Farmers who have endured the challenges caused by drought and severe weather conditions are on the verge of receiving a game-changing solution.
As explained by Reuters, the United States Department of Agriculture announced in August that a type of genetically modified wheat developed by Argentina's Bioceres Crop Solutions can safely be grown in the U.S.
Following the announcement, HB4 wheat, which Bioceres modified to tolerate drought, is now ready for production. While there are many hurdles that would take years to clear before HB4 is grown commercially in the U.S., this development is still seen as a step in the right direction for many in the agriculture industry.
"Wherever wheat is grown in the world, drought takes its toll on yields and quality, so an innovation like HB4 holds a lot of interest for growers like me," Michael Peters, an Oklahoma wheat farmer and past chairman of U.S. Wheat Associates, told Reuters.
The U.S. is the fourth-largest wheat producer in the world and joins Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay in allowing the production of HB4 wheat. In May, Bioceres started sales of genetically modified wheat seeds in Argentina, marking the first time they were made commercially available anywhere in the world.
Wheat is used in widely consumed products such as bread and pasta, so there is some pushback from consumer groups concerned about the effects of genetically modified crops on human health.
Reuters explained: "Genetic modification involves altering a plant's makeup by transferring DNA from one organism to another, and is common in crops such as corn, used for livestock feed."
U.S. Wheat Associates said the decision to approve HB4 wheat for production is the farthest the USDA has ever gone with genetically modified wheat.
Per Reuters, Bioceres said opposition to genetically modified wheat has dwindled for multiple reasons, including "soaring food prices, and because GM crops can survive drought and pests, reducing the risk of famine."
The company also said Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Nigeria, Thailand, Indonesia, Colombia, and Chile have approved HB4 wheat for food and feed use, while Australia has granted a license to perform field trials for eventual production.
In 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration concluded a review of Bioceres' wheat without further questions.
Still, the company will have to conduct field trials before bringing HB4 wheat to the market. Reuters noted that top buyers of U.S. wheat, including Mexico, the Philippines, and Japan, have yet to approve the product.
"Even with approval, whether Japan would buy it or not would depend on actual demand from millers, or ultimately consumers," Kenji Okuhira, a director of the trade and operation division at Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, told Reuters.
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