The Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) welcomes today's announcement from Monsanto that it is deferring the North American introduction of Roundup Ready wheat, a genetically modified (GM) wheat variety that has been submitted for regulatory approval in Canada and the United States.

"Western Canadian farmers and their customers in over 70 countries around the world benefit from this announcement," said Ken Ritter, chair of the CWB's farmer-controlled board of directors. "Farmers overwhelmingly opposed the introduction of Roundup Ready wheat, which offered few agronomic benefits and threatened to destroy premium markets for their product."

Customers who bought 87 per cent of the spring wheat produced by Prairie farmers last year have said they do not want and will not buy GM wheat. At present, there is no segregation system in place to prevent mingling of GM and non-GM wheat to tolerance levels acceptable to customers.

"Monsanto has made the right decision by respecting the wishes of their customers – farmers," Ritter added, noting the announcement follows extensive lobbying from the CWB, its customers and other farmer organizations.

The CWB will continue to press for a commitment from Monsanto to withdraw its application for regulatory approval of Roundup Ready wheat that is currently before the federal government. "There is no need to continue this process for a product in which Monsanto says it will no longer invest," Ritter said.

The CWB will also continue to lobby the federal government to close the regulatory gap on GM wheat by adding a cost-benefit analysis prior to unconfined release. "We need to ensure farmers' commercial interests are protected in the regulatory process," Ritter said.

The CWB remains interested in and supportive of any biotechnology products as long as they offer a net benefit to Prairie farmers and their customers.

Controlled by western Canadian farmers, the CWB is the largest wheat and barley marketer in the world. As one of Canada's biggest exporters, the Winnipeg-based organization sells grain to more than 70 countries and returns all sales revenue, less the costs of marketing, to Prairie farmers.