Unapproved genetically modified wheat from Monsanto found in Oregon field

Washington Post ^ | May 30, 2013 | Steven Mufson

[Ron C.]

Japan, the largest market for U.S. wheat exports, suspended imports from the United States and canceled a major purchase of white wheat on Thursday after the recent discovery of unapproved genetically modified wheat in an 80-acre field in Oregon.

How the altered crop made its way to the Oregon field remains a mystery. The strain was developed by Monsanto to make wheat resistant to the company’s own industry-leading weed killer. Monsanto tested the type of altered seed in more than a dozen states, including Oregon, between 1994 and 2005, but it was never approved for commercial use.

Yet the Agriculture Department reported that recent tests identified the strain after an Oregon farmer trying to clear a field sprayed Monsanto’s herbicide, Roundup, and found that the wheat could not be killed.

The report rattled U.S. wheat markets. In addition to Japan’s action, the European Union, which imports more than 1 million tons of U.S. wheat a year, said that it was following developments “to ensure E.U. zero-tolerance policy is implemented.” It asked Monsanto to help detection efforts in Europe.

[going hot]

Not all toxins produce fever (persistent increase in basal temp) or inflammation (redness, swelling, fever, pain). Some toxins bind to the motor end plates and prevent transmission of neurotransmitters thus inducing flaccid paralysis. Others will bind to the presynaptic membranes and prevent release of inhibitory nt's thus causing generalized muscle contraction, with death by suffocation because the patient cannot move the diaphragm. No fever or inflammation involved.

[MarMema]

Ok thanks. Got names for those?

[going hot]

C. Tetani and C. Botulinum

[bgill]

The farmer was trying to clear his field. He couldn’t because the corn wouldn’t die. Bottom line, they’ve created an unkillable monster. Imagine having to go in and harvest the mutant corn before it goes to seed. Of course, you’ll miss some so that will grow next season and you’ve got to go back in there and maybe have to dig each up by hand. Wanna talk costs? Then consider that the wind or birds cross pollenate your neighbor’s field, then his neighbor’s field, and so on and so on. What happens when this gets out of control? Monsanto is creating monsters of every variety of fruit and vegetable that goes onto your children’s dinner plates. This is similar to having cattle growth hormones in your kids’ milk. Science has overstepped. Just because they have the knowledge to do this doesn’t mean they should.

Then there’s the problem with Monsanto suing and financially ruining those neighbors who had their crops cross pollenated by Mother Nature.

[Elsiejay]

GM corn hybrids currently are undergoing field testing as part of Wisconsin Corn Hybrid Performance Trials, led by UW-Extension Agronomist Joe Lauer. I do not know in what respect they are genetically modified. Results were published in Nature Biotechnology; major benefit seems to come not from increasing yields in average or good years, but from reducing losses during bad years. Some transgenes reduced yields. I do not believe any modifications were for the purpose of instilling resistance to a specific chemical pesticide. (I do not presently live in Wisconsin; but rcv periodic pubs. from College of Agric.)