Biotechnology’s introduction into the wheat crop is necessary to increase productivity, attract acres back to the crop and feed a growing global population in a sustainable way.

NAWG and U.S. Wheat Associates are grower-governed and grower-funded organizations leading the efforts to add biotechnology to the tools used by breeders to improve wheat varieties. We are supportive of the technology because our grower-leadership understands what’s at stake for wheat producers and the industry. And, we are committed to working with players throughout the wheat chain to demonstrate support for the technology and ensure key milestones are met before any trait is introduced into the market.

Policy Process

NAWG’s policy in this area is formulated by the NAWG and U.S. Wheat Joint Biotechnology Committee and approved by the NAWG Board of Directors. Wheat producers’ official statements on wheat biotechnology are outlined in the NAWG and U.S. Wheat Associates Biotechnology Position Statement (approved February 2006) and Principles for Commercialization (last revised in November 2008).

Biotech Petition

More than three-quarters of wheat growers responding to a 2009 NAWG survey approved a petition supporting the commercialization of biotechnology in wheat. For more, click here. Also, an extensive analysis of comments included in survey responses, click here.

Trilateral Statement of Support

In May 2009, nine grower groups in the U.S., Canada and Australia – three of the world’s largest producers and exporters of wheat – released a joint statement saying they would work toward the goal of synchronized commercialization of biotech traits in their wheat crops. See the full statement here.

“The Case for Biotech Wheat”

In September 2009, five wheat industry organizations released “The Case for Biotech Wheat,” an eight-page paper outlining why biotech wheat is essential to address the competitiveness problem facing global wheat production and the wheat industry itself. The paper explains why this matters for the entire food chain – wheat growers, wheat users at home and abroad, and consumers in the industrialized and developing worlds.

Wheat Summits

NAWG and the North American Millers’ Association have hosted three Wheat Summits since 2006. These sessions are meant to bring together partners throughout the wheat chain to discuss wheat’s ongoing competitiveness challenges, including a lack of access to biotechnology. For more on that process, please visit our Competitiveness Web page.

Forward Movement

The wheat industry’s decision to support biotechnology research in wheat has spurred research in wheat across the board – using every type of technology, including conventional breeding. Since mid-2009, multiple private technology providers have announced increased investments in wheat breeding and their interest in partnering with public research programs. The wheat industry is excited about these developments and hopeful these efforts will lead to greater sustainability for the entire wheat chain.