Monsanto and the Canadian Wheat Board remain on a collision course with the biotech and chemical company showing no signs of accepting the wheat board’s call that it pull Roundup Ready wheat from its development lineup.
A Monsanto spokesperson said the wheat’s development is necessary to prove that the genetically modified wheat is safe.
“Without a regulatory review of this product we can’t have any really meaningful and constructive discussion to any great depth,” said Trish Jordan of Monsanto.
“If people don’t know it’s safe they won’t be interested in speaking to you about the product.
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“Having that review completed, assuming it is successful … is absolutely a critical first step to addressing any of the other issues associated with consumer and customer acceptance of GM wheat.”
Wheat board officials say Roundup Ready wheat, which is resistant to Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide, could torpedo export sales because some international buyers fear it will spread to neighbouring fields and contaminate traditional wheat crops. Some buyers oppose even traces of GM material in their shipments.
“We want them to voluntarily withdraw their application from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Health Canada,” said wheat board chair Ken Ritter.
Before a crop variety can be offered to farmers, it requires approval from the CFIA, proving it is safe for animals to eat and will not harm the environment.
It also has to receive approval from Health Canada, which ensures that the crop will not be dangerous to human health.
Once it has food, feed and environmental approval, it may be put forward to the Prairie Registration Recommending Committee for Grain, which gives the formal approval for commercial release if it meets technical demands.
Ritter said prairie farmers do not want to see GM wheat reach the committee stage, because the recommending group may have its hands tied if GM wheat receives food, feed and environmental approval.
“That PRRCG stamp pretty well flows from those assessments,” said Ritter.
Jordan said Monsanto will inform the wheat board by June 27 whether it will voluntarily withdraw its GM wheat from the process.
