IFIC study indicates acceptance of biotech wheat

Grain-based foods baked with bioengineered flour would be embraced by consumers if they understand the technology’s sustainability benefits, according to a new study from the International Food Information Council (IFIC).

The 14th IFIC Food Technology Consumer Survey found support from consumers for biotechnology when "they consider its potential benefits for reducing the impact of food and food production on the environment and for improving sustainability."
This year’s survey focused on consumer attitudes toward various aspects of plant and animal biotechnology as well as sustainability and new and emerging technologies such as nanotechnology.

The most positive responses from consumers related to biotechnology and sustainability. More than three quarters (77%) of consumers said they would be likely to purchase food produced through biotechnology for "their ability to reduce pesticide use (consistent with 2008)."

Positive responses moved higher, to 80%, when it came to the likelihood of consumers purchasing bread, crackers, cookies, cereal or pasta products made with ingredients milled from bioengineered wheat "if they were produced using sustainable practices to feed more people using fewer resources such as land and pesticides (new question in 2010)," IFIC said. Only 5% said not at all likely, in response to the question.
The group continued, "While products containing wheat grown using biotechnology are still up to a decade away from being commercially available, these data indicate a receptive audience to such products if they are produced through sustainable practices."

Marianne Smith Edge, who is interim vice-president of nutrition and food safety for IFIC, said the results affirm the importance to consumers of food production as it relates to sustainability and the environment.

"Over the last several years, we’ve seen the overall awareness of sustainability and environmental issues continue to grow."

IFIC said awareness of sustainability was growing with 50% having heard or read "at least a little" about the concept with regard to food production. The figure was up from 41% in 2008 and 30% in 2007.

Drilling deeper into various aspects of sustainability, protecting land, reducing pesticide use and conserving water ranked highest in importance among respondents. Ranked in order of importance, the top three aspects of sustainability were:
•"Growing more food on less land so valuable land like rain forests is not destroyed/used as growing space for increased food production." (69%)
•"Reducing the amount of pesticides needed to produce food." (65 %)
•"Plants that use water more efficiently, thereby conserving fresh water to help cope with predicted droughts and water shortages." (62%)
Less popular choices were less waste, recyclable packaging, smaller carbon footprint and fewer food miles.

Overall, the majority of consumers are somewhat or very likely to purchase a variety of produce, such as tomatoes or potatoes, modified by biotechnology to provide more healthful fats such as omega-3 (76%), to avoid trans fatty acids (74%) or to make the product taste better/fresher (67%).

Holding a favorable or somewhat favorable impression of plant biotechnology were 32% of respondents, a figure that slips to 29% for animal biotechnology. The somewhat or very unfavorable impression figures were 29% and 27%, respectively.

"Interestingly, the majority of consumers who are either unfavorable or neutral in their views toward animal biotechnology cited ‘I don’t have enough information’ about animal biotechnology (55%) and/or ‘I don’t understand the benefits of using biotechnology with animals’ (39%) as their reason(s) for being unfavorable or neutral," IFIC said.

Other topics addressed in the confidence in the food supply, labeling, and perceptions of biotechnology. Describing themselves as somewhat or very confident in the safety of the U.S. food supply were 69% of respondents.

Asked whether they could think of additional information they would like to see on food labels, 82% of consumers answered in the negative.

"More than 60% of consumers (63%) agree with the Food and Drug Administration’s food labeling policy, which requires food products to be labeled when use of biotechnology substantially changes the food’s nutritional content (such as vitamins or fat) or its composition, or when a potential food safety issue is identified," IFIC said. "Only 12% oppose, and 24% neither support nor oppose the policy."
Respondents were considerably less familiar with nanotechnology than biotechnology, with only 35% of Americans having read or heard "at least a little" about the subject, a science that involves the design and application of structures, devices and systems on an extremely small scale, called the nanoscale (i.e., billionths of a meter, or about 1-million the size of a pinhead).

"However, when consumers were given examples of potential benefits of food application of nanotechnology such as food packaging and processing to improve food safety and quality and better nutrient and ingredient profiles to improve health, half of consumers (49%) were favorable toward the technology," IFIC said.
To conduct the survey, IFIC commissioned Cogent Research of Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S. Cogent contacted individuals April 5-26. The study had a sample size of 750, and the data were weighted on marital status and education to be nationally representative.

Japanese Trade Team to Visit North Idaho

Representatives from the Pacific Northwest’s (PNW) largest Soft White importing country will be hosted by the Idaho Wheat Commission in Lewiston, Idaho June 8-10. The five team members are from the Japanese Milling Association.

Japan currently buys approximately five million tons of imported wheat mainly from the U.S., Canada and Australia. Last year the US supplied about 65% of this volume, approximately 28 million bushels of that was Soft White wheat from the PNW.

The team’s goal while in Idaho includes gathering information about the Soft White Wheat and Club wheat breeding programs; learning about the barging system; and understanding how farmers and elevators market wheat.

While in Idaho, the team will visit the University of Idaho and the ARS Lab in Pullman, WA to meet with researchers. The IWC will provide an outlook on the 2010 Soft White Wheat crop and provide supply and demand information, while researchers will discuss goals of the variety development program and wheat quality research.

The team will also tour Lewis and Clark Terminal where they will learn about bulk grain transportation and the impact of the river closure next year. PNW Farmer’s Coop will provide an overview of how a local elevator operates.

The Idaho Wheat Commission and U.S. Wheat Associates work to maintain and improve export market opportunities for Idaho wheat producers with support from the farmers themselves through a two-cent per bushel check-off.

CLOUDY SKIES BRIGHTEN SUMMER WATER SUPPLY

The June Water Supply Outlook Report issued by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) shows spring precipitation made a positive change in Idaho's water supplies. This winter's lack of snow was predicted to cause water supply deficits across parts of Idaho, however the cool wet spring helped to overcome most shortfalls.

"The El Nino weather pattern snapped the last week of March and storms since then have brought average or better precipitation" said Ron Abramovich, NRCS Water Supply Specialist. "These weather changes resulted in an incredible turn-around; we now expect adequate water supplies for most of Idaho's numerous users."

May precipitation ranged from 115-150% of average across the state. Higher elevations even accumulated some snow. Higher elevation areas in central Idaho and the Upper Snake continued accumulating in snow and have a good snowpack that will provide additional late season melt. "Smiley Mountain, Meadow Lake and Grand Targhee SNOTEL sites, all above 9,000 feet, just reached their peak snow water content the last few days of May," Abramovich said.

Reservoirs across the state also benefitted from increased precipitation. Reservoir storage was the bright spot in this year's water supply outlook, but the wet spring reduced irrigation demand and improved the outlook by stretching this year's limited water supplies.

The added spring moisture will benefit reservoir users from irrigators to hydro-power generators and from boaters and river runners to fish and wildlife.

Despite all the precipitation, streamflows in May were below average. "The melt water isn't there to feed the streams yet because the cool weather is limiting snowmelt," Abramovich added.

Spring rainfall can significantly influence peak streamflows, specifically the rain intensity and consecutive days with rain. For the most current information seed the NRCS's Peak Streamflow Resources page: http://www.id.nrcs.usda.gov/snow/watersupply/peakflow.html.

For the complete June Idaho Water Supply Outlook Report, visit http://www.id.nrcs.usda.gov/snow
and click on the 'Water Supply' link.

World Wheat Production Update

China expects its winter wheat harvest to be slightly higher than last year.

Ukraine’s wheat exports have taken a major drop in the month of May. Exporters have slowed sales due to tight stocks. Ukraine’s wheat production is expected to drop 18.0 MMT this year.

Qatar announced plans to increase production on its domestic farmland.

Good rains have aided the crops in Germany and Spain.

A lengthened dry spell has put stress on the crops in France and the United Kingdom.

Farm, ranch profits rising, bank survey shows

Agriculture online's Jeff Caldwell reports that farmers responding to the annual Farm and Ranch Confidence Survey conducted by Rabobank report a general 24% income improvement since last fall. That's not to say incomes are 24% higher than a year ago; last fall, 82% of those responding to the Rabobank survey said their incomes had fallen since the previous spring. In this spring's survey, 58% said the same thing, accounting for the 24% improvement, Rabobank officials say.

"What's happening on U.S. farms and ranches mirrors the global economy -- we're beginning to see improvement," President and Chief Executive Officer for Rabo AgriFinance John Ryan says in a company report. "That improvement translates into some encouraging -- albeit patchy -- signs of recovery."

What's more telling than current income projections is the outlook for future revenues. Rabobank officials say this latest surveys hows the highest degree of confidence for future income potential since the survey was started in 2008.

That increasingly optimistic outlook is manifesting itself in growing interest in farm expansion than a year ago. Ryan says many of the larger farmers responding to the survey said they are "more interested" in expanding land or equipment in the coming months.

"Producers are much clearer in whether they are going to purchase a new or used piece of equipment," Ryan says. "As with any business, there are benefits and challenges at any size and industry -- agriculture is no different. Every farmer or rancher has unique needs and business considerations. The key is finding the right balance for each operation."

The Rabobank survey isn't all sunshine for the ag sector, however. Economic hurdles like input costs remain a concern for many farmers; 20% of those surveyed said their general input costs are higher than they were last fall. And, overall economic stability is still a big concern: 94% surveyed say they're still concerned about the ag economy. Though there's little variation geographically in this section of the survey results, Rabobank officials say there is at least one clear message in the survey results. "The survey results indicate there has been improvement in the ag economy in the South and West, while those in the north-central states are more concerned than they have been in the past," according to a Rabobank report.

Ultimately, though many said they still expect a shaky economy through the next few months, Rabobank's Ryan says as long as balance sheets remain healthy, the ag sector should stay above water.

"U.S. agriculture has always been resilient in the face of many challenges," Ryan says. "Producers are accustomed to the cyclical nature of agriculture and are able to better manage their operations by thinking long term and adapting their operations for the future."

Idaho Crop Progress Update

USDA reported Idaho’s Winter Wheat crop is rated 93 percent good to excellent and 7 percent of the crop is rated fair.

Temperatures for the week ending May 30 ranged from four degrees below normal to ten degrees below normal for the state. Precipitation was abundant with all regions reporting rainfall.

Cool weather continues to slow crop progress. Frost damage to winter wheat was reported to Franklin County.

More information about Idaho’s Crop Progress and Condition can be found at http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Idaho/index.asp

Mutant Wheat Rust Has Scientists Worried

In a release issued ahead of a major conference in Russia this week, scientists from the Borlaug Global Rust Initiative announced the discovery of four new mutations of the Ug99 rust strain. What has wheat pathologists worried is that these mutants have overcome existing forms of genetic resistance.

Leading wheat experts from Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas are in Russia for a global wheat event organized by the Borlaug Global Rust Initiative.

In a statement, Ravi Singh, senior scientist in plant genetics and pathology with the Mexico-based International Maize and What Improvement Center, notes: "With the new mutations we are seeing, countries cannot afford to wait until rust 'bites' them. The variant of Ug99 identified in Kenya, for example, went from first detection in trace amounts in one year to epidemic proportions the next year."

Most varieties planted in the world's wheat fields are susceptible to the original form of Ug99. Breeders will now work to make sure every new wheat variety released has resistance to the original form and the new races, Singh pointed out.

The reddish-brown, wind-borne fungus known as Ug99 has decimated up to 80 percent of Kenyan farmers' wheat during several cropping seasons, and scientists estimate that 90% of the wheat varieties around the world lack sufficient resistance to the original Ug99. Starting five years ago, in response to evidence of Ug99's virulence, researchers expanded breeding programs and collaborated with each other in a kind of "shuttle breeding diplomacy" to identify wheat varieties that could resist the new strain. But the new mutations - identified last year in South Africa - will make wheat crops more vulnerable as pathogens now will find new wind trajectories for migration.

First discovered in Uganda in 1999, the original Ug99 has also been found in Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, Yemen and Iran; a Global Cereal Rust Monitoring System, housed at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), suggests it is on the march toward South Asia and beyond. Its trajectory and evolution are of particular concern to the major wheat-growing areas of Southern and Eastern Africa, the Central Asian Republics, the Caucasus, the Indian subcontinent, South America, Australia and North America.