December 2011 Updates

In 2004, Monsanto was forced to withdraw its applications to the Canadian and US governments for approval of Roundup Ready GM Wheat because of farmer and consumer opposition. It is now clear that in its pursuit of GM wheat over the next 5 years, the biotech industry is focusing their primary effort on Australia. The Canadian Biotechnology Action Network will be working to support our Australian friends will continue to monitor and campaign on this issue.

The Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) was instrumental in stopping Monsanto's GM Wheat in 2004. As a united voice for wheat farmers, the CWB conducted market research which showed international markets did not want GM wheat and would reject wheat exports from Canada if GM wheat was approved, because of the risk of contamination. The CWB also surveyed wheat farmers and found they did not want GM wheat. The CWB presented research and the view of wheat farmers to the government. Without the CWB, wheat farmers in Canada will have less market power and a weaker political voice - many will be struggling to survive. Click here for "7 Reasons Non-Farmers Should Care about the Canadian Wheat Board" or visit www.nfu.ca

Summary

GM wheat is not grown or eaten anywhere in the world, it has never been on the market.

In 2004, Monsanto withdrew requests for government approval of its herbicide tolerant GM wheat in Canada and the US because of widespread farmer and consumer protest in both countries, and around the world. However, Monsanto re-launched research into GM wheat in 2009 and the biotechnology industry is now engaged in a new public relations campaign in favour of GM wheat. Monsanto’s new plans for GM wheat are, however, meeting the same strong objections that defeated the company’s product in 2004. The Premier of Australia’s largest wheat growing state recently panned GM wheat, and Japanese flour companies continue to say that they will refuse to process GM wheat. In early 2010, CBAN coordinated an effort that resulted in 233 groups from 26 countries restating their opposition to GM wheat.

July 2011: Australia’s top scientific body, CSIRO, is conducting the world’s first human feeding trials of GM wheat. Scientists have already denounced the trials: "The feeding trials should not be conducted until long-term impact assessments have
been undertaken and appropriate information released to enable the scientific
community to determine the value of such research, as against the risks." A Greenpeace report, Australia's Wheat Scandal, detailed a major conflict of interest at CSIRO.

National Research Council Disavows GM Wheat

April 7, 2011: The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) issued a statement to clarify that it has no plans to research genetically modified (GM) wheat. NRC now states: “GM wheat is not an objective of the NRC wheat program. We will be developing a number of tools that will be used to reduce the breeding cycle, increase yield and adapt to climate stresses. GM varieties are not contemplated at this time.” The statement was issued to CBAN in response to media stories of April 3 that reported on a leaked memo from the government research agency. “NRC has finally recognized what everyone but Monsanto understands: that GM wheat is unacceptable to farmers and consumers,” said Lucy Sharratt of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network.

• Read the full press release: "Canada's National Research Council Disavows GM Wheat"
• Read the full statement from the National Research Council

GM Wheat Rejected by 233 Farmer and Consumer Groups from 26 Countries

"In light of our existing experience with genetic engineering, and recognizing the global consumer rejection of genetically engineered wheat, we restate our definitive opposition to GE wheat and our commitment to stopping the commercialization of GE traits in our wheat crops"

• List of groups who signed the definitive rejection statement.
• Click here to print the pdf of the statement with list of signatories.
• Press Release, February 2010
• Groups: You can sign the global rejection of GM wheat here.
• 15 groups from Canada, Australia and the USA initiated the statement: Click here to see the original list

New! Slovak Translation!Definitívne Globálny odmietnutie geneticky modifikované pšenica

Monsanto withdrew their applications to the Canadian and U.S. governments for approval of GE (Roundup Ready) Wheat in 2004 because of a global rejection from farmers and consumers. But on May 14, 2009, industry groups in Canada, Australia and the US pledged to "work toward the goal of synchronized commercialization of biotech traits in our wheat crops." Click here to read the industry statement.

Background

In 2009, Monsanto launched new GM wheat research and bought WestBred, a Montana company specializing in wheat germplasm. Monsanto's announcement followed a May 2009 statement from industry groups in Australia, Canada and the US stating that they would work together to synchronize commercialization in the three countries.

July 2010: Monsanto and BASF Plant Science are expanding joint research to develop GM wheat. They say they aim to commercialize a GM wheat in at least 10 years. The companies say they plan to "initially focus on developing biotech products for the North American and Australian markets." The joint announcement comes on the heels of a separate plan announced by Syngenta and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center in April to work toward biotech wheat

You can download two great factsheets from the National Farmers Union:

• Ten Reasons Why We Don't Want GM Wheat
• The Costs of GM Wheat