Issue 32
November/
December 2000

Prairie Grains is the official publication of the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers, North Dakota Grain Growers Association, South Dakota Wheat, Inc. and the Minnesota Barley Growers Assocation.

Copyright Prairie
Grains Magazine
 November/
December 2000

U.S. Wheat Industry Calls for IP System Prior to Commercializationof Genetically Modified Wheat

Declaring that the customer comes first, U.S. Wheat Associates has announced a major effort to develop a system to ensure that wheat importers around the world will always be able to get non-genetically modified U.S. wheat, if that is what the buyer wants.

At their annual summer meeting, the USW Board of Directors formally adopted a biotechnology policy that states "the U.S. wheat industry commits itself absolutely to the principle that our customers' needs and preferences are the most important consideration." The policy position was developed in cooperation with the Wheat Export Trade Education Committee and the National Association of Wheat Growers.

Although genetically modified wheat isn't expected to be commercialized before 2003 and available for farmer production for a year or two after that, the USW Board of Directors recognized that, even now, there are some overseas customers who have already informed the U.S. wheat industry that they only want to purchase traditional wheat.

"About 85% of Idaho's wheat goes to overseas markets," says Heidi Linehan, a wheat grower and USW board member from Idaho, "and it is absolutely essential to listen to our overseas customers and heed what they say."

"We are very sensitive to the concerns of these customers," explains Darrell Hanavan, chairman of USW's biotechnology committee and Executive Director of the Colorado wheat producers organizations. "We intend to work with all segments of the industry—the technology providers, producer representatives, country elevators, and exporters—to develop a viable identity preservation system that will ensure that our customers continue to get the specific wheat traits they want."

Hanavan says that biotech companies were keenly aware of concerns for the export market in countries where there is consumer resistance to genetically modified food. To address those concerns, the USW board strongly urged biotech companies to "ensure customer acceptance prior to commercialization" of wheat developed using gene technology.

USW also committed itself to assuring that a testing and certification program is instituted before genetically modified wheat is commercialized. "We have an obligation to our customers and to wheat producers to establish these programs," Hanavan says.

To better ascertain what further advances in biotechnology can do to develop wheat traits that are needed by customers, the USW Board position indicates that the wheat industry wants to explore some possible venues for technical sessions with interested overseas customers.
"We have some customers overseas who have told us that they see that biotechnology provides advantages for growers," says Mark Samson, vice president in USW's Asian region. "But they are asking what biotechnology is going to do to benefit the millers and consumers of U.S. wheat. We need those answers."

The Board also adopted a definition of "biotechnology-derived products" that they will use to encourage international harmonization of definitions, standards and trade rules.

U.S. Wheat Associates is the U.S. wheat industry's export market development organization working in over 100 countries, and supported by wheat growers in 19 states. Nearly half of the wheat grown in the U.S. is destined for the export market.

U.S. Wheat Industry Biotechnology Position Statement*
Biotechnological research holds great promise for the future, and the U.S. wheat industry recognizes these advancements. In preparation for the future commercialization of biotech-nologically-derived wheat, we take the following positions:

1. The U.S. wheat industry commits itself absolutely to the principle that our customers' needs and preferences are the most important consideration. We support the ability of our wheat customers to make purchases on the basis of specific traits.

2. We will work with all segments of the industry to develop and assure that a viable identity preservation system and testing program is instituted prior to commercialization of products of biotechnology. We strongly urge technology providers to obtain international regulatory approval and to ensure customer acceptance prior to commercialization.

3. We urge the adoption of a nationally and internationally accepted definition of biotechnologically-derived products. We also urge international harmonization of scientific standards and trade rules.

4. We invite valued and interested customers to join with us in a working partnership to explore the emerging biotechnology industry.

*Adopted by: USW Board of Directors on 6/27/00; NAWG Executive Committee on 6/23/00; WETEC Board of Directors on 6/25/00.

The U.S. Wheat Industry's Biotechnology Position Statement, along with a biotechnology definition, goal and plan of action adopted by USW, WETEC, and NAWG, can be found online at www.wheatworld.org.  Click on the biotechnology link.