GMO wheat could be the next big thing—or maybe not
Sheave ho! Of the top three grains produced in the U.S., only No. 3 wheat (after corn and soybeans) is not overwhelmingly dominated by genetically modified varieties. In fact, you won’t find GM wheat in the United States at all. Henry Miller of the conservative Hoover Institution (and author of "The Frankenfood Myth") and Colin Carter of University of California-Davis, assert in The Guardian that Monsanto has seen the error of its ways in abandoning development of GM wheat. A Kansas agriculture observer, who asked not to be identified, pointed to what he labeled major contradictions in the piece, such as suggesting that wheat is no longer as profitable even though prices more that tripled. The observer sniffed, “Written by a flack from the Hoover Institution.” Many online commenters agreed. (The Guardian)
Comments
By Greg Massa on January 7th, 2010 at 12:36 am
I've dealt with Colin Carter's GMO boosterism for over 5 years now, ever since he published a very flawed economic analysis of GM rice. In his rush to promote the technology and predict profits for farmers, he failed to note the 10% yield drag in herbicide tolerant GM rice varieties. At current prices, we'd all be making $200 LESS per acre if we were growing GM rice--and that assumes no negative market impacts of the technology. Thankfully, California rice is still GM free.
By Yanqui Mike on February 4th, 2010 at 8:47 pm
I'm a grass-fed rancher in Argentina, but I'm really concerned about wheat production. This year, I passed on the chance to plant wheat on the hectares that I farm.
It's not good for the world to run out of bread ...and any sort of worldwide shortage will definitely give Monsanto and their like a foot in the door.
By Lynda on February 6th, 2010 at 2:54 am
"It's not good for the world to run out of bread ...and any sort of worldwide shortage will definitely give Monsanto and their like a foot in the door."...
That's why people who know GMO is much more about control over food, than feeding the hungry and poor, and helping farmers need to work hard to get the word out to more people...This major crop in the world we should not let them control, or profit from!...