Tagged: wheat

A Kansas farmer has sued seed giant Monsanto over the discovery of genetically engineered experimental wheat.

Elkhart wheat grower Ernest Barnes filed the suit.

It alleges that when people heard about the unapproved wheat in an Oregon field last week, the news drove down wheat futures prices and caused a backlash from some international markets, which suspended certain imports.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages.

The Agriculture Department has forecast U.S. farmers will harvest a far smaller winter wheat crop this season than a year ago, particularly for the hard red varieties used to bake bread. 

The National Agricultural Statistics Service reported Friday that winter wheat production is forecast to be down 10 percent to 1.49 billion bushels amid fewer acres and poorer yields. Production of hard red winter wheat production is down by 23 percent nationwide to 768 million bushels.

Participants in the Kansas wheat quality tour have forecast the state will harvest 313 million bushels despite drought and freezes.

A new report says warmer temperatures are needed before Kansas farmers can assess the freeze damage to their winter wheat crop.