Farmers opposed to Monsanto’s Roundup Ready wheat can voice that opposition by not buying Roundup, says the National Farmers Union.
NFU president Stewart Wells said if farmers buy some other brand of glyphosate this year, it will send a powerful message to the company.
“If farmers affect Monsanto’s bottom line and shareholder profits, farmers can reverse Monsanto’s decision to force genetically modified wheat on to the market,” he told a Saskatoon news conference.
In an interview later, he said farmers who participate in the boycott should tell their chemical dealers why they’re not buying Roundup.
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“If they tell the retailer, the message will definitely get back to Monsanto,” he said.
The NFU said six other companies make glyphosate products that are registered for use in Canada, including some that are registered for in-crop use on Roundup Ready canola, so it wouldn’t be difficult to make the switch. Some of the alternative brands are cheaper than Roundup.
Monsanto is seeking regulatory approval for Roundup Ready wheat, although the company says it won’t commercialize the product until all safety, agronomics and customer acceptance issues have been resolved.
However, Wells said farmers can’t trust industry and government to regulate the introduction of GM wheat and must take direct action.
“If we want to keep GM wheat out of our fields, if we want to protect our foreign markets, we need to take matters into our own hands,” he said.
A spokesperson for Monsanto said there is no need for farmers to boycott Roundup.
Trish Jordan said the company is aware of the concerns of farmers and industry and has no intention of launching Roundup Ready wheat commercially until those concerns have been dealt with.
“We’re being very cautious and responsible and doing research and getting lots of feedback on this,” she said.
The NFU said a “vast majority” of farmers do not want to the company to introduce GM wheat, a contention Wells said is based on the NFU’s contact with farmers.
Jordan disagreed.
“Based on discussions and feedback from farmers we’ve had, I would say that is not true.”
Monsanto’s feedback indicates that farmers fall into three groups: some are firmly opposed to GM wheat; some are “very interested” in growing it; and some are undecided and urge caution.
