Moms Across America is dismayed for our farming community and American citizens. Four months after Brazil approved GMO wheat, the USDA has quietly approved GMO wheat for growing in America. No doubt due to heavy lobbying by Big Ag, GMO wheat may be on the market within a few years, without labeling, in our food supply.

Rueter’s authors Tom Polansek and Julie Ingwersen stated August 28, 2024 in an article:

"A type of genetically modified wheat developed by Argentina's Bioceres Crop Solutions (BIOX.O), opens new tab may be safely grown in the United States, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Tuesday.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration concluded a review of Bioceres' wheat in 2022 without further questions. The FDA oversees the safety of food from new genetically modified crops before they enter the market, while the USDA reviews the impact on agriculture and the environment.

While the FDA has not explicitly granted GMO wheat GRAS status, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has determined that the GM wheat poses no plausible plant or animal health risk.

The determination clears the U.S. market for production of HB4 wheat, which is modified to tolerate drought, Bioceres said on Wednesday. It is a potential win for farmers grappling with drought and more severe weather, but risks pushback from some consumers and importers."

Moms Across America a nationwide consumer education nonprofit has many concerns.

1. Lack of Safety: GMO wheat has not been shown to be safe for consumption by humans, The FDA has NOT granted GRAS - Generally recognized as safe status. If and when it does, it will be relaying in industry (meaning the companies who stand to profit from the sales) data and claims. This is not an unbiased source of science to reasonably determine safety. Our first and foremost concern is safety for our most vulnerable children, who, in their developing stages, are exposed to foreign proteins and potentially genetically altering ingredients, and can be more impacted than adults. Our children could be irreversibly harmed, developing debilitating allergies and autoimmune conditions to unsafe elements in our food supply.
   
   
2. Contamination: Wheat is a perennial, meaning it self-seeds and reproduces every year. It also is spread by bird and animal dropping. GMO wheat will spread throughout the environment, will contaminate other crops grown by farmers who toil to remain organic and non-GMO and will have unintended consequences on wildlife, livestock, pets, and humans.
   
   
3. Unnecessary: GMO wheat was approved due to the claims that rising food prices require a more economical variety, and yet no evidence has been provided to prove it to be a more economical choice. The assertion is that because either is drought tolerant, it will be more economical. However thousands, perhaps millions or acres of farmland have been experiencing floods. Drought-resistant wheat “is not the highest priority” for farmers. Some studies also report climate changes will result in an increase of wheat yields because regions previously unsuitable for growing wheat will be warmer and become suitable. In addition, GM wheat is spring wheat and most farmers grow winter wheat, with long-established export partners expecting that variety, quality, and for the product to be non GMO.
   
   
4. Environmental Impact: It is unknown but expected that GMO wheat will impact wildlife. Wild rabbits have been found to have glyphosate in their blood, and cannibalistic hamsters ( devoid of Vitamin B3) were identified in mono-crop corn fields. The decline of these populations leads to a food chain collapse. The environmental impacts are unforeseeable and uncontrollable. GMO wheat cannot be recalled and thus should not be released.
   
   
5. Economic Impact: Most countries will not accept GMO wheat. The sales of GMO wheat to export countries are not viable. The inevitable contamination of current export crops is a threat to the national agriculture industry and the economy.
   
   
6. Dangerous: The approval of GMO wheat is a threat to our national health, environment, and economic security.

Regardless of consumer, farmer, and environmentalist concerns, Bioceres has received regulatory approval for food and feed use in Nigeria, Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia and South Africa. No European countries accept GMO wheat. Farmers are currently growing wheat with the HB4 trait in Argentina and Brazil.

Top buyers of U.S. wheat, including Mexico, the Philippines and Japan, have not approved it.

Dr. Don Huber a 60-year plant pathologist and farmer educator, Professor Emeritus at Perdue University, stated,

”If it is so safe to eat, why is there such a vigorous refusal to conduct the safety tests? See the chapter by Shiva Ayyadurai on the Myth of Substantial Equivalence in Synthetic Pesticide Use in Africa! Contamination of non-GMO wheat and loss of ownership, etc. are real events THAT WILL OCCUR as was demonstrated in Canada and the US with the RR contamination of soybeans (or canola). Look at RR Bent grass contamination. How do you get rid of it once released?”

Bob Quinn PhD., author of Grain by Grain, farmer educator and founder of Kamut International which supports a network of over 200 farmers that grow organic Khorasan wheat stated:

"An estimated 20% of the US population are currently unable to eat modern wheat without some kind of digestive or health problems developing. Although changes in the gluten due to breeding programs aimed to product more loaf volume in our bakeries, are often blamed, the truth is we do not really understand all the reasons that people who generally could eat wheat produced prior to WWII can not eat modern wheat today. It makes no sense to add one more unknown to the mix. There should absolutely be no release of GMO wheat for human consumption before adequate research studies in human clinical trials show that GMO wheat is safe"

Moms Across America realizes we cannot control what seeds farmers choose to purchase for planning this coming growing season. We cannot control what chemicals farmers use on their crops. We certainly cannot control what policies the EPA or FDA passes.

However, we can control what we put in our grocery carts and what we leave on the shelves. We assert that if enough mothers are informed, they will not buy products made with GMO wheat, and we will collectively prevent a national health, environmental, and economic crisis.

We hope you will share this information and support your friends and family in learning why buying organic wheat products (as well as corn, soy, sugar, and canola) is so important.

If we don’t buy it, they won't grow it!

We must climb a seemingly insurmountable mountain of misinformation and corruption. However, if we are courageous and committed to making a contribution to others, together, we can triumph over greed and create healthy communities.