ngin - Norfolk Genetic Information Network

13 October 2002

US REPORT "COULD SEND FURTHER SHIVERS DOWN THE SPINES OF US FARMERS OF GM CROPS" - REUTERS

EXCERPTS from the Reuters article below:

The report could send further shivers down the spines of US farmers of GM crops.

The US Wheat Associates report found that all representatives for Chinese, Korean and Japanese wheat buyers surveyed said they would not buy or use Roundup Ready wheat.   Eighty-two per cent of buyers from Taiwan and 78 per cent of buyers from South Asia said they would reject the wheat.

The opposition remained strong among the Asian respondents even if their own country's governments approved GM wheat.

Japan [the largest buyer of US wheat]... voiced the strongest opposition, with 100 per cent of the Japanese users surveyed indicating that "regardless of government approval, contracts will stipulate no adventitious presence of GM wheat.

In August, Italy's biggest miller, Grandi Molini Italiani, said it would refuse to import genetically modified wheat or any wheat from countries where GM wheat is grown.

***

GM wheat: an unacceptable crop?

Reuters, Food Navigator, US, 10/10/2002

10/10/02 - Europeans are not the only consumers wary  about genetically modified foods and the notion of GM  wheat. A Reuters report on Thursday elaborates on how Asian  buyers of US wheat remain largely opposed to the planned  introduction of genetically modified wheat, according to a  new report by the leading marketing organisation for US  wheat.

The report could send further shivers down the spines of   US farmers of GM crops. US Wheat Associates found  in its survey of wheat buyers, millers and users that  "there is currently an overwhelming rejection" of the  biotech "Roundup Ready" wheat plant that Monsanto has  developed. The plant is resistant to Monsanto's herbicide,  allowing for easy weed treatment. Monsanto said it was not  impressed with the survey. "While dialogue is taking place,  deliberately generating controversy about acceptance seems  to run counter to US Wheat's stated purpose of promoting  opportunities for US growers," said Mark Buckingham,  spokesman for Monsanto. St. Louis-based Monsanto has been  working to roll out the GM spring wheat by 2005 in the  United States and Canada, but has responded to grower  concerns by saying it will wait until there is adequate  customer acceptance for the product. Major wheat importing  countries like Japan and the European Union have stressed  that consumer opposition to genetically modified wheat  would override scientific assurances that the biotech grain  was safe. Opposition forces question whether the biotech  wheat would be truly safe, both for humans and the  environment. The US Wheat Associates report found that all  representatives for Chinese, Korean and Japanese wheat  buyers surveyed said they would not buy or use Roundup  Ready wheat. The report quoted the Japanese Food Agency, a  major buyer of US wheat, as saying that "Japanese flour  millers declare firmly not to use any insecure wheat which  may or may not contain GM wheat. Japan might have to switch  to a different country which does not produce any GM wheat".  Japan, the largest buyer of US wheat this year, typically  purchases about 3 million tonnes of US wheat annually.

 Eighty-two per cent of buyers from Taiwan and 78 per cent  of buyers from South Asia said they would reject the wheat.  The opposition remained strong among the Asian respondents  even if their own country's governments approved GM wheat.

 Japan interests voiced the strongest opposition, with 100  per cent of the Japanese users surveyed indicating that  "regardless of government approval, contracts will  stipulate no adventitious presence of GM wheat."

 Many fear that although Monsanto is currently focusing on  introducing its technology in a spring wheat, the issue  could hurt sales of all US wheat if international buyers  grow wary of US wheat supplies. "US Wheat Associates' work  with buyers in Asia and elsewhere gives ample warning that  other wheat classes - and other wheat originations - are at  risk of rejection," said US Wheat spokeswoman Dawn Forsythe.  The Asian interests indicated that a certification process  would need to be established to assure them that purchases  would be free of GM wheat if they were to continue to buy  US wheat. Though the recent survey dealt only with Asian  markets, opposition has been heard from around the world.

 In August, Italy's biggest miller, Grandi Molini Italiani,  said it would refuse to import genetically modified wheat  or any wheat from countries where GM wheat is grown.

 Monsanto has been working hard to win over the grain  industry, including helping develop grain handling  techniques to segregate GM wheat from non-GM wheat. It has  also created a Wheat Industry Advisory Committee to seek  input from farmers, state wheat growers organisations and  others.

Source: Reuters (c) 2000/2002 - FoodNavigator - All Rights Reserved.

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