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Old 29-05-2003, 06:23 AM
Torsten Brinch
 
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Default RR Wheat - but who wants it? (was GM German Wheat Trials...)

CWB asks Monsanto to put the brakes on roundup ready wheat

Winnipeg - The Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) has called on Monsanto
Canada to withdraw its application for an environmental safety
assessment of Roundup Ready(R) wheat (RRW). Monsanto's RRW application
is currently before the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

In a May 22 letter to Monsanto Canada's President, Peter Turner, the
CWB, a farmer-controlled grain marketing agency, detailed the
devastating economic impact the introduction of RRW will have on
western Canadian farmers. "Economic harm could include lost access to
premium markets, penalties caused by rejected shipments, and increased
farm management and grain handling costs," the letter states. The
letter is signed by Ken Ritter, chairman of the farmer-controlled
board of directors, and Adrian Measner, President and CEO.

"Monsanto has said in the past it would not introduce RRW unless it
was beneficial to farmers," Ritter said. "Well, there are no benefits.
So we're asking Monsanto to put the interests of their customers,
western Canadian farmers, ahead of their own commercial interests and
put the brakes on RRW, before Prairie farmers suffer serious financial
consequences."

"Customers in over 80 per cent of our markets have expressed serious
reservations about genetically modified wheat," Measner said. "For us,
the customer is always right. We cannot jeopardize our ability to
maximize returns to western Canadian farmers through the introduction
of a product our customers do not want."

The CWB has asked Monsanto to confirm its compliance with the CWB's
request by June 27, 2003.

The CWB has already called on the federal government to close the
regulatory gap on genetically modified wheat by adding a cost benefit
analysis to the food, feed and environmental assessments currently
being undertaken on RRW.

However, the CWB is taking this additional step because RRW could be
approved before the introduction of any regulatory changes. "Under the
current system, RRW could be approved for unconfined release as early
as 2004," Ritter said. "We had to move quickly, so we are appealing to
Monsanto directly."

A copy of the letter to Monsanto Canada is attached [Below]

Controlled by western Canadian farmers, the CWB is the largest wheat
and barley marketer in the world. As one of Canada's biggest
exporters, the Winnipeg-based organization sells grain to more than 70
countries and returns all sales revenue, less marketing costs, to
Prairie farmers.

*****

Mr. Peter Turner
President
Monsanto Canada Inc
67 Scurfield Boulevard
Winnipeg MB R3Y 1G4
Fax No.: (204) 488-9599

Dear Mr. Turner:

As you know, the potential release of Roundup Ready(R) wheat (RRW)
remains the cause of considerable concern for wheat customers, farmers
and others. The farmer-controlled Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) is
extremely concerned that the unconfined release of RRW in Canada will
result in significant and predictable economic harm to western
Canadian farmers. This harm will occur to those who adopt the
technology and those who do not, as well as to others in the Canadian
wheat value chain.

Economic harm could include lost access to premium markets, penalties
caused by rejected shipments, and increased farm management and grain
handling costs. Unfortunately, scientific data demonstrating the food
safety of RRW will not, by itself, prevent this harm. Furthermore, the
CWB is not satisfied that Monsanto's stated commitments regarding
commercialization of RRW will adequately protect the interests of
western Canadian farmers and Canada's wheat customers from this
economic harm.

The CWB hereby requests Monsanto withdraw its application to the
Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) for environmental safety
assessment of RRW.

It is of the utmost importance that your decision on this request be
made as soon as possible in order to protect the interests of the
wheat value chain and to prevent the damages that may result from the
unconfined release of RRW. We ask that you confirm by June 27, 2003
your withdrawal from the application process.

Yours truly,

Original signed by
Ken Ritter Chair, CWB Board of Directors
Original signed by
Adrian C. Measner President and Chief Executive Officer
KR/ag
066-03CH
c: Hugh Grant, Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer,
Monsanto Company