A survey from a prominent US farm lobby group has found an overwhelming level of support from US wheat growers for the introduction of genetically modified wheat.
It is hoped that a show of farmer support may sway the large biotech companies who are currently not investing in GM wheat research, due to consumer resistance.
The survey, commissioned by the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG), an advocacy-based lobby group based in Washington DC, shows a high level of support from wheat producers for the approval of bioengineered wheat.
Over three quarters of respondents, 76pc, supported a petition sent out by the NAWG in January and February to wheat growers asking both public and private sectors "to support the discovery and development of new technologies for wheat — including but not limited to: breeding, biotechnology and other agronomic practices".
NAWG called for the survey to assess the level of support among the farming community for GM wheat.
The study results may have an impact on the large biotech companies, such as Monsanto, Syngenta and Bayer, which have downgraded research plans on GM wheat, primarily due to consumer resistance.
Work into GM wheat will have particular interest for Australian growers, who are watchfully hopefully the joint work between the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and the international organisation, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) on so-called 'synthetic wheats'.
This research involves splicing in genes from wild relatives of wheat to improve traits such as frost and drought tolerance.
Plans for a GM wheat are still in the research stage and there are no plans in Australia for the commercial development of the product as yet, but many farmers, especially those in low rainfall zones, believe the introduction of wheat that grows better with less reliable rainfall will be crucial for their survival given the apparent onset of climate change.
Copyright © 2009 Fairfax Media
