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Monsanto sticks to GM wheat plans despite CWB protest

28 May 2003

Source: just-food.com

The Canadian Wheat Board has called on Monsanto to withdraw its application to test genetically modified wheat in Canada over fears that the country may lose its main wheat markets. Canadian and US regulators are both reviewing a Monsanto GM wheat variety for safety issues relating to food, feed and the environment.

A spokeswoman for the Canadian Wheat Board warned that Canadian farmers could lose hundreds of millions of dollars in sales if Monsanto’s Canadian unit goes ahead with further tests of its “Roundup Ready” wheat. Monsanto spokesman Michael Doane said the company would be communicating in private with the wheat board, but said Monsanto intends to continue with its application for regulatory approval. "The wheat board is an important constituent and their request is something we'll take seriously," Doane was quoted by Reuters as saying. "We have tremendous support throughout the wheat value chain for getting regulatory approval. People want to know it is safe. We're going to stay on course and continue to look for those regulatory approvals."

Monsanto officials stressed that regulatory approval was different from commercialisation and said the company would meet necessary criteria before releasing the biotech wheat into the marketplace.