China Destroys 3 US Shipments of GM Corn

SajeevJino

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China Destroys 3 US Shipments of GM Corn


According to a report released today by GMWatch, China destroyed three shipments of GM corn imported from the US.The first two shipments are referenced on the website of the Zhuhai Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, confirming that two illegal GM corn shipments entered Wanzai Port in Zhuhai City on May 7th, and were subsequently destroyed:




Recently, during inspection and quarantine of imported food from USA by a certain company, the Wanzai Office of Zhuhai Inspection and Quarantine Bureau (in Guangdong Province in the south of China) detected two shipments containing GM corn products, which are not in compliance with China's "Entry and Exit of Genetically Modified Products Inspection and Quarantine Management Approach". The Office destroyed the two shipments of corn according to the provisions.*

The existence of a third shipment was confirmed in a May 19th article appearing on news.china.com.cn titled, "Harbin intercepted a total of 115 kgs of GM corn seeds, which will be destroyed":

Recently, the Harbin Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau intercepted inbound mail of 21 cartons of corn seeds from USA, totaling 115 kgs, which were detected as GM seeds. This is the first time that the Heilongjiang Provincial Inspection and Quarantine System has intercepted inbound corn seeds containing GM ingredients. These corn seeds will be destroyed. *

Surprisingly, despite these seemingly drastic steps by Chinese authorities to destroy GM seeds, anarticle in China Daily from last year explains that the consumption of GM soybeans is already universal in China, even despite widespread public concerns that they have not been adequately safety tested:

Summary: Imported RR soybeans (Roundup herbicide resistant GM soybeans) has already accounted to over 80% of total consumption of soybeans in China, but the assessment and approval procedures for the initial imported GM soybeans, has been oppugned that it's examination procedures exists with defects. According to news reports, on Feb. 20, 2012, Gu Xiu-lin and other three citizens upon application were approved to check the "certification documents for the GM soybeans obtaining safety certificates".


The China Daily article goes on to quote Shi Yan-quan, Deputy Director, Agricultural Finance and Education Dept., who stated on April 20, 2012, that over 50 million tons of GMO soybeans were imported to China in 2011 alone. The article also refers to the fact that for eight years, 1.3 billion Chinese consumers have been consuming Monsanto's GM food crops, relying entirely on biotech-funded safety evaluations, without any independent safety testing carried out by the Chinese government

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Additionally, a revealing study published in 2012 found that the Chinese print media is completely co-opted by biotech industry influence. They revealed that "48.1% of articles were largely supportive of the GM technology research and development programs and the adoption of GM cottons, while 51.9% of articles were neutral on the subject of GMOs. Risks associated with GMOs were mentioned in the newspaper articles, but none of the articles expressed negative tones in regards to GMOs."
The authors concluded:

Chinese print media is largely supportive of GMOs. It also indicates that the print media describes the Chinese government as actively pursuing national GMO research and development programs and the promotion of GM cotton usage.

Are these latest incidents of the destruction of GM imports a sign that the tide is turning, and China, one of the world's largest consumers of GM food, is finally drawing a hard and fast line against Monsanto and related biotech corporations co-option of their food supply?


Breaking News: China Destroys 3 US Shipments of GM Corn | True Activist
 

SajeevJino

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@nimo_cn @t_co

Does this cause sickness like Swine flu and coughing ...i thing many of the Chinese are affected by some mysterious sickness Isn't it
 
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amoy

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What's your idea on safety of such GM products as I'm no biologist ?

Genetically Modified China

China is currently the sixth largest producer of genetically modified (GM) crops (3.8 million hectares in 2008, behind the United States, Argentina, Brazil, India, and Canada [1]. The Chinese government has granted safety certificates for commercial production of four biotech food and fibre crops, including insect resistant cotton, virus resistant papaya, virus resistant sweet pepper, and delayed ripening tomato. Transgenic plants like poplar and petunia are also approved for production. Among the hundreds of biotech products under development that have been approved for productive testing are insect resistant rice (Bt63), bacterial blight resistant rice (Xa21), high phytase corn, and high oil content canola. Other major crops undergoing field trials include insect resistant corn, high lysine content corn, wheat resistant to pre-harvest germination, and insect resistant soybeans.
 
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The Last Stand

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Well done.

Whatever US scientists might say, messing with nature is a bad thing to do. GM crops' long term effect is UNKNOWN. Suspected to be some growth related problems.
 

amoy

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Japan suspends imports after modified wheat found | wpri.com

Updated: Thursday, 30 May 2013, 11:00 PM EDT
Published : Thursday, 30 May 2013, 11:00 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Japan has suspended some imports of U.S. wheat after a genetically engineered version of the grain was found on a U.S. farm.

The Agriculture Department announced the discovery of the modified wheat on Wednesday. No genetically engineered wheat has been approved for U.S. farming.

Japan is one of the largest export markets for U.S. wheat growers. Katsuhiro Saka, a counselor at the Japanese Embassy in Washington, said Thursday that Japan had canceled orders of western white wheat from the Pacific Northwest and also of some feed-grade wheat. He said the country was waiting for more information from the Agriculture Department as it investigates the discovery.

"In most countries the unapproved genetically modified wheat would be a target of concern," Saka said. "The Japanese people have similar kinds of concerns."

USDA officials said the wheat was the same strain as a genetically modified wheat that was designed to be herbicide-resistant and was legally tested by seed giant Monsanto a decade ago but never approved. Monsanto stopped testing that product in Oregon and several other states in 2005.

The Agriculture Department said the genetically engineered wheat is safe to eat and there is no evidence that modified wheat entered the marketplace. But the department is investigating how it ended up in the field, whether there was any criminal wrongdoing and whether its growth is widespread.

The mystery could have implications on the wheat trade in the U.S. and abroad, as evidenced by Japan's suspension of imports on Thursday.

Many countries around the world will not accept imports of genetically modified foods, and the United States exports about half of its wheat crop.
 

Payeng

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And stop producing Yankee hybrid Basmati.
 

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