The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) has joined 12 other national agricultural producers, biotech, seed and grain handling, processing and export organisations in urging President Obama to make market access for US crops and advancing the US-China relationship on agricultural biotechnology and trade "beyond the status quo" as a "top priority" during the upcoming Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders Summit in China next month.
In a letter written under the auspices of the US Biotech Crops Alliance - of which NGFA and the North American Export Grain Association (NAEGA) are founding members - the groups stressed the "incredible importance" of the Chinese export market for US grains and oilseeds to the viability of the US agricultural economy.
The letter noted that China is the largest US export market for soybeans, valued at more than US$14 billion in 2013, while US corn and corn product exports were valued at roughly US$3.5 billion that year.
"However, the US agricultural crop value chain currently faces serious challenges in providing for predictable and stable trade to China because of the inability to secure timely import approvals for new biotechnology products and a growing concern that factors other than science are being used as justification to reject applications (for approval of biotech commodities intended for food, feed or further processing)," the letter said. "In some instances, this has created a situation where US exports of agricultural crop commodities (to China) have ceased or are in jeopardy of being rejected."
In addition to the NGFA and NAEGA, organizations signing the letter were: American Farm Bureau Federation, American Seed Trade Association, American Soybean Association, Biotechnology Industry Organisation, Corn Refiners Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Corn Growers Association, National Oilseed Processors Association, US Canola Association, US Grains Council and US Soybean Export Council.
Read more HERE.
In a letter written under the auspices of the US Biotech Crops Alliance - of which NGFA and the North American Export Grain Association (NAEGA) are founding members - the groups stressed the "incredible importance" of the Chinese export market for US grains and oilseeds to the viability of the US agricultural economy.
The letter noted that China is the largest US export market for soybeans, valued at more than US$14 billion in 2013, while US corn and corn product exports were valued at roughly US$3.5 billion that year.
"However, the US agricultural crop value chain currently faces serious challenges in providing for predictable and stable trade to China because of the inability to secure timely import approvals for new biotechnology products and a growing concern that factors other than science are being used as justification to reject applications (for approval of biotech commodities intended for food, feed or further processing)," the letter said. "In some instances, this has created a situation where US exports of agricultural crop commodities (to China) have ceased or are in jeopardy of being rejected."
In addition to the NGFA and NAEGA, organizations signing the letter were: American Farm Bureau Federation, American Seed Trade Association, American Soybean Association, Biotechnology Industry Organisation, Corn Refiners Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Corn Growers Association, National Oilseed Processors Association, US Canola Association, US Grains Council and US Soybean Export Council.
Read more HERE.
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