I had the opportunity to give a talk 3/15/01 on biotech at the  crop and soil science department at Washington State University in Pullman.  The department is struggling with the challenges associated with the  potential commercial introduction of Roundup Ready wheat in the next few  years. I was asked to review the issues, especially demands on the university and how it might respond to them, drawing on experiences in the  Midwest with RR soybeans and Bt corn.

My Powerpoint talk is posted on Ag BioTech InfoNet at --
http://www.biotech-info.net/WSU_BIOTECH.html

I came away from my visit on campus, where I got a chance to visit  with some leading growers, academic leaders, with a clear impression. It is  by no means a "done deal" that WSU will release Roundup Ready wheat  varieties, even if approved by EPA, and furthermore, it is possible the  wheat grower community and university might openly oppose such a move,  depending on what it learns about the prospect of RR wheat to advance the  profitability of the wheat industry.

Chuck
Charles Benbrook                          
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