Japan, South Korea Block U.S. Wheat Varieties Over GMO Concerns: USDA

"Japan and South Korea have both taken steps to block certain imports of U.S. wheat after unapproved genetically-modified (GMO) plants from Monsanto Co seeds were found growing in Washington state, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said on Monday.

Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry said it will suspend purchases of all Western White wheat from the United States for food use, and all purchases of Western White wheat from the U.S. West Coast, but not from the Gulf, for feed use until it can start testing incoming shipments, according to the USDA.

Japan has also suspended distribution of all previously purchased U.S. wheat until testing is established. It is the first time Japan has blocked U.S. wheat imports since mid-2013, when a different strain of GMO wheat - also developed by Monsanto, but never commercially released - was found on a farm in Oregon."

P.J. Huffstutter reports for Reuters August 1, 2016.