Japan to Resume Northwest Wheat Imports after Genetically Modified Crop Discovery
Northwest wheat will once again be imported by Japan following genetically modified crop discovery
Following a two-month hold, Japan has announced they will resume importing Northwest wheat after a rogue strain of genetically modified wheat was discovered in an Oregon farmer’s field, according to an article from the Associated Press.
According to translated remarks the commission provided from Japan's minister of agriculture, Japan will begin to again accept U.S. Western wheat again on Aug. 1 and soft white on Aug. 7. This announcement is welcomed with open arms by Northwest harvesters who are currently in the middle of the harvest for Northwest soft wheat in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. "It's a relief," Oregon Wheat Commission chief executive Blake Rowe said in the AP article.
Japan has historically been one of the most important customers of American wheat, purchasing about $1 billion worth of wheat, much of it of the soft white variety grown across Washington, according to a Spokesman-Review article.
The modified wheat that caused the scare has been proven to be an isolated incident which was discovered when field workers at an eastern Oregon field were clearing acres for the bare offseason. After discovery, the sample of wheat was sent to the USDA for tests, where they then ran tests and confirmed genetic modification.
The USDA has announced modified wheat would be safe to eat if consumed, but European and Asian consumers, much like Americans, have been hesitant to consume these products. Wheat harvesters in the Northwest once again have the Japanese market on their side, which has historically been one of their most important customers, according to the AP.