US farmers to help win GM wheat acceptance
Date: 31-Jan-03
Country: USA
Author: Carey Gillam
"Consumers trust farmers," said Monsanto wheat industry affairs spokesman Michael Doane. "We've been investing in this technology... now for probably a decade. We're entering a new part of the project and need industry help to educate decision makers."
After spending more than a decade - and tens of millions of dollars - in development of a genetically modified wheat that allows farmers to more efficiently control weeds, Monsanto has hit a critical juncture, said Doane, who was spending this week at a meeting of key wheat industry players in Albuquerque.
Doane said the company needs farmer groups to step up global educational efforts to overcome the fears of millers and bakers and food companies who have seen the food industry rocked by controversy over genetically modified crops.
And the farmers are on board. While two years ago, the wheat farmers viewed Monsanto's GM wheat proposal with some suspicion and fear of losing markets, this week's annual gathering found firm support for Monsanto and eagerness to obtain the potential benefits the technology might offer.
"Rather than sitting on the sidelines hoping that it wins acceptance... we're trying to help out," said National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) CEO Darren Coppock. "It is very much a partnership (with Monsanto)."
As one sign of the new market outreach underway by growers, NAWG is forming a group made up of players up and down the food chain, including leading fast food giant McDonald's Corp (MCD.N)., to formulate a united front for GM wheat when it hits the market.
The group hopes to have a strategy together within the next year. Monsanto submitted final regulatory submissions in theUSand Canada in December and regulatory approval looks to be at least 18 to 24 months away. Monsanto has also applied for regulatory approval in Japan.
Cautionary voice continued to be heard. Leading buyers of wheat, both within the US, and in key export markets, have stated firmly they will not buy GM wheat. The concern is not one of safety - the science shows no evidence of health or environmental harm - but one of public sentiment.
The contamination 2-1/2 years ago of taco shells, corn chips and other products by a GM corn not approved for food use still has food chain players skittish, even though a GM wheat would not be released until it had full regulatory approval.
And last year's contamination of soybeans with an experimental biotech corn aimed at treating diabetes further fueled fears about a lack of control over biotech crops.
"Yes, we support food biotechnology and yes, we know it is grounded in sound science," said Betsy Faga president of the North American Millers Association. "But we have to ask the question, are our customers ready for genetically enhanced wheat?"
Archer Daniels Midland (ADM.N) is one company concerned about a GM wheat introduction. While ADM accepts the safety of the technology, the company's customers say they don't want to buy GM wheat.
"They're telling me they're going to go non-GMO," said ADM milling executive Dave Green. "They don't want to lose even a small percentage of customers."
The highest hurdle seen by many is winning over the key world buyers ofUSwheat, including many Asian countries. Research by US Wheat, the group that markets domestic wheat abroad, has found strong opposition and the group has cautioned that commercialization could hurt overseas sales.
That message is one growers hope to quash. Indeed, this week, wheat growers ordered US Wheat to stop talking publicly about the export market opposition, saying such discussion only hurts the efforts to gain acceptance.
"We've got to figure out how to overcome the problems," said Darrell Hanavan, the head of a joint wheat industry biotech advisory committee that works closely with Monsanto.
"We are going to see some biotech traits in wheat in the future that are very beneficial to us," said Hanavan. "I think (Monsanto) wants to do things