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.

[little jeremiah]

This thread is very revealing. Thanks for your input.

[P-Marlowe]

Messing with wheat is what allowed mankind to form societal relationships.

Not in the way Monsanto has been going about it.

IMO that is playing God. In the end every time people play God, they do the devil's work.

[Cold Heat]

Interesting debate....but I need to go.....

later....

[P-Marlowe]

As you state, glyphosate is about as toxic as table salt.

Then spray some Round Up on your cereal and feed it to your kids.

[laplata]

Thanks for the good explanation, Cold Heat.

[firebrand]

Front-page lead story in the WSJ the other day: organisms have become resistant to the built-in pesticide in Monsanto crops, so now farmers are forced to use pesticide in addition to the Monsanto built-in one to protect their investment.

When we have the famines prophesied for the future, they will be caused by Monsanto, not alleviated by Monsanto. The chemical geniuses have it all backwards.

[Mr. Lucky]

Your heartfelt position is really short on objective analysis, you know.

[Black Agnes]

He was concerned about third world scratch farmers starving.

SRI will ensure they will NOT starve. And, might end up healthier than we are.

They might even become food sufficient or even an exporter. How cool would that be?

[Black Agnes]

Most people don’t eat 6 or 8 ounces of peanut butter every day. Most people DO eat 6 or 8 ounces (or even more) of meat every day.

And eggs. And cheese and dairy.

[P-Marlowe]

Your heartfelt position is really short on objective analysis, you know.

Scientists in the first half of the 20th century assured everyone that exposure to asbestos was harmless.

Let us not forget that the majority of "scientists" all believe that Carbon dioxide is causing catastrophic global warming.

I get the feeling that my nemesis on this thread is actually a genetic engineer and is on the payroll of Monsanto.

Yeah, we can count on him for an "objective opinion.

[Black Agnes]

Are you counting all the ‘donations’ to educational facilities and research programs in that quantity? Or just dollars spent in DC?

I’m familiar with a big AG university in this area that doesn’t do any research that doesn’t involve GMO seeds. That’s vastly different from 20 years ago. Reason? They’ve gotten humonguous grants from Monsanto in the last 20 years. Monsanto in effect owns that AG department.

[Black Agnes]

http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/7/3/315.full

Describes the process at just one tobacco company.

[Mr. Lucky]

You know, all cereal crops are raised with the application of herbicides. Perhaps you could explain for us how, say, tribenuron or metribuzin is so much more beneficial to your children's health than glyphosate.

The economic reason that glyphosate resistant wheat wasn't pushed all that hard was that efficacious broadleaf herbicides have been around for some time.

[editor-surveyor]

There has never been, and never will be, any testing of GMO crops.

TRy to get test results. Only testing done was verification of their claims of glyphosphate resistance.

[laplata]

When we have the famines prophesied for the future, they will be caused by Monsanto, not alleviated by Monsanto. The chemical geniuses have it all backwards.

---

Yep.

[editor-surveyor]

>> “We may starve for the days of having just one basket of heritage seeds to start over” <<

.
You can’t start over.

Its too late, the franken genes are already blowin’ in the wind, and there is no way to stop them now.

Monsanto’s liability protection is unconstitutional, but they can afford to buy the SCOTUS anyway.

[Mr. Lucky]

You should have tried Googling on “Assessment of the Health Impact of GM Plant Diets” before making such a grand pronouncement.

[editor-surveyor]

>> “wondering if microbes could carry these genes to other grasses” <<

.
There are hundreds of species of moth that are already doing that job very well.

[firebrand]

The Food Safety Act passed in 2010. The law hasn’t gotten to the small farmers yet, but it will. They are starting with raw milk, since the public is easily scared by that one. Then they will move on.

[editor-surveyor]

Messing with wheat is light years away from genetically splicing non-vegetable genes.

We have crossed the line that is going to starve the world to death.