Wheat growers urged to fill out biotechnology survey

Wheat growers should be watching their mailboxes for a petition survey seeking their opinions about deploying biotechnology traits in wheat.

The survey, released the week of Dec. 28, has been commissioned by the National Associa?tion of Wheat Growers and is intended to measure and document the level of support for biotech trait commercialization among wheat growers.

Growers receiving the mailing will get a packet containing a cover letter, a copy of petition language and a response card they should mail back by Jan. 19.

?The petition is designed to document the depth and breadth of support for biotechnology among wheat producers,? said Daren Coppock, NAWG?s chief executive officer. ?Anecdotally, we?re convinced the support is there?this petition will either confirm or confront that belief.?

Dusti Fritz, Kansas Wheat CEO, says the petition helps biotech companies gauge the support of biotech improvements in wheat.

?Farmer support of biotechnology gives industry the confidence to devote significant resources in biotechnology for wheat and, as a result, will give farmers additional tools to combat drought, pests and weeds,? she said. ?We urge farmers to take a few minutes to fill out this survey because biotechnology will be one of the top issues facing our industry in the coming years.?

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