The Japanese Farm Ministry said it has suspended its tender and sale of wheat from Canada after grain containing a GM trait was discovered last summer in Alberta
This incident proves once again that the ag biotech industry cannot contain or control its GMOs.
Incidentally, despite the claim in item 2 below, there is no GM gene for increased yield and GM crops don't yield better than non-GM crops.
1. Canada finds unapproved GMO wheat in Alberta
2. Japan blocks Canadian wheat after unapproved GMO plants found in Alberta
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1. Canada finds unapproved GMO wheat in Alberta
Rod Nickel
Reuters, 14 June 2018
https://ca.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idCAKBN1JA341-OCABS
Wheat containing a genetically modified trait developed by Monsanto Co to tolerate the Roundup weed-killer was discovered last summer in Canada’s Alberta province, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said on Thursday.
The wheat, discovered near a rural road after it survived herbicide spraying, has not been approved for commercial use, said David Bailey, director of CFIA’s plant production division.
Canada is one of the world’s largest wheat exporters. While other crops such as corn and soybeans have been widely genetically modified to improve yield or withstand threats, GMO wheat has not been approved anywhere for commercial production because of concerns by consumers.
Canadian government officials have not identified the variety of wheat they discovered and said it is not present in the country’s grain or seed supply.
“The government is going to provide information to allow our trading partners to make informed, science-based decisions to continue trading in Canadian wheat,” said Kathleen Donohue, executive director of market access at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
In 2016, a discovery of GMO wheat developed by Monsanto in a farm field in Washington state prompted Japan and South Korea to temporarily suspend imports of some U.S. wheat.
Field trials have previously been conducted on GMO wheat in Canada and the United States, but not within 62 miles (100 km) of the discovery site, Bailey said.
The wheat was destroyed and the CFIA will monitor the area for three years to verify that it does not become established, Bailey said.
Monsanto, which has been acquired by Germany’s Bayer AG, conducted field trials on Roundup-tolerant wheat from 1998-2000, as did Canada’s agriculture department, company spokeswoman Trish Jordan said.
Reporting by Rod Nickel in Winnipeg, Manitoba; additional reporting by Tom Polansek in Chicago; editing by Grant McCool and Tom Brown
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2. Japan blocks Canadian wheat after unapproved GMO plants found in Alberta
by Thomson Reuters
CBC, Jun 15 2018
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/wheat-gmo-japan-genetically-modified-suspended-import-sale-1.4707563
* Japanese Farm Ministry said on Friday it has suspended its tender and sale of wheat from Canada after grain containing a genetically modified trait was discovered last summer in Alberta
A Japanese Farm Ministry official said on Friday it has suspended its tender and sale of wheat from Canada after grain containing a genetically modified trait was discovered last summer in Alberta.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said Thursday the wheat containing a genetically modified trait, developed by Monsanto Co. to tolerate the Roundup weed killer, was discovered in Western Canada province.
"We are suspending the tender and sale of Canadian wheat until we confirm that the Canadian wheat that Japan buys contains no GMO," the Japanese official said.
Canada is one of the world's largest wheat exporters. Japan is Canada's second largest global market for wheat, taking $598.6 million worth in 2016, according to the federal government's website.
While other crops such as corn and soybeans have been widely genetically modified to improve yield or withstand threats, GMO wheat has not been approved anywhere for commercial production because of concerns by consumers.