Monsanto,
the agricultural biotechnology company, genetically modified a variety
of hard red spring wheat to resist the company's Roundup herbicide.
The environment
and economy of the Northern Great Plains are threatened by the potential
introduction of this genetically modified (GM) wheat. Questions
about market acceptance, farmer liability, segregation, and risks
to the environment and human health remain unanswered. We are working
to prevent the commercial introduction of GM wheat until these questions
are answered.
In
May 2004, Monsanto announced that it was shelving research and development
on genetically modified (GM) wheat. The announcement followed five
years of opposition by wheat farmers, consumers, and food safety
activists to the commercial introduction of Roundup Ready wheat.
May
2006: Breadbasket of Democracy - Orion Online features an essay on genetic engineering and Dakota Resource Council by former DRC staff director Ted Nace (Orion Magazine, May-June, 2006)
May
2005: Prospects for introducing genetically modified (GM) wheat
in the U.S. haven't improved since Monsanto shelved its research
and development plans one year ago, according to Dr. Robert Wisner,
a leading grain market economist. Introduction of genetically modified
wheat in the U.S. still risks the loss of one-third to one-half
of U.S. hard red spring and durum wheat export markets and upt to
a one-third drop in price, according to the latest update of an
October 2003 report, Market Risks of Genetically Modified Wheat.
Farmers’ Guide to GMOs Learn
about the risks and legal liabilities of genetically
modified crops.
April
2005:
U.S. PIRG (Public Interest Research Group) 2005
"Raising Risk" report on the level of field testing of
Genetically Engineered (GE) crops. Click
here for the full report
January 2005: Monsanto vs. US Farmers(pdf 4 mb) A report documenting Monsanto's lawsuits against American farmers.
March
2003: The 2003 Montana Legislature overwhelmingly adopted
a resolution finding that "the introduction of genetically
engineered wheat and barley for commercial production must be carefully
timed so that it occurs only when there is acceptance of these crops
by Montana's major customers." Click
here for the full text of the resolution, SJ 8 by State Senator
Jon Tester.
March
2003: Farmers ask USDA to evaluate the impacts of genetically
modified wheat. Groups representing wheat farmers from across the
country are asking the federal Animal Plant Health Inspection Service
(APHIS) to take a hard economic look at genetically modified wheat
before the agency clears the way for its commercial introduction.
-read
petition -read
petition addendum
-read
executive summary of petition
-read
press release
WORC
goes to Farm Aid