Posted on 05/30/2013 8:00:45 PM PDT by 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
>>Anyhow it seems the irony of ironies that JAPAN, the home of Monsanto, would quit buying wheat from the US if it is Roundup proof!
In what alternate universe?
“Monsanto Company is a publicly traded American multinational agricultural biotechnology corporation headquartered in Creve Coeur, Missouri.”
Perhaps you were thinking of Mothra, whose home is in Japan?
But I doubt Monsanto had anything to do with this.
If this seed was developed by Monsanto, then they are the only ones who could be responsible. If this affects US wheat exports, Monsanto should reimburse the farmers.
Genetically modifying wheat and every other crop for centuries using in-the-field methods and people who know nothing about agriculture say nothing, but do genetic modification on the lab bench and the ignorant follow the lawyers screaming we need more laws so we can sue. Just one more lawyer scam to collect money from the innovators. I think roundup was developed on the lab. Bench too. Please note these same ignorant people still eat like pigs.
The entire affair is designed to let lawyers extract profits from Monsanto.
You most a lot about agriculture. Wow
It simply getting heat from lawyers leading the ignorant in their quest to jack Monsanto for the lawyer retirement program.
No farmer is forced to buy seed from Monsanto. I would expect a comment like this on the Daily Kos.
I agree! Last weekend there was a protest against GM food in Wilmington, NC. A whole 150 people showed up. Since I live in Jacksonville which is only about 50 miles away, our local paper covered this event both before and after. I have a Masters in Biology (in fact, I have been teaching it for over 25 years at our local community college), so I know more than the average person about the subject, but the quote from one attendee made it sound as if the food was modifying the DNA of those who consumed it. I don't really know if the company makes the hybrids sterile intentionally, but hybrid sterility is very common in nature because two different species often cannot produce viable offspring. When they do, the offspring may be incapable of reproducing. For example, mules, which are the product of a male donkey and a female horse, are themselves sterile.
You are not missing anything. The lawyers lining their pockets with mo santos profits are simply leading the ignorant in the charge against private enterprise. These ventures give the left wing nuts big money. It’s global warming with another name to make money for the left.
Red, your sarcasm is lost on the left wing. They don’t get it.
The patent expired a decade ago and there are now a dozen brands of glyphosate.
What do you know about production agriculture?
Another ridiculous dose of BS.
A voice of reason in a sea of insanity. What has happened to too many freepers?
The short answer is, Ignorance. I expect this from the left and Obama supporters but am shocked to see it here.
Monsanto is based in St Louis, Mo. Is Japan a major share holder?
One more voice of reason.
Hybrids are a result of cross breeding, much like a donkey breed with a horse results in a mule which can not reproduce.
GMOs are in an entirely different category. Genes deemed beneficial are implanted into the DNA of a some seed. For example the gene that triggers production of say nicotine is introduced into say corn as a natural insecticide. Sounds good, but whoever eats the corn is also eating nicotine. Since nobody knows exactly what genes are being introduced into the DNA of our foods I used nicotine as an fictional example to illustrate the process.
What we do know is mass die offs are occurring, bees, birds, etc. And there seems to be good evidence that GMOs are at least part of the reason.
I think a bit of caution might be justified here. Certainly I have a right to know what I am eating and GMO foods should be labeled as such.
Since folks with greater knowledge than I have are posting I would be interested in hearing if my fictional example is a good one.
If you feel GMO’s are safe, eat up! Feed it to your kids and grandkids too. Mangia mangia!
Let ‘em smoke a pack or two a day too. Government and industry told us for 50 years anybody questioning the safety of cigarettes was probably in bed with the reds.
The danger of Monsanto and Syngenta is a monopoly by law. They have bought enough lawmakers and universities to be almost there.
The western part of the Midwest US is in a severe drought. The grain harvest for the 2nd year running is horrible. Now, wheat is a global commodity, but the Midwest is the largest part of the grain production in the nation.
The weather patterns we are witnessing is not man made, it is largely a consequence of the activity on the Sun. The last time we had a similar condition to this was in 1895. No one living has seen this pattern before.
But as the western part of the Midwest is experiencing a drought, other parts of the US are having flooding and terrible storm activity. All taken together is is very disruptive of agriculture production.
Locally less than 10% of the wheat planted will be harvested. Drought and 2 very late freezes have caused it locally. There will be no stone fruit production because of the late freezes. One came after May 1st, my father is 87 and has never seen that happen here.
That coupled with high cost of production, fuel, chemical, seed (due to monopoly driven) and equipment cost have devistated growers. And the lack of winter forage have caused the ranchers to sell off herd stock in order to survive. Texas is the largest cattle producing state in the US and our herd levels are at record lows. It will be years before that recovers.
We realigned seed sources 2 years ago because of the minefield related to seed licensing. Fortunately we found a university that has a great breeding program and is fully aware of the monopolists who plot to control all seed production. We could not be happier with them. Same seed law, yes we pay royalties, but they are honest and not predatory.
I pray for rain and a big wind to blow the smoke and lights out of DC.
My wife and I will be in Wilmington (have family there) and at Myrtle Beach with our grandson (from N. VA) in less than 3 weeks. It is all my wife talks about now.
Must go to work and get the old Gleaner in the field to harvest our seed. Have a good morning.
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