaminating other crops.

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Identity Preservation...

• Is it possible?
• Yes - as long as tolerances for contamination
  arent too low!
• Is it worthwhile?
• Maybe, but make sure that benefits exceed costs.

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IP Examples

• Crops that are grown for seed.
• Organically produced crops.
• Some GM and non-GM crops.
• Enhanced-value crops
• High protein wheat and soybeans.
• Food-grade corn and soybeans.
• Specific varieties that process better.

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To Implement an IP System

• Develop a customer-oriented attitude.
• Prepare an IP plan anticipate possible points of
  contamination and plan to minimize contamination.
• Set up a good record system.
• Save samples.
• If necessary, test crops.

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Customer-Oriented Attitude

• Consider contracting before planting.
• Know what the customer wants.
• Does the buyer certify the process or test the
  final product?
• What is the maximum allowable contamination level
  (0, 0.5, 1, 5)?
• Make sure other family members and employees
  share your attitude.

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Minimize Contamination

• Seed
• Ask supplier about seed purity.
• Save seed samples, or at least save bag labels.
• Consider testing seed purity.

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Minimize Contamination (cont.)

• Field selection
• Consider previous crop and potential for
  contamination by volunteer plants.
• Maintain enough distance between fields to
  minimize cross-pollination.
• Seed corn producers use 660-ft separation.
• Bees also carry pollen between fields.
• Selection of different maturity and planting date
  can reduce cross-pollination.
• Could harvest field borders separately.

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Minimize Contamination (cont.)

• Planting
• 500 of the wrong type seeds in a planter box
  equals 1 contamination.
• Clean planter when switching crops.
• Estimated cleaning time 15 min for a 12-row
  planter.
• Or start with a clean planter and plant the IP
  crop first.
• Identify fields keep records.

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Minimize Contamination (cont.)

• Combining
• 3 to 5 bu remain in an empty combine.
• Clean the combine when switching crops.
• Estimated cleaning time 0.25 to 8 hrs.
• Or clean combine before harvest and do the IP
  crop first.
• Or consider using separate combines for IP and
  non-IP crops.
• Identify fields keep records.

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Minimize Contamination (cont.)

• Farm grain handling
• Clean hauling vehicles when switching crops.
• Select self-cleaning pits and conveyors, or clean
  handling equipment when switching crops.

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Minimize Contamination (cont.)

• Storing crops on farms
• Farm storage makes overall IP systems more
  effective.
• Provide a variety of bin sizes.
• Clean bins before harvest.
• Avoid grain handling mistakes!
• Consider using bins that are not tied into the
  handling system for other crops.

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Minimize Contamination (cont.)

• Storing crops on farms (cont.)
• Maintain crop quality during storage
• Limit moisture to safe levels.
• Aerate to control temperature.
• Check frequently.
• Label bins keep records.

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Minimize Contamination (cont.)

• Commercial grain handling
• 10 to 100 bu can remain in system between loads.
• Need to clean system between crops or use
  different receiving systems for different crops.
• IP will work best at facilities with multiple
  receiving points, or at small specialized
  facilities.
• Avoid delivery during busy harvest season.

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Minimize Contamination (cont.)

• Commercial grain handling (cont.)
• Tell buyer what is being delivered.
• One 800-bu truck dumped in the wrong 80,000-bu
  bin equals 1 contamination.
• 10 to 50 bu often remain in empty railcars and
  barges.

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Testing for Contamination

• Visual examination
• Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
• Measures DNA fragments.
• Very sensitive claimed sensitivity of 0.1.
• Takes several days and costs 100 to 400 per
  sample.

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Testing for Contamination (cont.)

• Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbentassays (ELISA)
• Detects proteins associated with genetic
  modification (GM) rather than DNA itself.
• Uses color change in a liquid or on a test strip.
• Some versions can give approximate level of GM
  content others just give yes or no answer.
• Tests take 5 to 15 minutes and cost 7 to 10 per
  sample.

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Testing for Contamination (cont.)

• Herbicide bioassay
• Can only be used to test for herbicide resistance
  genes.
• Will only work with live seeds.
• Treat germinated seeds with herbicide to see if
  gene for herbicide tolerance is present.
• Takes several days.

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Testing for Contamination (cont.)

• Near-Infrared (NIR) Spectroscopy
• Research is underway shows some promise.
• Could use same machine that measures protein,
  oil, and other quality factors.

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Accuracy of Tests

• There is some concern about test standards,
  procedures, and accuracy.
• The USDA is setting up a lab in Kansas City to
  check commercial labs and GM test kits.
• Getting representative samples is at least as
  important as test accuracy.

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GM Test Labs and Test Kits

• Grain Journal magazine has a good list of GM test
  labs and test kits on its website
• www.grainnet.com

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IP Costs Can Include

• Special seed
• Special equipment, or extra time and labor for
  cleaning equipment
• Record keeping systems
• Under-utilized storage space
• Extra transportation costs
• Certification
• Testing

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Sources of IP Info

• U of M BioAgEng postharvest website
• www.bae.umn.edu/extens/postharvest/
• USDA Ag Marketing Service (AMS), Identity
  Preserved Grain Logistical Overview
• www.ams.usda.gov/tmd/ipgrain
• Iowa State University, Iowa Grain Quality
  Initiative website
• www.iowagrain.org