Support NeoGAF

[XiaNaphryz]

BusinessWeek: Genetically Modified Wheat Isn't Supposed to Exist. So What Is It Doing in Oregon?

Wheat farmers, advocates of food safety, and pretty much anyone who eats bread or noodles have turned their attention to Oregon, where a wheat farmer found a genetically engineered strain of wheat in his otherwise unmodified crop. He couldn’t kill it in any of the normal ways, so he sent it to the lab for testing, which sounds like the set-up for a farm-belt horror movie. The reality has caused alarm of a different sort: Genetically modified wheat hasn’t been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and unlike corn and soy and other so-called GMO foods, there isn’t supposed to be any genetically modified wheat in the U.S. food supply at all.

There are two reasons to care. Food safety folks lobby hard for labeling of genetically modified foods, saying that the jury is out on the long-term health and environmental effects and consumers deserve to know what they’re buying. The companies that make the seeds say they’re perfectly safe. And for wheat farmers and exporters, this potentially cripples the export market: Many foreign buyers don’t want genetically modified wheat and can switch their buying to Russia, Ukraine, Australia, and other large exporters. Japan reacted quickly, canceling an order today for nearly 25,000 tons of wheat, Bloomberg News reported, and wheat futures dropped on the Chicago Board of Trade.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), which is responsible for keeping unapproved GMOs out of the food supply, has begun testing the wheat. In a full-court PR press, the agency has also released a Q&A (PDF) and video to address the issue. Here are a few points to consider:

* It’s probably too late to do much about this.

The U.S. has some 1,000 field trials for new gene-altered crops each year, most in multiple sites. The protocols for containing those genes are lax, argue such critics as the Center for Food Safety, which wants a moratorium on field testing of gene-altered crops. ”I would not be at all surprised if there are a number of experimental genes that have contaminated and are happily being passed along at low levels in the food supplies of various crops already, but nobody’s testing,” says Doug Gurian-Sherman, a senior scientist with the Union of Concerned Scientists in Washington. “It’s really a ‘don’t look, don’t tell’ situation. We just really don’t know.”

* After all, this isn’t the first time.

In 2000, a strain of corn called StarLink, engineered by Aventis to kill caterpillars, was found in taco shells. In 2006, Bayer’s LibertyLink experimental rice made its way into the food supply, leading to lost exports. In 2012, the German company agreed to pay $750 million to settle claims from 11,000 U.S. farmers in five states. Restoring genetic purity to a crop is a very expensive process and takes time.

* Is there a public safety issue?

That’s a matter of debate. Regulators were quick to jump on the Oregon discovery with a battery of tests and extensive investigations that are under way now. Monsanto designed the Roundup Ready wheat to withstand its Roundup herbicide used to keep fields free of pests, and the gene isn’t considered harmful. “The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed the food and feed safety of Roundup Ready wheat more than a decade ago,” Monsanto said in a May 29 statement.

Critics of gene-altered food argue that the periodic crop discoveries highlight a regulatory system that is woefully inadequate to monitor the expansion of modified crops and to detect any dangerous genes that could materialize. “The question is why APHIS does not tighten its procedures for field trials. It’s incredibly lax, whatever APHIS may try to say,” says Bill Freese, a science policy analyst with the Center for Food Safety.

 

[BronzeWolf]

That article is full of FUD

 

[NobleGundam]

Bread is good

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

That article is full of FUD

Noice.

 

[Phoenix]

 

[CornBurrito]

That article is full of FUD

What does FUD mean?

 

[SquiddyCracker]

My eyes are rolling so much from the talk about the potential damage the "genes" can cause

 

[Kane Zakharov]

What does FUD mean?

Here you go:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear,_uncertainty_and_doubt

 

[commedieu]

oh u silly fda.

 

[CornBurrito]

Here you go:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear,_uncertainty_and_doubt

Thank you.

 

[ClassyPenguin]

My eyes are rolling so much from the talk about the potential damage the "genes" can cause

You know what can cause gene damage? The sun and you know, being alive.

 

[eucharis]

This is too perfect, thank you.

 

[Mrs. Manky]

I'm more concerned about Monsanto or some other company trying to sue farmers for growing their patented crops when the farmers clearly didn't buy or "steal" the seed. Obviously some migratory bird grabbed some wheat seed in its flight and dropped it off in Oregon.

Life finds a way.

 

[CornBurrito]

I'm more concerned about Monsanto or some other company trying to sue farmers for growing their patented crops when the farmers clearly didn't buy or "steal" the seed.

Did this ever actually happen? I thought that story was proven false.

 

[eucharis]

Did this ever actually happen? I thought that story was proven false.

How can it not happen? How is it impossible? A bunch of blue jays plant tress in my grandparents backyard I'm pretty sure the same thing can happen to GMO seeds.
http://www.worldwatch.org/node/525 Just like any site it can be biased but I'm pretty sure it's actually happening.

 

[The Faceless Master]

Food patents are the new low bar... Seriously, who thought that was a good idea?

 

[sangreal]

How can it not happen? How is it impossible? A bunch of blue jays plant tress in my grandparents backyard I'm pretty sure the same thing can happen to GMO seeds.
http://www.worldwatch.org/node/525 Just like any site it can be biased but I'm pretty sure it's actually happening.

They've sued a lot of people, but usually it turns out that the farmer intentionally planted or cross-pollinated with the GMO seeds through various means. That article seems to be about the diversity issues related to GMO seeds, not the legal issues

 

[showx]

Genetically modified food and you people assume it's perfectly safe? No testing needed, lets just put it on the market right away.

 

[ClassyPenguin]

Genetically modified food and you people assume it's perfectly safe? No testing needed, lets just put it on the market right away.

Uh, they do testing and GMO's have been approved by the FDA.
The EU gave into anti-GMO political pressure.

 

[Phobophile]

Food patents are the new low bar... Seriously, who thought that was a good idea?

Capitalists.

 

[Irobot82]

Uh, they do testing and GMO's have been approved by the FDA.
The EU gave into anti-GMO political pressure.

Michael R. Taylor...this guy? Who worked for Monsanto is supposed to have public interest at heart and not his former employer?

Capitalists.

Corporatists would be more accurate.

 

[Amibguous Cad]

Food patents are the new low bar... Seriously, who thought that was a good idea?

Do you know why we give patents in the first place?

 

[eucharis]

Michael R. Taylor...this guy? Who worked for Monsanto is supposed to have public interest at heart and not his former employer?

Apparently. And who are we to question the EPA and FDA?! *rolls eyes

 

[BertramCooper]

I would voice my opinion on the matter but apparently I'm now a "Monsanto fanboy," whatever that means.

 

[Irobot82]

Apparently. And who are we to question the EPA and FDA?! *rolls eyes

Clearly big-agra revolving in and out of the heads of the departments that regulate them only mean we get much safer products. I have full faith in my government.

 

[Evolved1]

Genetically modified... as is pretty much all modern agriculture.

 

[NekoFever]

Genetically modified food and you people assume it's perfectly safe? No testing needed, lets just put it on the market right away.

We've been genetically modifying food since the beginning of agriculture. It's just now we can selectively modify genes rather than all of them at once and hoping for the best.

 

[Wilsongt]

Some people really lack a basic understanding of genetics, and the human body.

"Oh no! Our food contains a product that makes plants resistant to weed killer! Now humans will be resistant to weed killer!"

 

[Trokil]

Some people really lack a basic understanding of genetics, and the human body.

"Oh no! Our food contains a product that makes plants resistant to weed killer! Now humans will be resistant to weed killer!"

No it works like, plant is resistant to pesticides, but so are the pests, so let's throw more pesticides at them until the pesticides can be traced in the urine of 90% of the population within the US and the EU.

 

[Price Dalton]

Some people really lack a basic understanding of genetics, and the human body.

"Oh no! Our food contains a product that makes plants resistant to weed killer! Now humans will be resistant to weed killer!"

I think it's closer to "Oh no! Our food contains a product that makes plants resistant to weed killer! Now humans will be eating food that's been doused in weed killer!"

 

[Amibguous Cad]

No it works like, plant is resistant to pesticides, but so are the pests, so let's throw more pesticides at them until the pesticides can be traced in the urine of 90% of the population within the US and the EU.

It seems to me that your problem is with pesticides, not GM food.

 

[Phobophile]

I would voice my opinion on the matter but apparently I'm now a "Monsanto fanboy," whatever that means.

People need to just realize that we're doing in decades (or less) what it took cavemen many generations.

I'm just not thrilled with the ownership aspect of something that already exists in nature.

 

[Trokil]

It seems to me that your problem is with pesticides, not GM food.

No, because the non GM crop would have already died as well with all the pesticides throw at it.

 

[Wilsongt]

It seems to me that your problem is with pesticides, not GM food.

Sounds like it. Pesticides are nasty things. Look up Atrazine, for example.

Modifying a plant to be resistant to a pest, such as a weevil or a beetle, is not bad.

 

[Snkfanatic]

You know what can cause gene damage? The sun and you know, being alive.

Hahah I love that gif

 

[CornBurrito]

How can it not happen? How is it impossible? A bunch of blue jays plant tress in my grandparents backyard I'm pretty sure the same thing can happen to GMO seeds.
http://www.worldwatch.org/node/525 Just like any site it can be biased but I'm pretty sure it's actually happening.

I didn't mean that it was physically impossible. I know about pollination.

I'm saying have they ever actually sued someone for having seeds accidentally germinate on their farm. I'm pretty sure the most well known case was found to be a fraud, and the farmer intentionally planted the seeds.

No, because the non GM crop would have already died as well with all the pesticides throw at it.

It is true that some GM crops are made in conjunction with pesticides that would kill crops without that specific genetic modification. I want you to know that not all GM crops are the same. Not all crops are genetically modified to be pesticide resistant.

Genetically modified food and you people assume it's perfectly safe? No testing needed, lets just put it on the market right away.

I'm curious. Lets say we insert a gene into a strain of rice that makes it produce vitamin D, since people in village X are lacking in vitamin D. Is there any reason to believe that the rice would now cause cancer, or other health problems when the only difference is a production of vitamin D? Gene splicing isn't a magical force. We can know exactly what we are splicing in.

The real problem are the chemical pesticides that are used, as some GM crops are made to be resistant to newly developed pesticides which could be potentially harmful.

 

[Duane Cunningham]

What does FUD mean?

Kinda like "food", but just a little... different.

 

[chaostrophy]

We've been genetically modifying food since the beginning of agriculture.

Correct. And for the vast majority of the history of agriculture, a patent system that covered strains of crops did not exist. The lack of that legal framework did not keep farmers from innovating to improve yields and quality. So what is the justification for it now, then?

 

[Slavik81]

My eyes are rolling so much from the talk about the potential damage the "genes" can cause

What part was that? I don't see anywhere in the article where the claim is made that the genes were harmful.

 

[Haly]

I'm confused as to how he found a "genetically engineered strain of wheat" in his harvest.

Does he do random genetic tests on them to make sure they're all uniform?

Is it some obvious physical difference?

 

[Wilsongt]

I work with genetically modified plants on a daily basis, and have made several lines over the past few years. So far, my plants haven't killed me, but they have made me angry quite a few times.

I'm confused as to how he found a "genetically engineered strain of wheat" in his harvest.

Does he do random genetic tests on them to make sure they're all uniform?

Is it some obvious physical difference?

My guess is that he did a routine spray with pesticide and that particular plant survived.

 

[Necromanti]

If only the so-called "concerned" critics spent half as much of an effort in trying to get companies to label all of the other damn ingredients/preservatives/etc. in our processed foods. But no, only GMOs need to be placed under such extreme scrutiny. For safety reasons, of course. That's the power of lobbying, I guess.

 

[Haly]

My guess is that he did a routine spray with pesticide and that particular plant survived.

Why would he knowingly spray his crops with pesticides that will kill them???

 

[Wilsongt]

Why would he knowingly spray his crops with pesticides that will kill them???

No idea. Normally that's one way to tell if a plant is genetically modified unless you somehow are able to subject it to some sort of stress it is resistant to.

*googles*

Yep. He sprayed RoundUp and found it was resistant.

Mr. Firko said the rice situation was different because the grain was found in commercial supplies. In the case of the wheat, the genetically modified plants were growing where they were not wanted, like a weed.

When the farmer tried to kill them with glyphosate, “a small percentage of them didn’t die,” Mr. Firko said. The farmer had them tested at Oregon State University, which found the Roundup-resistant gene in them. That finding has since been confirmed by the Agriculture Department.

Article from the NYTs.

 

[Haly]

Ah I see.

 

[MrHicks]

companies should never "own" tomatoes,potatoes, whatever the fuck
this is insanity

monsanto is pure evil

 

[CornBurrito]

companies should never "own" tomatoes,potatoes, whatever the fuck
this is insanity

monsanto is pure evil

Naturally occurring variants of those plants I agree, though if I do research into a crop and find that altering a base pair or two would provide some massively beneficial trait why shouldn't I be able to own that?

I don't see it as anymore ridiculous than being able to own land.

 

[Amalthea]

I don't get why some people in this board are like "GM crops are the future, give the corporations free rein and stop worrying, dumbasses."

I too think GMO are here to stay but we still should control and test this stuff. And somehow crack down the whole patenting genes scheme.

 

[opticalmace]

I don't get why some people in this board are like "GM crops are the future, give the corporations free rein and stop worrying, dumbasses."

I too think GMO are here to stay but we still should control and test this stuff. And somehow crack down the whole patenting genes scheme.

I don't see anyone saying that..?

 

[op_ivy]

Is there any reason to believe that the rice would now cause cancer, or other health problems when the only difference is a production of vitamin D? Gene splicing isn't a magical force. We can know exactly what we are splicing in.

genes arent that simple. its not like the gene that, in your example, produces vitamin D only does that.