Unapproved genetically modified wheat found in Oregon is causing a stir in the mass media this week.  If you haven't heard about this issue yet, check out different aspects of this issue here and here and here. 

The abbreviated version is that a farmer in eastern Oregon found Roundup resistant wheat in one of his fields.  As you likely know, genetically modified organism wheat was never approved for production.  Monsanto stopped development of genetically modified wheat in 2004.  So the question looms, how did these wheat plants end up in eastern Oregon?

Now the USDA and Monsanto are trying to determine where this wheat came from.  And the whole thing is making trade partners very nervous.

The majority of the wheat produced in eastern Oregon is sent to Portland and exported primarily to Pacific Rim countries.  Some of the importing countries have taken precautionary measures.  Likewise, testing procedures are being implemented at export facilities. 

With the GMO wheat investigation going on, it has sparked more interest in GMOs and is a good opportunity to for farmers to take the time to understand why some people feel negatively towards GMOs. 

JP Loves Cotton is an excellent and well-researched blog.  JP writes primarily an agriculture blog, and recently wrote one of the best, most informative blogs that I have read about GMOs.  It is almost guaranteed that when you read one of her posts, you'll learn something new.  Click here to learn where the gene comes from that is naturally resistant to Roundup.

Slueth 4 Health is written by a woman who has chronicled her struggles to understand GMOs.  When she started her blog, she was very concerned about GMOs, and, in her words, "(she has) since moderated (her) views toward GMOs after discovering what science really has to say."  She had a post interviewing three very different types of farmers, and what they see as the benefits and negatives for their farms in regards to GMOs.  Coincidentally, this blogger lives in Oregon, so she has been following this past week's events closely, and she gave a nice recap of the GMO wheat events on June 3. 

There are a lot of people in America and abroad who are very concerned about GMOs.  Search the internet, there is all kinds of information that will tell you how bad GMOs are.  On the contrary, farmers who plant GMOs feel very strongly that planting choice is right for their farm.  It's very easy to find possibilities of why GMOs might be bad for you.  If you, as the farmer, believe GMOs are a good choice, you need to share why. 

Do you want to share your story or do you want someone else to tell it for you?  These recent events give you, as a farmer, an opportunity to share with others why you might choose to plant GMO crops and why you see that as a good option on your farm.