--- title: "How Wheat Producers Counteracted a GMO Crisis" id: "25273" type: "post" slug: "how-wheat-producers-counteracted-a-gmo-crisis" published_at: "2014-09-30T21:07:52+00:00" modified_at: "2026-11-09T18:22:38+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2014/09/30/how-wheat-producers-counteracted-a-gmo-crisis/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2014/09/30/how-wheat-producers-counteracted-a-gmo-crisis.md" excerpt: "Facing a controversy that could have damaged industry efforts to introduce GMOs to the U.S. wheat supply, two trade groups focused on their messaging to reassure both members and the public." taxonomy_category: - "Marketing / Communications" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "GMO" - "Leadership" - "Technology" - "Wheat" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "Executive Team" taxonomy_persona: - "Industry Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » How Wheat Producers Counteracted a GMO Crisis It was a discovery that shook the markets. Last year an Oregon farmer [noticed that some of the wheat in his field (opens in a new tab)](http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/07/17/202684064/in-oregon-the-gmo-wheat-mystery-deepens) failed to react to the weed killer glyphosate, popularly known as Roundup. After testing, it was discovered that the crop had the traits of a genetically modified strain of wheat often called “Roundup Ready,” which the seed giant Monsanto developed years ago to be resistant to its popular weed killer. That’s a problem because, while GMO soybean and corn crops are common and legal, GMO wheat cannot be sold commercially in the U.S. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has never approved a genetically modified strain of wheat, though Monsanto has tested it. If Monsanto had been found liable for the wheat getting out into the wild, it could have been subject to a huge fine. More important, the discovery led international markets, most notably Japan and South Korea, to stop importing wheat from the U.S. [Wheat futures prices dropped significantly (opens in a new tab)](http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-05-30/genetically-modified-wheat-isnt-supposed-to-exist-dot-so-what-is-it-doing-in-oregon) , and some farmers sued. > As we move on from this isolated incident, wheat growers remain committed to keeping up the dialogue with partners and customers at home and around the world. ### An Industry Reacts Soon after the story broke last year, the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) and U.S. Wheat Associates (UWA) jumped into action, launching joint responses to the issues raised by the crisis. “As industry leaders, we will cooperate with authorities in the United States and international markets to understand the facts surrounding this incident and help minimize its impact,” the two groups [wrote in a May 2013 statement (opens in a new tab)](http://www.wheatworld.org/news-events/2013/05/nawg-and-u-s-wheat-associates-statement-in-response-to-usda-announcement-on-may-29-2013/) . The associations generally support the eventual use of biotechnology in wheat but understood that the Oregon discovery caused alarm among some consumers and others concerned about the use of genetically modified organisms in the food supply. “We can’t be afraid of technology,” NAWG President Bing Von Bergen [told Brownfield Ag News (opens in a new tab)](http://brownfieldagnews.com/2014/02/27/wheat-growers-wavering-gmos/) earlier this year. “We believe it’s necessary for us to feed the world. We need to keep moving forward to keep wheat competitive with the other commodities.” To balance these interests, the groups focused on messaging. NAWG, for example, [created a web page dedicated to the investigation (opens in a new tab)](http://www.wheatworld.org/aphisinvestigation/) into the Oregon wheat, offering background from the association and government agencies. In June, the associations, along with similar organizations in Canada and Australia, [updated their stance on biotech wheat crops (opens in a new tab)](http://www.uswheat.org/biotechnology) , saying that the industry supports choice and is “committed to ensuring customers have access to both biotech and non-biotech wheat.” ### Where Things Stand Now Last week, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) [announced the findings of its investigation (opens in a new tab)](http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wps/portal/aphis/newsroom/news/!ut/p/a1/04_Sj9CPykssy0xPLMnMz0vMAfGjzOK9_D2MDJ0MjDzdXUyMDTzdPA2cAtz8jT1dTIEKIoEKnN0dPUzMfQwMDEwsjAw8XZw8XMwtfQ0MPM2I02-AAzgaENIfrh-FqsTfyMPCwNPPySjEP8DA2MDdDKoAnxPBCvC4oSA3NMIg01MRAL7m6Pg!/?1dmy&urile=wcm%3apath%3a%2FAPHIS_Content_Library%2FSA_Newsroom%2FSA_News%2FSA_By_Date%2FSA_2014%2FSA_09%2FCT_ge_wheat) in relation to the Oregon discovery, saying there was no evidence that the wheat entered the food supply, and if it had, it would likely have been safe based on prior Food and Drug Administration research. The results were inconclusive about the source of the wheat. In the middle of the investigation, a second GMO wheat situation arose in Montana, involving a former Monsanto testing site. It had no connection to the prior discovery. In a joint statement, NAWG and USW welcomed the APHIS findings, [noting that the results show (opens in a new tab)](http://www.wheatworld.org/news-events/2014/09/aphis-report-shows-source-of-unapproved-gm-wheat-inconclusive-but-commercial-supplies-not-affected/) that the industry is succeeding at producing a high-quality supply of wheat. It said it would work to carefully research and potentially introduce GMO options in the future, while keeping options open for consumers. “As we move on from this isolated incident, wheat growers remain committed to keeping up the dialogue with partners and customers at home and around the world,” USW Chairman Roy Motter said in the statement. (Ingram Publishing/Thinkstock) [Ernie Smith](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Ernie Smith is a former senior editor for Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Tags: [#GMO](https://associationsnow.com/tag/gmo/) [#Leadership](https://associationsnow.com/tag/leadership/) [#Technology](https://associationsnow.com/tag/technology/) [#Wheat](https://associationsnow.com/tag/wheat/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Tech Stack: How AI Is Changing the Association PlaybookOctober 29, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/10/29/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-tech-stack-how-ai-is-changing-the-association-playbook/) - [VideoUrban Land Institute- Project Recovery: Rebuilding Los Angeles After the January 2025 WildfiresSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/urban-land-institute-project-recovery-rebuilding-los-angeles-after-the-january-2025-wildfires/) - [PodcastAssociations NOW Presents: All for the Love of Chicago: Rethinking the Destination ExperienceSeptember 10, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/10/associations-now-presents-all-for-the-love-of-chicago-rethinking-the-destination-experience/) - [VideoExploring New Frontiers: Leadership, Resilience and the Future of SpaceflightAugust 27, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/08/27/exploring-new-frontiers-leadership-resilience-and-the-future-of-spaceflight/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2014%2F09%2F30%2Fhow-wheat-producers-counteracted-a-gmo-crisis%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !