Syngenta glad to see support for biotech wheat

Agribusiness company Syngenta is encouraged by recent support the US wheat industry has shown for the eventual introduction of genetically modified wheat into the US market.

 

"We're looking at it very closely," Paul Minehart, head of corporate communications for Syngenta said. "We are monitoring the entire wheat value chain very closely to follow this. It's encouraging."

 

No genetically modified wheat varieties have been commercialised, but biotech varieties of other crops, mainly corn and soy, are common.

 

The main fear among the wheat industry had been that foreign importers would not accept wheat grown from genetically modified seeds.

 

However, that sentiment began to change in May, when wheat industry groups in the US, Canada and Australia - all major wheat-producing countries - announced their support for genetically modified wheat and pledged to work toward synchronised commercialisation of wheat biotech traits.

 

Then in September, the North American Millers' Association, the Independent Bakers Association, the Wheat Foods Council, the National Association of Wheat Growers and US Wheat Associates jointly released a "white paper" that concluded biotechnology will be needed to save wheat's status as a major US crop.

 

Crop projections released Thursday (Feb 18) illustrate wheat is losing ground.

 

USDA Chief Economist Joseph Glauber said that 2010 wheat plantings would drop 5.3 million acres to 53.8 million. Winter wheat area, estimated at 37.1 million acres in 2010, is the lowest since 1913.

 

In contrast, this year soy will be planted on 77 million acres, down 500,000 acres from last year, and corn on 89 million acres, up 2.5 million, Glauber said.

 

"While there are no silver bullets, biotechnology can make a significant contribution to changing this competitiveness equation, positioning wheat as a viable production alternative for producers," the wheat groups said in the September white paper.

 

Syngenta stopped work a couple years ago on a genetically modified fusarium-resistant wheat, Minehart said, but could decide to resume work on the variety. Fusarium is a fungus that can cause yield loss and reduce wheat quality.

 

"If the right conditions apply then we could get back into the genetically modified area of it," Minehart said.

 

But for right now Syngenta is watching before it makes any decision, he said.