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Illegal Monsanto GMO wheat found in Oregon | Grist

http://grist.org/news/illegal-monsanto-gmo-wheat-found-in-oregon/

30 May 2013 9:36 AM

Illegal Monsanto GMO wheat found in Oregon


By John Upton

Shutterstock A farmer in Oregon found a patch of wheat growing like a weed where it wasnt expected, so the farmer sprayed it with the herbicide Roundup. Surprisingly, some of the wheat survived. The startled farmer sent samples of the renegade wheat to a laboratory, which conrmed something that should have been impossible: The wheat was a genetically engineered variety that had never been approved to be grown in the U.S., nor anywhere else in the world. From The New York Times: The Agriculture Department said the wheat was of the type developed by Monsanto to be resistant to the herbicide Roundup, also known as glyphosate. Such wheat was eldtested in 16 states, including Oregon, from 1998 through 2005, but Monsanto dropped the project before the wheat was ever approved for commercial planting. The department said it was not known yet whether any of the wheat got into the food supply or into grain shipments. Even if it did, ofcials said, it would pose no threat to health. The Food and Drug Administration reviewed the wheat and found no safety problems with it in 2004. Still, the mere presence of the genetically modied plant could cause some countries to turn away exports of American wheat, especially if any traces of the unapproved grain were found in shipments. About $8.1 billion in American wheat was exported in 2012, representing nearly half the total $17.9 billion crop, according to U.S. Wheat Associates, which promotes American wheat abroad. About 90 percent of Oregons wheat crop is exported. Its not clear when the discovery was made. In a statement on its website, Monsanto said it was contacted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture regarding its investigation earlier this month. The

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6/4/13 3:44 AM

Illegal Monsanto GMO wheat found in Oregon | Grist

http://grist.org/news/illegal-monsanto-gmo-wheat-found-in-oregon/

USDA announced the discovery on Wednesday and said nine investigators are trying to gure out how the freak wheat wound up growing on the unnamed farmers land. Reuters reports that there were eight eld trials of Monsantos GMO wheat in Oregon from 1999 to 2001. While the federal government and agriculture industry scramble to investigate and manage fallout from the escaped wheat strain, there is one company that doesnt seem too concerned. You can guess who that might be. From a statement posted on Monsantos website: Over the past decade, an annual average of 58 million acres of wheat have been planted in the United States. This is the rst report of the Roundup Ready trait being found out of place since Monsantos commercial wheat development program was discontinued nine years ago. Accordingly, while USDAs results are unexpected, there is considerable reason to believe that the presence of the Roundup Ready trait in wheat, if determined to be valid, is very limited. Well, if its very limited, then, I suppose theres no need for concern. Try telling that to Americas wheat trading partners. UPDATE: Americas trading partners are indeed uphappy.
John Upton is a science fan and green news bofn who tweets, posts articles to Facebook, and blogs about ecology. He welcomes reader questions, tips, and incoherent rants: johnupton@gmail.com.

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