Declaring that the customer comes first, U.S. Wheat Associates announced a major effort to develop a system to ensure that wheat importers around the world will always be able to get non-genetically modified U.S. wheat, if that is what the buyer wants.

At their annual summer meeting this week, the USW Board of Directors formally adopted a biotechnology policy that states "the U.S. wheat industry commits itself absolutely to the principle that our customers' needs and preferences are the most important consideration." Although genetically modified wheat will not be commercialized before 2003 and available for farmer production for a year or two after that, the USW Board of Directors recognized that, even at this early point, there are some overseas customers who have already informed the wheat industry that they only want to purchase traditional wheat.

"85% of Idaho's wheat goes to overseas markets," said Heidi Linehan, wheat grower and USW board member from Idaho, "and it is absolutely essential to listen to our overseas customers and heed what they say."

"We are very sensitive to the concerns of these customers," explained Darrell Hanavan, chairman of USW's biotechnology committee and Executive Director of the Colorado wheat producers organizations. "We intend to work with all segments of the industry -- the technology providers, producer representatives, country elevators, and exporters -- to develop a viable identity preservation system that will ensure that our customers continue to get the specific wheat traits they want."

Hanavan explained that he and others were working with technology providers, and that the companies were keenly aware of concerns for the export market in countries where there is consumer resistance to genetically modified food. To address those concerns, the USW board strongly urged the biotechnology companies to "ensure customer acceptance prior to commercialization" of wheat developed using biotechnology.

USW also committed itself to assuring that a testing and certification program is instituted before genetically modified wheat is commercialized. "We have an obligation to our customers and to wheat producers to establish these programs," Hanavan said.

To better ascertain what further advances in biotechnology can do to develop wheat traits that are needed by customers, the USW Board position indicates that the wheat industry wants to explore some possible venues for technical sessions with interested overseas customers.

"We have some customers overseas who have told us that they see that biotechnology provides advantages for growers," explains Mark Samson, vice president in USW's Asian region. "But they are asking what biotechnology is going to do to benefit the millers and consumers of U.S. wheat. We need those answers."

The Board also adopted a definition of "biotechnology-derived products" that they will use to encourage international harmonization of definitions, standards and trade rules.

U.S. Wheat Associates is the industry's export market development organization working in over 100 countries, supported by wheat growers in 19 states. Nearly half of the wheat grown in the U.S. is destined for the export market.

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