Monsanto Responds & Marijuana Threatens Salmon

Monsanto Responds & Marijuana Threatens Salmon

Monsanto Responds & Marijuana Threatens Salmon plus Food Forethought. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report.

Once again, genetical modified wheat has popped up in the northwest. USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has been looking into the report of genetically engineered wheat that was discovered in Montana. Earlier this summer, Montana State University observed some volunteer wheat plants that were not responding to treatment with glyphosate in a small area on one of their research farms where historic Roundup Ready Wheat field trials were conducted. APHIS has informed stakeholders that the volunteers that were discovered are contained, and based on all evidence, they have no reason to believe GM wheat is in commerce. Steve Mercer with U.S. Wheat Associates says it poses no health or safety concerns.

MERCER: Non of that wheat would ever go to commercial supplies and in fact the wheat that was discovered was buried. Literally buried and then all of the wheat that was harvested from that facility was tested and then destroyed.

The marijuana industry in Southern Oregon and Northern California is being blamed for further threatening already endangered salmon. NOAA fisheries service has raised the warning as part of their final recovery plan for coho salmon in the region. Water use and other actions are the reason for the concern.

Now with today's Food Forethought, here's Lacy Gray.

According to a recent National FFA Organization news release membership in FFA continues to climb. The number of new FFA chapters has increased with more than 7,600 across the nation. It is interesting to ponder why there has been such an increased interest in FFA in recent years. Perhaps it's due largely in part to the active role taken by FFA members. Over the years numerous FFA members have visited elementary and middle schools to talk with young students about where their food comes from. They connect with state and local government leaders and perform community service projects. When asked what they feel is the most important point for them to convey to the young people they speak to, the school district leaders, and state and federal legislators, they respond by stating that agriculture is the nation's largest employer, and that while farming is about tending livestock and the planting and harvesting of crops, it is also about science, technology, and the business of feeding an ever growing world population. These young people certainly are some of the best advocates we could have for agriculture.

Thanks Lacy. That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.

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