Folks -
We've got a new squelch-play going on in our area, a place with
a relentless old boy network. Steve Jones is the last wheat breeder in
the country that is not contracted to Monsanto, et al. He has been
holding out, and speaking out, and is determined to keep his varieties
in the public domain. His latest creation is perennial wheat which
certainly would threaten the whole trend toward patented annual GMO
commodity crops, wouldn't it? Now he is coming under intense pressure.
Add him to the list: Pusztai, Schmeiser, Chapella, Jones.
If you would like to weigh in on this sleezy action, we are
writing letters to the Dean of Ag at WSU:
James J. Zuiches
Dean - College of Agriculture
Washington State University
Pullman, Washington 99164
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
THANKS, Merla
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Friday, March 21, 2003
Message sent to WSU wheat breeder; commission pulls funds
By SCOTT A. YATES Capital Press Staff Writer
SPOKANE ? Impatient over a lack of varieties coming out of his winter
wheat breeding program, frustrated by his philosophical objection to the
use of new seed technologies, and put off by a personality that can be
described as brusquely brilliant, the Washington Wheat Commission sent
an abrupt message to Steve Jones March 13.
In an unprecedented move, the commission voted to withhold funding from
Jones� winter wheat breeding program pending a meeting with officials at
Washington State University�s College of Agriculture and Home Economics.
That meeting, scheduled for April 3, is intended to lay out concerns
being heard from an increasing number of farmers.
Brad Tompkins, who made the motion, said he was encouraged to act on
behalf of farmers who have spoken to him. Dan McKay, who voted with
Tompkins, said it comes down to whether the winter wheat program is
grower-directed or breeder-directed.
Curtis Hennings abstained from voting, but acknowledged Jones may be his
own worst enemy. �If Steve had been out at grower meetings, interacting
with folks and being a compatriot, even if he hadn�t been producing,
this attitude would be different,� he said. �The total seclusion hasn�t
helped him any.�
Lynn Blair voted against the motion, but he agreed Jones� isolation is a
problem. Still, he remains a Jones backer. �I think he�s a hell of a
good researcher, and like a lot of politicians or business people, he
may not have the best way of expressing himself. But to say he�s wrong,
I won�t say that,� Blair said.
Commission funding is an integral part of Jones� program. Since 1995,
the group has directly funneled $1.66 million into research he directs.
In fiscal year 2002/03, the commission budgeted $67,000 for his soft
white winter wheat breeding program, $68,000 for his hard red and white
breeding and $54,000 for pre-breeding and genetic mapping. All of that
money is based on assessments from growers.
Although McKay and Tompkins indicated the leadership of the Washington
Association of Wheat Growers supported their action to withhold funds,
officials at the growers� group did not return calls. Chris Herron,
chairman of WAWG�s research committee, said leadership told him to issue
a no-comment. Herron, however, couldn�t resist making a personal
remark. He called Jones among the top handful of breeders in the nation
and said he remains a firm supporter of the winter wheat program.
In an e-mail, Jones said he hadn�t heard anything from the commission,
adding, �It could be that the commission and I have different ideas
about how I should do my job. I am doing my best for the growers of
Washington.�
Struggles between Jones and the commission are nothing new. A
disagreement in the recent past is the researcher�s unwillingness to
breed Clearfield herbicide resistance into his wheat lines. His program
is also touted among U.S. environmental groups as the only GMO-free
wheat breeding program in the nation.
Although conflicts over the use of technology usually don�t get
personal, this time one of the main issues being raised is Jones�
personality. Tompkins said wheat breeding is about more than just
breeding wheat. It is about interactions with farmers and the rest of
the industry. �You can�t ignore the system that is out there,� he
said.
Brad Isaak, the president of the Grant County wheat association, is part
of that system. At a recent meeting, he said his group encouraged the
wheat commission to send Jones a message.
�Somehow, we have to have our wheat breeders listening to us and working
with us and not going off on their own,� he said.
Ron Juris, a farmer near Bickleton, said if growers are going to put a
large chunk of change into Jones� program, they need to have better
communication. �We are the guys putting out the money. We�d like to
see what we are getting, and so far we haven�t gotten much,� he said.
Al Anderberg, a Spokane County grower, said it�s tough to look at all
the varieties coming out of Kim Kidwell�s WSU spring wheat breeding
program compared with Jones� winter one. �We haven�t had much to go on
for a long time. I think he has positioned himself well for turning out
good varieties, but patience is running thin on the growers� part,� he
said.
The lack of new varieties being ushered out the door of Jones� winter
wheat program, however, may not be a fair complaint. Breeding is a
science with an extremely long time frame. Bringing a variety out in
eight years is an accomplishment worthy of celebration. Jones has been
in his current position for going on nine years.
More to the point may be comments referring to the secretiveness of
Jones� program, how he doesn�t plant his newer wheat lines in regional
nurseries for evaluation, and keeps varietal information off limits even
to WSU�s crop variety evaluation personnel.
�He�s not real open to showing us what is coming,� Juris said. �He
should put his cards on the table. Tell us what is the potential and a
possible time line for releases, to show that we are getting something
for our money.�
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FYI: This statement is in response to the Capital Press Article, and we
are sending it to the paper and to our supporters.
Doug Lammer
The Washington Wheat Commission has decided to �send a message� to Dr.
Stephen Jones, Washington State University�s winter wheat breeder. The
commission has threatened to withhold funding until Jones alters his
program to meet specific criteria, among which is the formation of
partnerships with the multinational corporations BASF and Monsanto. Such
unions would specifically work to add herbicide resistance and other
transgenic traits to public varieties. Until now the Wheat Commission,
which distributes wheat grower tax dollars, has been funding wheat
breeding at WSU for over 40 years.
The two commissioners proposing termination of Jones�s funding are
themselves two of the largest seed dealers in the state: Brad Tompkins
of Tomko Seed in Walla Walla, WA and Dan McKay of McKay Seed in
Hartline, WA. Both commissioners work with BASF and Monsanto and stand
to profit considerably by adding herbicide resistance to wheat, since
the primary products of such research are patented lines which farmers
must buy from seed companies every year. Due to patenting laws, farmers
are prohibited from replanting such seed and must rely on seed companies
for their supply. Jones believes strongly in the growers� right to save
and replant their seed; a stance that is the primary catalyst for the
commission�s current action. As such, the most vocal opponents of
Jones�s position are those who stand to profit most if he relents to the
insertion of proprietary genes into public varieties.
Jones remains the only public wheat breeder in the country taking a
stand to keep the varieties that he develops completely free, unpatented
and available to the public. Washington State University should support
his efforts to keep the last public breeding program in the country free
from private interests and focused on benefiting growers. Of all winter
wheat grown in Washington the most common and productive varieties in
all market classes have been released by Jones�s program. Additionally,
he is one of the few breeders in the country running a certified organic
breeding
program and the only breeder in the country working on erosion-reducing
perennial wheat. Despite recent, and arguably unfounded criticisms, the
WSU Winter Wheat Breeding Program demonstrates commitment to, and
confidence in, serving the public.
