FEDERAL MEMO WARNS AGAINST GM WHEAT: CANADA STILL WORKING WITH MONSANTO TO
CREATE COUNTRY'S FIRST MODIFIED SEED

August 1, 2001
The Ottawa Citizen
A3
Tom Spears

An internal Agriculture Canada memo obtained under Access to Information
laws was cited as saying that allowing genetically modified wheat into
Canadian farming will cause hardship and expense for farmers and food
processors as they try to keep some wheat GM-free for customers who demand
it.

The story says the memo echoes what wheat farmers have been arguing: GM and
ordinary wheat crops are likely to be mixed up sooner or later, just as corn
and other grains already have been.

The memo to Agriculture Minister Lyle Vanclief was quoted as saying that,
"If transgenic wheat is registered, it will be difficult and costly to keep
it segregated from non-transgenic wheat through the production, handing and
transport chain.   The variety of transgenic wheat that is closest to being
registered is being developed by AAFC Research Branch on (sic) contract with
Monsanto."

The story also says that  an attached briefing note adds that "AAFC is
collaborating with Monsanto to develop genetically modified wheat lines with
resistance to Monsanto's herbicide Roundup."

Department spokesman John Culley, who oversees western research on grains,
was quoted as saying, "It comes back to the mandate of the Department of
Agriculture, which is to contribute to the competitiveness of the Canadian
agricultural sector," adding that the research is complete except for the
job of gathering three years' worth of data necessary to approve the crop..
That would happen in 2004 at the earliest.

Earl Geddes, vice-president of the Canadian Wheat Board, was quoted as
saying, "They're using the germplasm from one of Agriculture Canada's
varieties to insert the Monsanto bacterial gene. This project with Monsanto
is the first time that Agriculture Canada or the government of Canada has
joined up with another company to actually insert genes into germplasm
that's been owned by Ag Canada."

Geddes was further cited as saying that it's good for the government to look
for new and better wheat varieties, but not transgenic ones, adding, "We're
less enthralled that companies can now buy into that research and end up
owning the varieties that are developed."

The story says that Monsanto needs Canadian government co-operation because
it doesn't have access to an extensive number of wheat varieties on its own
and Monsanto wants its herbicide-resistant gene inserted into a wide range
of varieties.

The federal memos, obtained by Ottawa researcher Ken Rubin, forecast
that a growing number of GM wheats will enter Canada soon, with one quoted as
saying, "Future (10 years) GM wheats will have broad resistance to fungal
diseases including FHB and improved processing quality."

At the same time, the document suggests the Agriculture department may have
to lead the public relations campaign to make GM wheat acceptable in Canada.