Any future deregulation and commercialization of bioengineered/genetically modified wheat in the United States would pose questions.
Might yield and disease-resistant traits lead more farmers to choose wheat? Could industry influence consumers about the safety and potential benefits of bioengineered wheat? Could U.S. companies avoid any tangled trade issues internationally?
Such questions were discussed March 3 in Chicago during a session at the American Society of Baking’s BackingTech 2015.
There is little question that U.S. acreage for corn and soybeans, two crops with approved bioengineered varieties in the United States, has fared better over the past few decades than the U.S. acreage for wheat.
In 1990 about 80 million acres of wheat were seeded in the United States, but that number in 2015 likely will be about 50 million acres, said Gordon Stoner, vice-president of the National Association of Wheat Growers, Washington. He added the United States’ global market share in wheat fell to about 15% today from about 50% in 1980.
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Since 1994, corn yields in the United States have increased 67% while wheat yields have increased 35%, Mr. Stoner said, alluding to the idea bioengineered varieties would help wheat yields.
“We only ask that we have a full tool box to manage the risks, the diseases, the weather conditions that we deal with on a daily basis.” Mr. Stoner said.
Read full, original article: G.M.O. wheat issues revolve around yield, acceptance
