US inquiry finds no cases of GM wheat outside designated zone

The US Agriculture Department claims no cases of unapproved genetically engineered wheat have been found outside of a 123-acre field in Oregon after two months of investigation.

The discovery of the wheat, not approved for cultivation anywhere in the world, shook the global market when it was announced in May.

Some US customers in Asia and Europe halted purchases or said they would test incoming wheat shipments for biotech grain.

Some $9bn (€6.75bn) worth of US wheat, roughly 45% of the crop, is exported annually. Japan excluded US white wheat from the Pacific Northwest from a tender this week, but said soft red winter wheat, typically grown in the US Southeast, was acceptable as a substitute.

— Reuters