Market acceptance is GM wheat key - WP editorial

A THREE-country unified front of farm groups that favour genetically modified wheat research will hopefully succeed in getting GM wheat more laboratory time.

Any new products are likely about 10 years away from farmers’ fields so starting projects now is vital. Otherwise, wheat will fall further behind corn, soybeans and canola in development of agronomic benefits for farmers and acreage will drop.

Also vital, however, is that any new GM wheats arising from research have market acceptance before they are made commercially available.

Farm groups from Canada, the United States and Australia recently issued strong support for GM wheat research, which major crop developers have been reluctant to undertake because major buyers have said they don’t want it.

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In Canada, Grain Growers of Canada, the Alberta Winter Wheat Producers Commission and the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association have voiced their support. Major wheat growers’ groups from the U.S. and Australia are also on board, as is the North American Millers Association.

The coalition is asking the three countries involved to work together to bring about the introduction of GM wheat.

For now, that means getting started on variety development.

But before GM wheat is released commercially, consumers and processors must be convinced of its benefits. That’s why it is important these conditions are met:

Consumers and organic producers regularly express concerns about GM crops contaminating organic fields. Although chaste wheat lacks the pollen spreading attributes of promiscuous canola, proper buffer zones and storage are essential.
Farmer acceptance is critical. Wheat possessing drought and disease resistance and higher yields is essential. Wheat with “stacked” traits, with more than one benefit, is the likely outcome.
New biotech products must be affordable. Biotech seed can be costly, but if it offers drought tolerance, disease resistance or higher yields, it can serve as a risk management tool for farmers.
Farmers’ right to save their own seed must be preserved. Wheat available now and that developed in the public domain must be protected for public use. This would also address a complaint from consumers seeking to protect smaller farms.

It is conceivable that GM wheat could help ease worldwide food shortages of the kind seen last year. As more crops are going to feed a hungry biofuel industry, wheat could help address food shortfalls.

The way forward for biotech companies is to ensure they develop products that show considerable benefits to all.

As well, the GM wheat coalition must develop a multi-pronged approach that publicizes the benefits before GM wheats reach the field-testing stage.

A broader coalition that includes farm groups and buyers from developing nations and Europe, as well as those from North American and Australia, would give their case more clout.

The time is right to give GM wheat a boost, given the years of lag time between the lab and the field. But those pressing to move forward must also press for the right products, the proper safeguards and widespread market acceptance.

Bruce Dyck, Terry Fries, Barb Glen, D’Arce McMillan and Ken Zacharias collaborate in the writing of Western Producer editorials.