Japan has suspended some imports of U.S. wheat after a genetically engineered version of the grain was found on a U.S. farm.
The Agriculture Department announced the discovery of the modified wheat on Wednesday.
No genetically engineered wheat has been approved for U.S. farming.
Japan is one of the largest export markets for U.S. wheat growers. Katsuhiro Saka, a counselor at the Japanese Embassy in Washington, said Thursday that Japan had cancelled orders of western white wheat from the Pacific Northwest and also of some feed-grade wheat.
He said the country was waiting for more information from the Agriculture Department as it investigates the discovery.
“In most countries the unapproved genetically modified wheat would be a target of concern,” Saka said.
“The Japanese people have similar kinds of concerns.”
I – Word Understanding
Genetically engineered – an altered version (wheat) using artificial methods
Feed-grade wheat – a specific quality of wheat used as feeds for beef cattle
II – Have your say
GMOs, or “genetically modified organisms,” are plants or animals created through the gene splicing techniques of biotechnology (also called genetic engineering, or GE). This experimental technology merges DNA from different species, creating unstable combinations of plant, animal, bacterial and viral genes that cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding.
Here are some controversies related to GMO’s:
1.Study shows that GM foods can be allergic or toxic or less nutritious than their natural counterparts.
2.Genetic engineering is different from natural breeding and poses special risks.
3.Developed countries including Japan, do not consider GMO’s as safe. But in the US, the government approve GMO’s based on the producing company’s studies.
4.In the U.S., GMOs are in as much as 80% of conventional processed food. It is not mandatory to label GMO products.
089 Japan suspends some U.S. imports after genetically modified wheat found
