WINNIPEG - A coalition of Japanese consumer and food industry groups declared today that Japanese consumers will not buy wheat from Canada if it introduces genetically engineered (GE) wheat.

The Japanese coalition will present a petition to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Bob Speller. Signed by over 410 consumer groups and food manufacturing companies representing over 1,000,000 Japanese, the petition expresses concern over the potential introduction of GE wheat in North America.

“For us, wheat is our staple food after rice, and it appears on our kitchen tables at almost every meal in the form of noodles, bread, desserts and so on,” says Keisuke Amagasa of the No! GMO Campaign, a Japanese association of consumers, producers, and distributors.

“Japan is almost entirely dependant on North America, specifically Canada, for our wheat. But Japanese consumers will not buy or eat foods that are genetically engineered, so if Canada’s wheat is engineered or could be contaminated by engineered products, we will have to look elsewhere to meet our needs.”

Japan is the largest foreign buyer of Canadian wheat, purchasing an average of 1Mt of our famed Canada Western Red Spring wheat each year.

“The Japanese are telling us that we will lose their business if we introduce Monsanto’s GE wheat. And Japan is not alone; figures from the Canadian Wheat Board show that 82% of Canada’s wheat customers will refuse to buy GE wheat,” says Nadège Adam of the Council of Canadians, an NGO that is assisting the Japanese coalition in making its voice heard in Canada.

“The Canadian government must realize that GE wheat is a market destroyer. Its introduction would leave Canadian farmers unable to sell one of their most profitable exports, and cripple the communities that rely on its production for their survival.”

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is currently reviewing an application from Monsanto for the release of Roundup Ready (GE) wheat in Canada. Canadian consumers, farmers, and food industry representatives have expressed grave concerns over the potential impact of government approval of the controversial GE wheat. Now foreign customers are joining the increasingly large group of dissenters, calling on Canada to deny Monsanto’s application.

“We simply cannot understand why Canada would risk jeopardizing the strong relationship between the producers and consumers of our respective countries,” says Keisuke Amagasa. “We hope that our petition will impress upon them the serious repercussions of this decision.”

After meeting with Canadian government officials, the Japanese delegation will travel to the United States to present a similar petition to American officials.

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