Posted September 4, 2014
China’s
quarantine authorities have stopped shipments of U.S. alfalfa due to the
presence of genetically modified organism (GMO) traits, according to a Hay and
Forage article by Jeff Holmquist available here.
Reuters also published an article available here.
A year
ago, alfalfa
was rejected for export from a Washington state farmer after it tested
positive for a GMO trait that should not have been present.
Chinese
feed mills have been purchasing U.S. sorghum as a cheap substitute for corn and
is the world’s largest U.S. sorghum importer, according to Reuters.
"There
are worries in the market, which should reduce imports of sorghum in later
months," said Zhang Yan, an analyst at Shanghai JC Intelligence Co. Ltd
(JCI).
There are
concerns that the current 5 percent GMO threshold is no longer acceptable and
may be released to 0.2 percent, according to Hay
and Forage.
However,
the new standard may not be realistic for China or U.S. exporters.
“The Chinese
want to have a certain confidence of the hay being GMO-free,” says Harry
Kreeft, plant pathologist and nematologist at Western Laboratories. “You can
make tests as sensitive as you want, but you have to be realistic. Plus the
Chinese also know they need the hay.”
China’s
quarantine authority has asked ports to increase screening standards of alfalfa
imports, according to Reuters.
For more information on international trade, please visit
the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
