About a decade ago Monsanto was on a mission to develop and commercialize a genetically modified strain of dark northern spring wheat.

Farmers’ interest in the seed hit bottom because of a lack of acceptance of GM wheat by our valued customers around the world. Buyers for foreign markets purchase half of the wheat grown in this country.

Customers don’t want GM wheat

These buyers have exact requirements for wheat growers to satisfy. Over the years, wheat producers have improved their relations with these international buyers.

The buyers are regularly surveyed about the characteristics and traits they seek in wheat.

Producers have worked with agronomists and plant breeders to create hybrids to satisfy expectations of our customers. As a result, wheat growers have established a mature and steady market for U.S. wheat.

Meanwhile, foreign wheat growers also seek export markets for their wheat, and buyers now have a choice.

Introduction of GM wheat in the United States would wipe out a carefully and thoughtfully developed wheat industry that has taken wheat growers, agronomists, and plant breeders more than 50 years to build.

When Monsanto moved to deregulate its Roundup Ready wheat, U.S. wheat growers could foresee a consumer backlash.

A Canadian Wheat Board survey found 83 percent of foreign buyers would not accept genetically modified wheat and would seek other sources if either the United States or Canada commercialized a GM wheat variety.

A series of reports prepared for the Western Organization of Resource Councils confirmed this resistance to GM wheat, particularly by the European Union and Japan.

According to those reports, other Asian country, such as South Korea and Taiwan, are leery about importing GM wheat, even by accident.

In addition, major buyers of U.S. wheat, notably the EU and Japan, require labeling and traceability that would make it difficult to sell any U.S. wheat if GM wheat was grown in this country.

The most recent WORC report, released in January 2010, concluded that if U.S. producers planted any GM wheat, foreign wheat buyers would switch to wheat from GM-free countries.

The introduction of GM wheat would contaminate established varieties, creating a drop in the price of all U.S. hard red spring wheat, not just the genetically modified crop, of 40 percent while the price of durum wheat would drop 57 percent.

Some within the agricultural industry are talking up support for GM wheat, even though there is no GM wheat trait under development to support today. No seed company is testing a single GM-wheat trait in this country.

Introduction of GM wheat would make wheat seed the proprietary property of seed companies, raising seed costs for farmers, and putting wheat producers under the control of a few seed companies.

Better productivity, profitability, and sustainability of our wheat varieties do not depend on the development of GM wheat.

Rather, traditional breeding methods, not genetic modification, have developed superior wheat varieties. In fact, researchers are using advanced breeding techniques to develop conventional wheat varieties resistant to fusarium and drought.

Montana wheat growers understand there is no market demand for GM wheat.

We understand the characteristics and traits our buyers want, and they have repeatedly told us they will not buy any of our wheat if we grow any GM wheat.

So far as touting an increased yield, who needs more product of any commodity there is no market for?