|
|
 
|
Monsanto pulls applications for GM wheat
(Tuesday, June 22, 2004 -- CropChoice news) -- Toronto Star, 06/19/04: Monsanto Co. has formally withdrawn submissions for
its genetically modified wheat from all regulatory agencies
except the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a company
spokesperson said yesterday. The withdrawal is the last
step in Monsanto's announcement last month that it would
shelve plans to introduce the world's first GM wheat,
spokesperson Chris Horner said. "It's a natural part of the
process that we announced last month," Horner said. Monsanto had asked for government approvals for the GM
wheat in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, South
Africa and Columbia, Horner said. The company and
regulators in the countries "mutually agreed" that Monsanto
should withdraw its submissions, he said. Monsanto had
planned to commercialize the wheat for growth in Canada and
the United States, but ran into opposition from export
buyers who worried their consumers would reject it. Canadian and U.S. farm groups and exporters worried that
the modified wheat could not be kept separate from their
traditional crops, putting other grains at risk of
rejection from buyers. Environmental groups around the
world also demonstrated against the wheat because of safety
fears. Monsanto has said it would wait to resume work on
the wheat, designed to resist applications of its Roundup
weed killer, until other types of GM wheat are
commercialized. In the U.S., Monsanto withdrew submissions
to the U.S. department of agriculture and the Environmental
Protection Agency, but will proceed with an application at
the Food and Drug Administration. Approval there would
establish that the wheat is safe for human and livestock
consumption. "It would be one less regulatory approval to
obtain, if and when that day ever comes," Horner said. Approval from the FDA alone would not be enough to allow
Monsanto to commercialize the wheat, he said. Monsanto
withdrew all its feed, food and environmental applications
in Canada, where the Canadian Wheat Board had threatened to
sue the company if it received approvals. "Monsanto has
made the right decision," said Louise Waldman, a
spokesperson for the wheat board. The board continues to
lobby Ottawa to change its regulatory process to consider
the market effect of modified wheat before any decision,
she said. WORC news release: Monsanto pulls applications for GM wheat (Sunday, June 20, 2004 -- CropChoice news) -- From a news release: BILLINGS, MONT. – Monsanto’s withdrawal of applications for approval of genetically modified wheat gives state lawmakers an opportunity to develop policies on new genetically modified crops before they hit crisis stage, the Western Organization of Resource Councils (WORC) said today. Monsanto has withdrawn all submissions it had made for regulatory approval of Roundup Ready wheat, except to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the company said today. Last month, Monsanto announced it was deferring research and development of genetically modified wheat indefinitely. “We applaud Monsanto for this responsible decision,” said Wayne Fisher, a wheat grower from Dickinson, N.D., and WORC spokesperson. “Monsanto has honored our wishes as well as those of grain buyers and foreign consumers. Failure to do so would have meant a disaster for wheat farmers. This gives our state legislatures the space they need to craft laws to deal with new genetically modified crops before they hit crisis stage.” A WORC report on the market risk of genetically modified wheat indicated that European and Asian grain buyers would refuse to buy any spring or durum wheat from states or regions growing genetically modified wheat. As a result, the price of spring wheat would decline by at least one-third if genetically modified wheat was introduced commercially within the next two to six years, according to the report released in October. Fisher said WORC will continue to monitor Monsanto and other biotech companies developing
genetically modified wheat. -30- WORC is a network of grassroots organizations from seven states that include 8,750 members and 49 local community groups. WORC represents farmers and ranchers in Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota, Colorado, Idaho, and Oregon. WORC’s report on market risk is available at http://www.worc.org . | |
