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European Union may be forced to relax rules to avoid economic hardship
The European flax blockade may seem like the death knell for genetically modified wheat, but a GM wheat promoter says the opposite could be true.
That’s because the problems caused by zero-tolerance systems could start causing such damage to the European Union economy that it may be forced to reform its system, breaking the logjam that has blocked much agricultural trade.
“I think it will help, because I think it’s getting to the point where it’s bordering on the ridiculous,” Monsanto spokesperson Trish Jordan said in an interview after a speech to the Manitoba Farm Writers and Broadcasters Association.
As a result, she said, GM wheat developers might begin moving ahead soon with research.
Canadian shipments of flax to Europe have been shut down because of traces of an unapproved GM flax variety, disrupting Canadian farmers’ marketing plans and European linoleum makers’ manufacturing plans.
Because the GM flax variety is unapproved, there is zero tolerance in accepting it for import, even if it occurs only in trace amounts.
Jordan said that might not change, but biotechnology companies hope GM wheat innovations can eventually be approved in Europe and tolerance levels established that would allow imports without fear of sudden shutdown.
“In the zero tolerance world, it doesn’t work,” Jordan said in her speech. “It’s never going to work.”
Monsanto recently bought a U.S. wheat seed development company, but Jordan said other companies may develop GM wheat before it does, or the development may occur in another country.
“It would not surprise us at all if somebody else went first and got their first.”
She said Australian farmers have been plagued by drought and seem most keen to develop GM wheat varieties that would give them drought tolerance. As well, some U.S. farm groups are becoming more positive about GM wheat.
“I think they’re going to go no matter what,” Jordan said about GM wheat development in the United States.
That could leave Canadian farmers short of prairie friendly, regulator approved varieties when the GM wheat logjam finally breaks.
Jordan said biotechnology companies aren’t sure whether it’s worth developing GM wheat varieties in Canada.
“We’re just starting to look at the Canadian business. We’re trying to think, is there a role? Are there public companies that we can associate with or develop relationships with? Are there wheat seed companies that we can buy?”
For now, Monsanto will concentrate on developing conventional U.S. wheat germplasm that could be used to host GM traits.
