Glyphosate-resistant wheat found in the state of Washington

Glyphosate herbicide-resistant wheat plants were found in the state of Washington for the third time since the development of a glyphosate-resistant wheat in 2013. It is the second event in the state of Washington.

The USDA Phytosanitary Inspection Service will issue the following statement:

"The USDA works with our state, industry and trading partners and we are committed to providing all our partners with timely and transparent information on our findings.

"In the United States, there is currently no variety of transgenic wheat for sale or commercial production, as APHIS has not deregulated any transgenic wheat variety.

"Following previous transgenic wheat detections, the USDA has strengthened its monitoring of regulated transgenic wheat field trials. APHIS now requires developers to apply for a permit for field trials with transgenic wheat starting with transgenic wheat seeded on or after January 1, 2016. The issuance of this licensed license allows APHIS to establish and maintain Apply permit conditions that ensure containment and reduce the risk of contamination. Regulated transgenic wheat will persist in the environment.

"This detection results from events that occurred before the USDA strengthened its oversight of regulated trials on transgenic wheat.

The United States Wheat Associates and the National Association of Wheat Growers issued a joint statement Friday in response to the discovery.

"We appreciate the fact that the USDA works with our organizations and our states, our industries and our trading partners to provide timely and transparent information on their discoveries as they investigate this discovery. According to our information, samples of the wheat plants from the Washington fields were sent to the USDA's Federal Grain Inspection Service Laboratory in Kansas City, Missouri, as well as to the US Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. USDA Agricultural Research Laboratory in Pullman, Washington, for testing and confirmation.

"We can not speculate or comment on potential market reactions until APHIS learns more and we do not have the opportunity to discuss the situation with foreign customers in more detail. From what we know today at APHIS, we are confident that nothing has changed the ability of the United States wheat supply chain to provide a wheat that meets the specifications of each customer. "