Biotech crops widely used, consumers still wary of GM wheat

Biotech crops widely used, consumers still wary of GM wheat

A crop used widely for human food is more sensitive than earlier introductions

Nearly all corn, canola and soybean acres in the world’s largest exporting countries are seeded with genetically modified varieties, but that is not the case for wheat, a crop grown primarily for human food. Biotech varieties of corn, canola and soy, used for animal feed, biofuels and cooking oil, were introduced in 1996 and soon

File photo of a wheat crop in Argentina. (Gracieross/iStock/Getty Images)

Argentina approves drought-tolerant GM wheat

Variety would need Brazil approval before going commercial

MarketsFarm — Argentina has become the first country in the world to approve cultivation and consumption of a genetically modified wheat variety, the country’s National Commission for Science and Technology (CONICET) announced Thursday. “This is the first approval in the world for drought-tolerant genetic transformation in wheat,” CONICET said in a statement. Argentina is the



Academics say GM wheat possible subversion

Academics say GM wheat possible subversion

No one has offered an explanation for wheat to appear after 17 years, and far from its original plot

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency needs to keep investigating the still-unknown variety of genetically modified wheat found in Alberta last year, says the Canadian co-author of an article that speculates on who could have planted it. Rob Wager of Vancouver Island University, who specializes in biochemistry and molecular biology, is the co-author of ‘The Mystery


Farmer Walking Through Field Checking Wheat Crop

Wheat industry moving forward

I was very disappointed this paper chose to publish the opinion piece from Stewart Wells on GM Wheat Policy (Cereals Canada’s irresponsible GM wheat policy) but actually an attack on industry groups. I am proud of what I call Team Canada — namely Cereals Canada and what it has done for the Canadian wheat industry.

Wheat being loaded onto a cargo ship in Vancouver in 2011. (File photo: Reuters/Ben Nelms)

Japan resumes Canadian wheat purchases

Tokyo | Reuters — Japan’s agriculture ministry said Friday it had resumed purchases of Canadian wheat after testing showed no imports that reached the country included grain containing a genetically modified trait discovered in Alberta last summer. Japan’s agriculture ministry said it was seeking to buy 62,957 tonnes of food-quality Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS,


CFIA certain Canadian wheat is GM free

It’s based on extensive testing of saved export and harvest samples collected by the Canadian Grain Commission

The Canadian Food Inspect­ion Agency (CFIA) is confident, based on extensive testing, none of the GM wheat it discovered in southern Alberta last summer has entered Canada’s commercial grain-handling or seed system. Canada’s wheat registration system played a role in reaching that conclusion. As of late June, CFIA didn’t know the name of that GM

When Monsanto shelved its commercial GM wheat trials in 2004, many people thought the experiment was over, but other companies carried out their own tests in later years.

GM wheat field tests continue in Canada

Monsanto shelved Roundup Ready wheat in 2004, but other companies continue open-air experiments with GM wheat

There might not be any commercial GM wheat in production in Canada — but most years there are at least some field trials. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), which is charged with regulating confined Plant Novel Trait field trials, has confirmed this fact. ‘Confined’ PNT field trials must be approved by CFIA and come