11 February 2002
GM-CONTAMINATED EXPORTS GOING INTO MELTDOWN?
"If you think that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) aren't on every country's hot list, think again. From Poland to Korea to Australia to Mexico, GMOs are getting hit with consumer demonstrations, academic studies, government food labeling orders and outright bans."
As US wheat exports to the middle east (one of the world's largest importers
of U.S. wheat in recent years) are marred by GM worries (Reuters, February
9, 2002), and the US is forced to seek third world country support to try
and legitimize a WTO attack on Europe over GMOs, news comes in that it
is not only GM soya that's being badly hit by China's new GM import rules:
"This essentially eliminates any trade with China for the remainder of
the year and could have serious negative consequences for the canola industry."
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CHINA'S IMPORT RULING A BLOW [TO CANOLA}
February 11, 2002
The Leader-Post (Regina)
Michelle Lang (via Agnet)
Controversial new rules in China for genetically modified (GM) food imports could, according to this story, leave Saskatchewan's canola industry without one of its biggest export markets this year.
The story says that beginning on March 20, the Chinese government will require all GM products to have a safety certificate. But exporters around the world say the requirements of the certificates are so unclear they will not be able to meet them. They accuse China of using the new regulations as a trade barrier.
JoAnne Buth, vice-president of crop production for the Canola Council of Canada was cited as saying even if all the requirements for documentation are met, the Chinese government might take 270 days to approve the product, adding, "This essentially eliminates any trade with China for the remainder of the year and could have serious negative consequences for the canola industry."
The story says that the province's canola exports to China were worth about $123 million in 2000, comprising almost one quarter of Saskatchewan's total canola exports.
Bill Mooney of Pioneer Grain was cited as agreeing that cutting China
out of the canola export market would be a major blow to agri-food businesses
and canola producers in Saskatchewan, adding, "As it stands now, we will
not be allowed to ship canola into China. We're awaiting some progress
out of Ottawa's talks with the Chinese government to access the market."
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"It's definitely become an issue in the Middle East. People just don't
want it (GM wheat). Growers in Colorado and Oklahoma are telling
farmers to stay away from it." - David Payne, director of Louis Dreyfus
Negoce
US corn exports to Europe dropped by 96% in 1999 because the US cannot provide non-GM corn.
US soybean sales to Europe dropped by more than a billion dollars: from $2.1 billion in 1996 to $1.1 billion in 1999.
US soybean exports to Japan, the number-one destination for most of America's food exports, are expected to steadily decline as soybean users continue to shift to non-GMO beans (eg from Brazil).
Genetic engineering is part of a failed farm policy which is driving farmers off the land. The USDA predicts corn prices below $2/bu through at least 2001 and soybean prices below $5/bu through 2004.
Domestic buyers, including Frito-Lay, Gerber, Heinz, Seagrams, the grocery chain Trader Joe's, North America's largest potato processor, and the entire sugar industry want non-GM crops.
Anti-GMO sentiments thrive overseas
Dale McDonald, Rooster News Network -- Friday, October 26, 2001
"Early this week I worked my way through about 100 country reports from the USDA's Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS). These reports are written by attaches based in just about every country with which we have diplomatic relations, and they contain news and insights and report on trends that affect commerce in each country.
If you think that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) aren't on every
country's hot list, think again. From Poland to Korea to Australia to Mexico,
GMOs are getting hit with consumer demonstrations, academic studies, government
food labeling orders and outright bans."