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Old 05-06-2003, 09:20 AM
 
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Default Why the fear of GM Crops?


Indeed. One is forever hopeful.


Here's further confirmation that it would be financial suicide to grow
GM wheat...


Reuters
Top UK miller to cut N.America wheat if GM okayed
Tuesday June 3, 1:26 pm ET
By Ben Harding


LONDON, June 3 (Reuters) - Britain's biggest flour miller Rank Hovis
said on Tuesday it would stop using North American wheat if the United
States or Canada began commercial planting of GM varieties as it might
contaminate non-GM grain during shipment.

Hovis' Wheat Director Peter Jones said if large-scale opposition to
genetically modified (GM) food continued among Britons, Hovis would
have to import high-protein grain from countries such as Germany or
Australia to avoid gene altered material creeping into its bread.

"If in a few years time the British public still felt the same way
about GM when this wheat might be grown commercially, we wouldn't be
able to use it," Jones told Reuters.

Late last week, U.S. industry sources said tests revealed traces of GM
material were finding its way into U.S. wheat supplies.

"We say that the U.S. and Canada should beware. They export a lot of
grain," Jones said.

The United States and Canadian wheat accounts for about 40 percent of
world exports of 98.3 million tonnes.

GM wheat has yet to hit the market, but in January U.S. biotech giant
Monsanto (NYSE:MON - News) announced plans to release a genetically
modified spring wheat variety, which could potentially cripple North
American wheat exports.

Many countries that buy grain from the United States refuse to
purchase GM varieties.

Last week, the Canadian Wheat Board pleaded with Monsanto
(Bombay:MNSN.BO - News) to drop its bid for regulatory approval of the
GM grain.

About 10 percent of the five million tonnes of grain Hovis bakes every
year comes from the United States and Canada and is used in its
higher-grade bread.

Jones said Hovis already finds the odd piece soybean or corn in its
North American wheat that was probably genetically modified, but was
sifted out during processing.