Monsanto drops GM wheat projects

[United Press International]

ST. LOUIS, May 10 (UPI) -- The St. Louis-based Monsanto Co.
quietly and unexpectedly said Monday it is stopping all efforts to
commercialize its genetically modified wheat.
Monsanto, the world's biggest seller of genetically modified
seeds, started field testing its GM wheat in 1997. In 2002, Monsanto
wheat had been modified to resist the company's own herbicide,
RoundUp, but it faced worldwide opposition from farmers, food
manufacturers, environmentalists and consumers.
during the past six years, Monsanto failed to get GM crops
approved for import or cultivation in Europe because of consumer,
farmer and environmental concerns about GM crop safety.
Monsanto had announced in 2003 it was ceasing trying to
commercialize its GM wheat in Europe.