I find this somewhat odd. Minnesota in the United States has apparently enacted special legislation to protect the DNA of its “state grain” wild rice. ((Not a true rice of course, but you knew that.)) The law requires the state apparatus to keep a close eye on genetic modification of wild rice, not only in Minnesota but throughout the US, and to notify interested parties if permits for GM rice are issued anywhere. Why? Minnesotans, please enlighten us.
Here are a couple of stories that might answer the question about why Minnesota is protecting the DNA of wild rice:
‘ A fight to save the tradition of wild rice’ from the Christian Science Monitor; and
an editorial on the debate over wild rice from the Star Tribune (most of it’s behind a pay wall, unfortunately.)
I’m not from Minnesota but it appears as though wild rice is sacred to the Ojibwe people and they don’t want anyone mucking around with the DNA or patenting it.
Sorry, the link to the editorial doesn’t seem to work. If you go to the Star Tribune site (http://www.startribune.com) and search in the ‘paid archives’ for ‘Ojibwe have reason to worry’, you should find it.
Dear Kathryn
I appreciate that it is sacred to the Ojibwe people. That kind of quote littered the piece I linked to too. My question is more along the lines of “how will the legislation help”?