Most of Oregon's wheat crop is exported and most of that to countries that don't allow genetically modified wheat. So when a small patch of Monsanto's wheat found in an eastern Oregon wheat field there was fear it could threaten the wheat industry.
Field workers at an Eastern Oregon wheat farm were clearing acres for the bare offseason when they came across a patch of wheat that didn't belong.Monsanto tested the herbicide resistant wheat in Oregon test fields between 1998 and 2005 but it was never approved for use. The problem with genetically modified plants is they can't be contained.
The workers sprayed it and sprayed it, but the wheat wouldn't die. Their confused boss grabbed a few stalks and sent it to a university lab in early May.
A few weeks later, Oregon State wheat scientists made a startling discovery: The wheat was genetically modified, in clear violation of U.S. law, although there's no evidence that modified wheat entered the marketplace.
They contacted federal authorities, who ran more tests and confirmed their discovery.
"It looked like regular wheat ," said Bob Zemetra, Oregon State's wheat breeder.
Japan has halted wheat imports from the United States.