"This is worldwide victory for consumers and farmers. Virtually every major wheat-user in the world had already rejected this product before it even was allowed on the market. This must be one of the most rejected products ever developed.  This is another major financial blow to Monsanto and they should now get out of this unwanted GM crops business once and for all."
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Monsanto drops GM wheat
"Worldwide victory for consumers" says FOE
Press release
FRIENDS OF THE EARTH EUROPE
Immediate Release 10 may 2004

The world's biggest seller of genetically modified (GM) seeds, Monsanto, has announced that it is stopping all further efforts to commercialise its controversial GM wheat. (1)

Monsanto had applied in the US and Canada to grow the GM wheat but has faced worldwide opposition from farmers, food manufacturers and consumers. The wheat has been modified to resist the company's own herbicide, called RoundUp.

Monsanto have failed to get GM crops approved for import or cultivation in the EU for the past six years because of consumer and farmer concerns about the safety of GMOs.  They announced their withdrawal from GM wheat in the EU last years when the cereals division was put up for sale.

Major wheat buyers such as the Italian miller Grandi Molini have rejected GM wheat stating that "we will not only avoid buying GM wheat, but we will probably be forced to completely avoid importing from those countries/regions where it is known that GM wheat is grown." (2)

Juan Lopez of Friends of the Earth International said:

"This is worldwide victory for consumers and farmers. Virtually every major wheat-user in the world had already rejected this product before it even was allowed on the market. This must be one of the most rejected products ever developed.  This is another major financial blow to Monsanto and they should now get out of this unwanted GM crops business once and for all."

1. Monsanto's press release can be found at: http://www.monsanto.com/monsanto/layout/investor/news&events/2004/05-10-04.a sp

2. Antonio Costato, Grandi Molini Italiani CEO, "Italy's biggest miller spurns GM wheat," August 5, 2002, Reuters.

Contact:       Juan Lopez +39 (0) 333 1498049 mobile Adrian Bebb +49 (0) 1609 490 1663 mobile