Genetically Modified Rice Overview
Rice is among the three most important crops in the world. It is the main food source for nearly half of the world’s population, and is grown in tropical and subtropical regions globally.
Modern plant breeders have begun to produce genetically modified (GM) rice in an effort to create rice that can withstand disease, pests, herbicides and regional conditions including salinity and drought.
China is the leader in genetically modified rice research and has produced rice that is tolerant to insects. Traditional Chinese rice farmers have to spray their crops 3 to 4 times each season, whereas GM rice doesn’t have to be sprayed at all.
The development of genetically modified rice is extremely controversial, and to date, no large scale production of GM rice is happening. Most companies are currently testing GM rice for research purposes.
Genetically Modified Rice Affects U.S. Farmers
One type of GM rice has been approved in the U.S., although farmers have not begun cultivating it. The rice, called LL62, has been engineered to be tolerant to a certain type of herbicide that would make the control of weeds easier for American rice farmers. An application for human and animal consumption s of LL62 has been submitted to the EU.
As of now, the EU will not import any genetically modified products form the U.S. In fact, in 2006 it denied all imports of American long-grain rice after discovering that the supplies were contaminated. The GM rice was part of research being conducted by Bayer CropScience in 1998 in Louisiana test fields. The rice was being genetically engineered to be resistant to a type of weed killer produced by Bayer.
The modified rice somehow drifted to nearby fields and infected crops that were intended for export and consumption. By 2006, approximately 30 percent of U.S. long-grain rice lands were contaminated. Both the EU and Japan have closed their doors the American long-grain rice imports. The industry experienced an immediate loss of $168 million. The total loss is expected to reach $1.25 billion.
