Monsanto is backing away from plans to commercialize Roundup Ready wheat, a move embraced by farm groups.
In a May 10 News release
news, Monsanto announced it is deferring commercialization of its controversial Roundup Ready crop until wheat with other biotech traits like fusarium resistance are introduced. That is estimated to happen in the next four to eight years.
Carl Casale, executive vice-president of Monsanto, said it was a business decision based on the fact that North American spring wheat acreage has declined nearly 25 percent since 1997.
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Many farm groups and antibiotech lobbyists said that explanation is a smokescreen.
They feel the move was based on a consumer backlash against genetically modified crops and an unwillingness by farmers to grow biotech wheat.
“Clearly Monsanto is backing off because the opposition to genetically modified wheat is overwhelming,” said National Farmers Union president Stewart Wells.
Canadian Wheat Board senior project manager Patty Rosher said the market acceptance issue was definitely a key factor behind the decision.
“We see this as being a win for farmers and consumers. I think there was overwhelming evidence that this was not the right product at the right time.”
The U.S. National Association of Wheat Growers, which supports the development of biotech wheat, felt market acceptance was the crux of the matter.
“The reality of the situation is we could not commercialize biotech trade in wheat yet, so the right decision is to put it on the shelf for a while until we are ready,” said NAWG chief executive officer Daren Coppock.
Monsanto Canada spokesperson Trish Jordan denied the existence of a consumer revolt. She said North Americans and people in other regions already eat food containing biotech crops and there is no evidence they would have viewed GM wheat any differently.
She acknowledged that a lack of support from the farm community, vocalized by groups like the wheat board, played a role in the company’s decision to back away from GM wheat, but said pressure from groups like the NFU, Greenpeace and the Council of Canadians had no impact.
“We definitely do not plan our business strategies based on activist threats,” said Jordan.
Despite that assertion, it was a day of celebration for antibiotech campaigners like the Saskatchewan Organic Directorate, which has been seeking a court injunction to stop the introduction of GM wheat.
“They’ve taken a responsible attitude finally,” said SOD president Arnold Taylor.
He said he believes SOD’s attempt to launch a class action lawsuit against Monsanto had a “worldwide” influence on the GM crop debate.
“Our little band of organic farmers have had a major impact.”
Nadege Adam, spokesperson for the Council of Canadian, an anti-GM interest group, called it a victory for consumers everywhere.
“No matter how Monsanto frames this, it is very much a full retreat from a project that was doomed from the beginning,” she said.
Others consider the announcement a partial retreat, taking Monsanto at its word the product may be reintroduced later.
“This is not the end of biotech wheat,” said Coppock.
“It’s a chance for us to do our homework because the market is not ready for biotech wheat yet. The onus is on us to help it get there so we can capture some of these benefits that biotech can bring.”
Rosher also wants to capitalize on the delay in the commercialization.
“I think we do need to take advantage of this opportunity to get in place the right regulation decision-making process so that when Monsanto’s products come up again for evaluation, we’re not scrambling and we’re not having to rely on lobby and advocacy work.”
