The European Union advised member states Friday to test certain wheat shipments from the United States, and South Korea joined Japan in suspending some U.S. wheat imports in response to the recent discovery of unapproved genetically modified wheat in an 80-acre field in Oregon.
The E.U. consumer protection office said in a statement that it was “following carefully the presence of this non-authorized GM [genetically modified] wheat in Oregon in order to ensure that European consumers are protected from any unauthorized GM presence and make sure that the E.U. zero tolerance for such GM events is implemented.”
The 27-member European Union imports more than 1.1 million tons of American wheat a year, 80 percent of which is soft white white, the Associated Press reported. Spain is the leading buyer.
On the other side of the globe, Asian countries were stepping up inspections of U.S. wheat, and South Korean millers said they would suspend imports pending the results of government tests to determine whether shipments have been tainted by the genetically modified strain developed by Monsanto.
Japan, the largest market for U.S. wheat exports, suspended imports from the United States and canceled a major purchase of white wheat on Thursday.
TVNL Comment: Remember that Pres. Obama signed a bill recently protecting Monsanto from lawsuits. This is a catastrophe for American farmers.....AND consumers.