New gmo potato not grown commercially in Canada this year, but might be in grocery stores

A newly-approved, genetically modified potato will not be grown commercially in Canada this year. JR Simplot, the company that created the Innate potato, said Canadian approval came too late for farmers to plant them this season. Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency approved the potatoes in late March. “The late approval did not provide us with enough time to secure commitments from Canadian growers prior to the 2016 planting season,” said Doug Cole, Simplot’s director of marketing and communications, in an email to CBC News. Cole said Canadian may still see the potatoes in groceries stores this year. “It’s still possible to export Innate potatoes into Canada,” he wrote. JR Simplot is continuing to work on improving the Innate. Test plots of Generation 2 Innate potatoes are being grown on Prince Edward Island this year. In addition to the bruising resistance of the first generation, these potatoes are also resistant to blight. More