The US Department of Agriculture has revealed on Friday that an illegal strain of genetically modified wheat has been found growing in the state of Montana.
Reports indicate that the herbicide resistant plant was discovered in a university research center in Huntley, Montana, which was used to perform experiments on genetically modified organisms more than a decade ago.
Although the USDA has described this discovery as an isolated incident, officials have nonetheless expressed concerns about how the seeds got to the field.
Last year, Mosanto suggested anti-GMO activists could be attempting to sabotage its operations after the authorities discovered about 100 acres of banned genetically modified wheat in Oregon. The USDA has disclosed that the recently discovered genetically modified wheat is of a different variety from the strain found last year. Although the authorities say the grain is suitable for human consumption, it will not be put on the market as genetically modified wheat has not been authorized for sale.
Experts say US wheat sales are threatened by these scandalous discoveries. Reports indicate that last year some Asian nations temporarily froze their wheat orders from farms in the country following the discovery of the strain in Oregon. After many months of investigation, the USDA has not been able to connect how the wheat strain appeared on the field in Oregon; where there are no records of it ever being planted as part of an experimental or for any other reasons.
Despite the successful adoption of genetically modification technology for many other plant varieties, wheat farmers have continued to resist the introduction of genetically modified seedlings over concerns of unforeseen health complications. Nonetheless, many experts continue to advocate the use of genetically modified wheat to fight the wanton loss farmers incur annually due to the fungal diseases that affect their plants.
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