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Steve Joehl

Former Industry Affairs Director - Specialty Grain, Monsanto

Expert Bio

My childhood and professional career has always directly involved agriculture: I was raised on an organic farm in southern Illinois, and today, still operate a small 200-acre farm north central Illinois. My career began with Monsanto in 1975, and after almost 40 years, I retired in 2015. Currently I am the Director of Research & Technology for the National Association of Wheat Growers as well as the Director of the National Wheat Yield Contest for the National Wheat Foundation.

Studies, Articles and Answers

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Showing 4 out of 4 results

Question

Q: Has Monsanto determined why their experimental GMO wheat has appeared unwittingly in American crops, leading some Asian countries to cancel contracts for American wheat? This is especially worrying, because Monsanto has assured use that their experiments

Answered By Steve Joehl - Aug 20, 2013

A: The quick answer is: no, the USDA is still conducting an investigation into the detection of GM wheat plants in one field of one farm in Oregon.  However, there is no evidence that GM wheat has appeared in the commercial wheat supply, including wheat seed, grain or flour, and all markets are currently open for the purchase of U.S. wheat.    Following is more detail:   USDA is conducting an investigation, and we are looking into the situation as well.  While neither of these investigations is closed, both USDA and Monsanto have stated that all of the evid [...]

Answered By Steve Joehl - Oct 02, 2014

A: UPDATED ANSWER   To update the readers to this question previously answered August 20, 2013, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced that it has completed its investigation of an isolated incident involving the presence of Roundup Ready ® wheat on a commercial farmer’s field in Oregon in May 2013.  The final report was released by USDA APHIS on September 26, 2014.   USDA reported that there is no evidence that genetically modified wheat is in commerce or the commercial wheat seed supply.  Simply put, the USDA cannot find any prese [...]

By Community Manager - Oct 02, 2014

A: UPDATED ANSWER   To update the readers to this question previously answered August 20, 2013, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced that it has completed its investigation of an isolated incident involving the presence of Roundup Ready ® wheat on a commercial farmer’s field in Oregon in May 2013.  The final report was released by USDA APHIS on September 26, 2014.   USDA reported that there is no evidence that genetically modified wheat is in commerce or the commercial wheat seed supply.  Simply put, the USDA cannot find any prese [...]

Answered By Steve Joehl - Oct 02, 2014

A: UPDATED ANSWER   To update the readers to this question previously answered August 20, 2013, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced that it has completed its investigation of an isolated incident involving the presence of Roundup Ready ® wheat on a commercial farmer’s field in Oregon in May 2013.  The final report was released by USDA APHIS on September 26, 2014.   USDA reported that there is no evidence that genetically modified wheat is in commerce or the commercial wheat seed supply.  Simply put, the USDA cannot find any prese [...]

By Community Manager - Oct 02, 2014

A: UPDATED ANSWER   To update the readers to this question previously answered August 20, 2013, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced that it has completed its investigation of an isolated incident involving the presence of Roundup Ready ® wheat on a commercial farmer’s field in Oregon in May 2013.  The final report was released by USDA APHIS on September 26, 2014.   USDA reported that there is no evidence that genetically modified wheat is in commerce or the commercial wheat seed supply.  Simply put, the USDA cannot find any prese [...]

Business Practices GMOs & Farmers

Question

Q: Has Monsanto determined why their experimental GMO wheat has appeared unwittingly in American crops, leading some Asian countries to cancel contracts for American wheat? This is especially worrying, because Monsanto has assured use that their experiments

Answered By Steve Joehl - Aug 20, 2013

A: The quick answer is: no, the USDA is still conducting an investigation into the detection of GM wheat plants in one field of one farm in Oregon.  However, there is no evidence that GM wheat has appeared in the commercial wheat supply, including wheat seed, grain or flour, and all markets are currently open for the purchase of U.S. wheat.    Following is more detail:   USDA is conducting an investigation, and we are looking into the situation as well.  While neither of these investigations is closed, both USDA and Monsanto have stated that all of the evid [...]

Answered By Steve Joehl - Oct 02, 2014

A: UPDATED ANSWER   To update the readers to this question previously answered August 20, 2013, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced that it has completed its investigation of an isolated incident involving the presence of Roundup Ready ® wheat on a commercial farmer’s field in Oregon in May 2013.  The final report was released by USDA APHIS on September 26, 2014.   USDA reported that there is no evidence that genetically modified wheat is in commerce or the commercial wheat seed supply.  Simply put, the USDA cannot find any prese [...]

By Community Manager - Oct 02, 2014

A: UPDATED ANSWER   To update the readers to this question previously answered August 20, 2013, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced that it has completed its investigation of an isolated incident involving the presence of Roundup Ready ® wheat on a commercial farmer’s field in Oregon in May 2013.  The final report was released by USDA APHIS on September 26, 2014.   USDA reported that there is no evidence that genetically modified wheat is in commerce or the commercial wheat seed supply.  Simply put, the USDA cannot find any prese [...]

Answered By Steve Joehl - Oct 02, 2014

A: UPDATED ANSWER   To update the readers to this question previously answered August 20, 2013, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced that it has completed its investigation of an isolated incident involving the presence of Roundup Ready ® wheat on a commercial farmer’s field in Oregon in May 2013.  The final report was released by USDA APHIS on September 26, 2014.   USDA reported that there is no evidence that genetically modified wheat is in commerce or the commercial wheat seed supply.  Simply put, the USDA cannot find any prese [...]

By Community Manager - Oct 02, 2014

A: UPDATED ANSWER   To update the readers to this question previously answered August 20, 2013, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced that it has completed its investigation of an isolated incident involving the presence of Roundup Ready ® wheat on a commercial farmer’s field in Oregon in May 2013.  The final report was released by USDA APHIS on September 26, 2014.   USDA reported that there is no evidence that genetically modified wheat is in commerce or the commercial wheat seed supply.  Simply put, the USDA cannot find any prese [...]

Business Practices GMOs & Farmers

Question

Q: Has Monsanto determined why their experimental GMO wheat has appeared unwittingly in American crops, leading some Asian countries to cancel contracts for American wheat? This is especially worrying, because Monsanto has assured use that their experiments

Answered By Steve Joehl - Aug 20, 2013

A: The quick answer is: no, the USDA is still conducting an investigation into the detection of GM wheat plants in one field of one farm in Oregon.  However, there is no evidence that GM wheat has appeared in the commercial wheat supply, including wheat seed, grain or flour, and all markets are currently open for the purchase of U.S. wheat.    Following is more detail:   USDA is conducting an investigation, and we are looking into the situation as well.  While neither of these investigations is closed, both USDA and Monsanto have stated that all of the evid [...]

Answered By Steve Joehl - Oct 02, 2014

A: UPDATED ANSWER   To update the readers to this question previously answered August 20, 2013, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced that it has completed its investigation of an isolated incident involving the presence of Roundup Ready ® wheat on a commercial farmer’s field in Oregon in May 2013.  The final report was released by USDA APHIS on September 26, 2014.   USDA reported that there is no evidence that genetically modified wheat is in commerce or the commercial wheat seed supply.  Simply put, the USDA cannot find any prese [...]

By Community Manager - Oct 02, 2014

A: UPDATED ANSWER   To update the readers to this question previously answered August 20, 2013, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced that it has completed its investigation of an isolated incident involving the presence of Roundup Ready ® wheat on a commercial farmer’s field in Oregon in May 2013.  The final report was released by USDA APHIS on September 26, 2014.   USDA reported that there is no evidence that genetically modified wheat is in commerce or the commercial wheat seed supply.  Simply put, the USDA cannot find any prese [...]

Answered By Steve Joehl - Oct 02, 2014

A: UPDATED ANSWER   To update the readers to this question previously answered August 20, 2013, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced that it has completed its investigation of an isolated incident involving the presence of Roundup Ready ® wheat on a commercial farmer’s field in Oregon in May 2013.  The final report was released by USDA APHIS on September 26, 2014.   USDA reported that there is no evidence that genetically modified wheat is in commerce or the commercial wheat seed supply.  Simply put, the USDA cannot find any prese [...]

By Community Manager - Oct 02, 2014

A: UPDATED ANSWER   To update the readers to this question previously answered August 20, 2013, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced that it has completed its investigation of an isolated incident involving the presence of Roundup Ready ® wheat on a commercial farmer’s field in Oregon in May 2013.  The final report was released by USDA APHIS on September 26, 2014.   USDA reported that there is no evidence that genetically modified wheat is in commerce or the commercial wheat seed supply.  Simply put, the USDA cannot find any prese [...]

Business Practices GMOs & Farmers

Question

Q: How can I be assured of the grain I am getting from Grain Craft Montana is free from glyphosate? Which mills from Grain Craft Montana receive glyphosate free flour? What are the specific pesticides being used by Montana Wheat Growers who supply these mill

Answered By Steve Joehl - Jan 29, 2018

A: To expand on the answer to your question, glyphosate is used in the production of wheat in the U.S., however, its use is limited. In the majority of U.S. wheat fields, it isn’t used at all. In fact, for 2016, it was applied to only 33 percent of wheat acres in the U.S., according to an independent consumer research firm, GfK. Of this 33 percent, nearly all of the acres have glyphosate applied when a harvestable wheat crop is not present, either in fallow or no-till cropping systems prior to planting.     Another labeled, authorized use of glyphosate that growers have at thei [...]

By GMOManager - Jan 29, 2018

A: The fact that glyphosate kills wheat pretty much precludes it from being in the grain produced by wheat. Only situation I can think of glyphosate application in wheat is harvest aid application. I suppose there could be some residual from a crop harvest aid treatment to kill weeds, but that likely would not be taken up by the grain, but might be present as trace amounts if it can be tested for glyphosate residue. To know if the wheat grains are free from glyphosate traces in case harvest aid application was made, only grain residue analyses in a lab can tell.   In terms of [...]

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