A patch of wheat found growing in fallow field in Oregon, USA, has sent tremors across the world with some East Asian countries cancelling wheat import orders from the US, and the 27 member European Union to raise testing levels for US imports.
The reason is that the wheat patch was found to be a genetically modified variety developed and tested by biotech giant Monsanto between 1999 and 2001 in the state. Monsanto later withdrew its application to market the modified wheat. So, what has sprouted in the 125-acre farm is an illegal variety.
Once the US department of agriculture confirmed on Wednesday that the wheat was of the Monsanto GM variety, there was swift international reaction from countries that depend on US wheat imports. Fearing a public backlash against unapproved genetically modified wheat being imported and sold in their domestic markets, Japan and South Korea cancelled parts of wheat orders from US, the European Union advised its 27 members to increase testing of wheat imports, and China and Philippines announced that they were watching the situation, waiting for investigations.
World trade of wheat is about 143 million tons of which Asian imports make up about 40 million tons, bulk of which comes from the US. Other countries that import wheat from US include Mexico, Egypt and Nigeria. Under President Obama there has been a concerted effort to push US wheat exports which consume 50 percent of US output. This year the world wheat output is expected to be about 701 million tons, a record.
In Europe, all genetically modified food crops are prohibited. In other countries there is considerable public skepticism about such crops. In the US, most of corn, soya, canola and alfalfa crops use GM seeds. But most of the production of these crops goes for animal feed. Monsanto's attempt to introduce GM wheat was abandoned in 2005 after the company found that the consumers were wary of it.
The unidentified Oregon farmer had last sown his wheat crop in 2011 winter and harvested it in 2012. He was planning to leave his farm unplanted for a year. Finding some wheat plants sprouting on the bare field he sprayed them with Roundup, a Monsanto weedicide. To his surprise, the wheat plants survived the lethal glyphosate spray which kills everything except the genetically modified 'Roundup Ready' variety of GM wheat.
The farmer consulted with the Oregon State University, which analysed the plants and found that they were Monsanto's GM wheat plants gone rogue. Later the USDA confirmed this finding.
"We are taking this situation very seriously and have launched a formal investigation," said Michael Firko, acting deputy administrator for USDA's regulatory wing in a statement. "Our first priority is to as quickly as possible determine the circumstances and extent of the situation and how it happened.
In a statement posted on its website, Monsanto said that they were cooperating with the USDA investigation.
"The company's internal assessments suggest that neither seed left in the soil or wheat pollen flow serve as a reasonable explanation behind this reported detection at this time" the statement said.
Mutant wheat found growing in US fallow field - The Times of India
The reason is that the wheat patch was found to be a genetically modified variety developed and tested by biotech giant Monsanto between 1999 and 2001 in the state. Monsanto later withdrew its application to market the modified wheat. So, what has sprouted in the 125-acre farm is an illegal variety.
Once the US department of agriculture confirmed on Wednesday that the wheat was of the Monsanto GM variety, there was swift international reaction from countries that depend on US wheat imports. Fearing a public backlash against unapproved genetically modified wheat being imported and sold in their domestic markets, Japan and South Korea cancelled parts of wheat orders from US, the European Union advised its 27 members to increase testing of wheat imports, and China and Philippines announced that they were watching the situation, waiting for investigations.
World trade of wheat is about 143 million tons of which Asian imports make up about 40 million tons, bulk of which comes from the US. Other countries that import wheat from US include Mexico, Egypt and Nigeria. Under President Obama there has been a concerted effort to push US wheat exports which consume 50 percent of US output. This year the world wheat output is expected to be about 701 million tons, a record.
In Europe, all genetically modified food crops are prohibited. In other countries there is considerable public skepticism about such crops. In the US, most of corn, soya, canola and alfalfa crops use GM seeds. But most of the production of these crops goes for animal feed. Monsanto's attempt to introduce GM wheat was abandoned in 2005 after the company found that the consumers were wary of it.
The unidentified Oregon farmer had last sown his wheat crop in 2011 winter and harvested it in 2012. He was planning to leave his farm unplanted for a year. Finding some wheat plants sprouting on the bare field he sprayed them with Roundup, a Monsanto weedicide. To his surprise, the wheat plants survived the lethal glyphosate spray which kills everything except the genetically modified 'Roundup Ready' variety of GM wheat.
The farmer consulted with the Oregon State University, which analysed the plants and found that they were Monsanto's GM wheat plants gone rogue. Later the USDA confirmed this finding.
"We are taking this situation very seriously and have launched a formal investigation," said Michael Firko, acting deputy administrator for USDA's regulatory wing in a statement. "Our first priority is to as quickly as possible determine the circumstances and extent of the situation and how it happened.
In a statement posted on its website, Monsanto said that they were cooperating with the USDA investigation.
"The company's internal assessments suggest that neither seed left in the soil or wheat pollen flow serve as a reasonable explanation behind this reported detection at this time" the statement said.
Mutant wheat found growing in US fallow field - The Times of India
good one!!!
