First of all, we don’t need to increase wheat production. There is already more than enough food to feed the planet. We have an access problem, not a supply problem. Not only that, but I see no need for GE wheat as wheat is already very healthy and in plentiful supply.

Second, I have no doubt that this group lobbies for its backers. My point is that their backers are not small, ecologically sustainable producers. I’m sure our views on this differ. The future of agriculture–which will be energy scarce and ecologically fragile–rests on healthy, resource efficient producers supplying a local market. I’m going to flat out say that one would be wrong to believe otherwise considering the evidence. What does a GE resource intensive future look like?

Third, the group is, I have no doubt, backed by large wheat producers, agri-food corporations and genetic engineers like Monsanto. I’m sure you must understand that profit is the main motivator for these groups and this informs the products they create and the information they send out.

Lastly, let’s talk about morality. What are the moral implications of all of this? Have you read any research on the potential environmental impact of these seeds? What about the patenting of organisms? I’m sure you’ve heard of Percy Schmeiser. How can one collect and save their own seeds when they will inevitably be tainted with GE seeds and be the property of a multinational entity? What are the rights of organic farmers in that case as well? What are my rights as a consumer when I don’t want to eat GE food, regardless of what the Biotech Wheat Coalition tells me?

I appreciate your reasonable tone in conversation. Yet, you have vested interests in the proliferation of genetically engineered food that will probably inform what your side.

I admit too, that I am biased towards solutions that don’t involve Monsanto. I hate to sound harsh, but one side has interests that don’t necessarily mesh at all times with the common good. It’s not a conspiracy, just an acknowledgment of the nature of the beast. Corporations–for better or for worse–exist for the benefit of the shareholders. As I said before, if there’s a magic biotech bullet that will solve all our problems, I’m for it. But there isn’t, so the choice for me and many around the world is very clear.

The consumer benefits of pull type traits to be potentially found in biotech wheat are fully explained in the following two links
http://www.realagriculture.com/2009/03/monsantos-application-for-drought.html

http://www.realagriculture.com/2009/05/biotech-wheat-coalition-is-formed-to.html

Shaun–I would like to examine the benefits. I am (as is an organization like the NFU) open to GMO if it truly is the magic bullet that it has purported to be.

Unfortunately, this is not the case. The elimination of thousands of small farmers over the world, the patenting of life and seeds and the high energy input (and that used to create the product in the first place) cost makes GMOs a bad idea. Not to mention the potential environmental implications, which we can’t know unless we study them for 100 years.

While an alternate organization has appeared, I would like to see who makes up the organization. The Wheat Growers of Canada, for example are an industry lobby group. What are the benefits to the environment and consumers that you suggest, since industry groups (and Monsanto etc) would be primarily interested in how this would increase the bottom line? Would it truly benefit those in the Third World (who actually can feed themselves, given the opportunity) The Canadian Wheat Board, which (for better or worse) represents most prairie grain farmers in international marketing will only endorse GE wheat if there are adequate safety measures in place ensuring that non-GE farmers are protected from contamination. The reason being that they will lose the European market. The canola industry is virtually all contaminated with GE. Will we allow the same thing to happen with wheat?

Who are the interests in genetically engineered wheat? The NFU and the others are organizations exclusively devoted to the family farm.

I am pleased to see that so many influential organizations are fighting against GMO/GE crops. It’s heartening.

Blessings!

And yes, there’s lots of GE corn out there. Check out previous post on the topic.