Unregulated genetically modified wheat has popped up at a Montana research facility east of Billings, the U.S. Agriculture Department said late last week.
No genetically engineered wheat has been approved for U.S. farming, and the discovery of unapproved varieties can pose a potential threat to U.S. trade with countries that have concerns about genetically modified foods.
The USDA said last week that the incident is on a smaller scale than a similar finding in Oregon last year that prompted several Asian countries to temporarily ban U.S. wheat imports. The herbicide-resistant wheat was found on less than three acres at the Montana State University Southern Ag Research Center in Huntley.
Controlled tests on herbicide-resistant wheat were conducted at the research facility 11 years ago with the USDA’s approval. Because federal officials were aware of the experiments and the site was closely monitored for years afterward, the circumstances surrounding the Montana finding were different than the unexpected 2013 discovery of herbicide-resistant wheat in an Oregon field. The genetically modified plants in Oregon were spread over more than 100 acres, where GMO wheat was never known to be planted.
Read full, original source: USDA says unapproved GMO wheat found in Huntley
