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Japan, South Korea suspend Canadian wheat shipments upon GM discovery

South Korea has joined Japan in suspending Canadian wheat imports following the discovery of genetically modified, herbicide-tolerant wheat.

Steve Mercer with U.S. Wheat Associates says this is nothing new.

“Of course we’ve been in that situation ourselves twice now, once in 2013 and again in 2015.  So the situation is fairly familiar.”

He tells Brownfield Canada’s Food Inspection Agency has done a very good job investigating this isolated event.

“They have done everything they can to investigate the situation and reassure all customers that the wheat supply from Canada remains safe, wholesome, and this is a message that we try to provide as well.”

The CFIA has confirmed a few plants match a Monsanto GM wheat line that was used in multiple confined research trials in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s in both Canada and the U.S.

Mercer says any trade disruption should be minor, and that these types of suspensions typically last two months tops.

Japan is a top destination for Canadian wheat, while South Korea imports about 235,000 metric tons annually.

No country has approved GM wheat for commercialization.