Milling & Baking News - January 13, 2004 - 7

E D I T O R I A L

Twists and turns rule in path of wheat research

henever attention is focused on research affecting wheat, the immediate inclination is to
assume that biotechnology is the issue. And
while that may be true for the work being conducted by
companies such as Monsanto Co., it's also evident that
much else is happening in the application of science to
wheat. Without diminishing the nearly unlimited possibilities from genetic engineering, sight must not be
lost of the potential of conventional research. Activities
in the latter arena, mainly conducted at state land grant
universities and at federally-funded laboratories, point to
changes that could rival the promise of biotechnology.
Particularly fascinating in assessing research is how the
central focus has changed. Instead of the long-time nearly
exclusive emphasis on finding ways to boost yield, with
only secondary interest in maintaining or improving quality, the agenda has shifted to exploring ways of modifying
wheat so that it will enhance the utility and the appeal of
end products. Monsanto has been in the forefront here,
recognizing that the introduction of bioengineered wheat
must have the acceptance of millers and bakers, as much
as it does wheat farmers. In truth, consumer product
manufacturers have made it clear that their agreeing to
a new wheat must be preceded by consumer acceptance.
Thus, it is no surprise that breeders have come to accept,
at least partially, that this acceptance will be driven primarily by end-product quality gains.
A consortium of 12 wheat research laboratories and
public breeding programs, known as the Marker Assisted Selection Consortium for its reliance on molecular
markers to identify genes linked to specific traits, claims
considerable progress. Funded by a federal program
aimed at changing wheat in order to enlarge demand,
the consortium recently pointed to progress in increasing protein content and quality. It is seeking ways to
adjust starch properties to serve end-product requirements; it wants to improve color in durum semolina
and pasta, and it wants to find the path to change water

absorption of dough.
Even though much of the work of this consortium is
being carried out using conventional wheat breeding
techniques, the group sees its work as a way to enhance
public awareness of the positive potential of biotechnology. This is definitely no effort to cast off biotechnology. Its
goals will be pursued through a web site making findings
available to other researchers, and by developing courses
that will facilitate the use of molecular markers.
If what this consortium produces attains the targets
long dreamed of, then the initiative launched by a new
funding source, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,
ought to be viewed as a new way of looking at the possibilities of wheat. Here is the world's largest foundation, with assets of around $25 billion, embarking on a
two-pronged effort to develop wheat and other staple
food crops that will help fight malnutrition caused by
dietary deficiencies. The Gates Foundation has granted
$25 million to support HarvestPlus, "a global research
initiative to breed and disseminate crops for better nutrition," and it includes a similar goal as one of 14 scientific
challenges to be studied through research it will sponsor
aimed at making "important advances against diseases of
the developing world." In the latter instance, the Gates
Foundation will provide $200 million for research in each
of 14 scientific goals, one of which is, "Improve nutrition
to promote health." The latter, the Foundation says, will
be accomplished by "creating a full range of optimal, bioavailable nutrients in a single staple plant species."
The Gates Foundation does not shrink from biotechnology, calling it biofortification. Modifying wheat and other
crops to provide nutrients is not a new idea. Indeed, it is
one that has long been considered as a way to help the
poorest nations. But if wheat meeting these needs in developing nations can be modified to supply nutrients on
demand, then the industry has to consider what might be
next. The caution that has long ruled when it comes to radical changes in wheat is nearer than ever to being tested.

Leading architect of flour milling change

n the last half of the 20th century, the structure of
flour milling in America underwent great change,
and no one played a more important role in making
that happen than Bernard J. Rothwell II, who died last
month at the age of 81. The third generation of his family
to be at the helm of Bay State Milling Co., Mr. Rothwell not
only reflected devotion and steadfastness when it came to
his family-owned company, but he had a vision of how he
wanted to build on his father's and grandfather's legacy
to make Bay State a different sort of company.
The steps Mr. Rothwell pursued differentiated Bay
State from most of its competitors in important ways.
He pioneered destination milling, meaning that he saw
advantage in shifting milling away from its traditional
base in areas of wheat production to locations closer to
customer concentrations. From the company's original
milling location in Winona, Minnesota, he acquired and
built capacity in places such as Florida, Arizona, North
Carolina and New Jersey. Whereas most other millers
focused on serving the chain bakery bulk customers,
he guided Bay State to serve specialty bakers, making
a relatively large share of his output bagged flour. He
inherited from his forebears a commitment to premium
grades, aiming to build values in commercial brands.
bakingbusiness.com/world-grain.com

In an industry such as flour milling, where fewer than
two dozen companies account for 95 per cent of capacity,
it seems likely that the people who run these businesses
would be well known to one another. That is particularly true among the important segment of the industry
where long-time family ownership prevails. But this
was not the case with Mr. Rothwell, whose independence was sometimes interpreted as lack of conviviality.
Instead, he devoted himself to business duties and activities that focused on customers rather than competitors.
He was unique in his family on this account, since both
his father and grandfather were industry leaders, and
his son, Bernard III (Buck) just completed a term at the
helm of the North American Millers' Association, whose
meetings his father rarely attended.
It was only in his death that his fellow millers learned
of some of the special qualities that guided Mr. Rothwell
through a long and productive life. His early prowess
as an athlete, especially as an Olympic-level hurdler; his
love of peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches, every day
for lunch, and his creating a foundation that made remarkable commitments in response to personal friendships all combined to create in Mr. Rothwell a remarkable miller who truly shaped his industry. MBN
Milling & Baking News, January 13, 2004 / 7

http://www.bakingbusiness.com/world-grain.com

Milling & Baking News - January 13, 2004

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Milling & Baking News - January 13, 2004