Monsanto Inc. will not rush genetically modified wheat onto the market even if it wins regulatory approval from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, says company vice-president Kerry Preete.
He would not predict when the product will be on the market, even though agency approval on health and safety questions could come as early as 2004. International standards, guaranteed markets, a product segregation system in Canada and accepted stewardship guidelines are required before commercialization, he said.
“To be clear, the introduction of this technology will not be driven by a calendar but dictated by the achievement of our commitments,” he told MPs during a June 12 appearance before the House of Commons agriculture committee.
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The promise came after MPs heard evidence about significant industry unease over possible introduction of genetically modified wheat.
The National Farmers Union argued that GM wheat will jeopardize markets, add costs to farmers, undermine the organic wheat business and increase corporate control over the food industry.
The government should “prevent the introduction of GM wheat into Canadian food and fields unless the concerns of Canadian farmers, industry and consumers are adequately addressed,” NFU Saskatchewan chair Terry Boehm told MPs June 5.
Ivan Ottenbreit of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan said the introduction of GM wheat would be a disaster: “Once GM wheat is introduced into the Canadian production system, it’ll be very expensive and difficult if not impossible to actually declare any shipment GM-free.”
Preete, Monsanto vice-president for U.S. markets, promised that GM wheat would not be put on the market until it is safe and advantageous for farmers to do so.
He said opening new markets for GM wheat would not help farmers if they lost markets for non-GM wheat because of fear of cross-contamination.
“We exist to serve farmers.”
However, Preete refused to promise Bloc Québecois critic Bernard Bigras that Monsanto would pay damages if cross-contamination happened, non-GM fields were contaminated and farmers lost money. Issues of damages are settled by the courts, he said.
During committee hearings, federal government representatives said they have co-operated with Monsanto in a number of research projects and trials of GM varieties but refused to make public details of the contracts because of commercial confidentiality.
Bigras said that made Agriculture Canada and its agency CFIA the “judge and jury” of Monsanto’s products since they were aligned in their creation. He said there was a clear conflict of interest.
Phil Macdonald of the CFIA insisted it is a science-based regulator that is not compromised by Agriculture Canada’s relationship with Monsanto.
“It will be an independent review” of Monsanto’s GM wheat application, he said.
After the meeting, Greenpeace Canada sent a letter to agriculture minister Lyle Vanclief calling for an end to collaboration with Monsanto.
“Consumers don’t want GE (genetically engineered) wheat, farmers don’t want GE wheat, global markets don’t want GE wheat,” said Greenpeace biotech activist Eric Darier.
“It’s time for Vanclief to come clean, admit his government is in cahoots with Monsanto in the development of GE wheat and implement an immediate ban on this risky biotech crop.”
