Great news! Under increasing pressure from around the world, Monsanto announced on Monday they are "deferring all further efforts to introduce Roundup Ready wheat. Monsanto worked for nearly eight years to develop their genetically engineered Roundup Ready wheat. But the wheat industry was correctly concerned that if commercial fields of genetically engineered wheat were planted, it could have a devastating effect on all U.S. and Canadian wheat exports.
The factor that probably did more than anything to stop Monsanto's plans came from Japan. In late March, a delegation of Japanese consumer groups visited both Canada and the United States. They brought a petition signed by over 400 Japanese organizations and companies, representing more than 1 million people stating that they would reject genetically engineered wheat. Further, it was implied that if any genetically engineered wheat was planted, it could affect all wheat exports to Japan because of concern about genetic contamination.
Many experts speculate that Monsanto will probably try to introduce genetically engineered wheat again in a few more years if they think they can get away with it. But with the growing global concern about genetically engineered crops, that may not ever happen.
Wired May 10, 2004