Bt-10 Corn Continues to Surface in Japan Shipments
Japan finds 12th U.S. corn cargo tainted with unapproved biotech corn.
Compiled by staff
Published: Oct 7, 2005
Bt-10 biotech corn continues to find its way into Japanese corn shipments, according to Reuters. Japan's Agriculture Ministry discovered its 12th U.S. feed grain cargo with Syngenta's biotech corn that is not approved for import.
The cargo arrived Sept. 10. Checking a shipment thoroughly for Bt-10 takes several weeks to complete. Reuters reports "the process has been disrupting corn distribution to Japan's livestock industry, which needs 12 million tons of the grain annually for feed."
Corn shipments tainted with Bt-10 biotech corn have been Checking a shipment thoroughly for Bt-10 takes several weeks to complete, and the process has been disrupting corn distribution to Japan's livestock industry, which needs 12 million tonnes of the grain annually for feed.
Over 90% of Japan's corn needs are met by the United States. To ensure stable supplies, Japan's ministry has proposed accepting U.S. corn cargoes tainted with up to 1% of Bt-10 corn. This would allow most cargoes to enter.
Japan's Food Safety Commission, an independent agency also tasked with outlining the requirements for resuming beef trade with the U.S., must make the final approval. The issue has been considered by the commission since July but no conclusions have been made.
When newly harvested corn starts to reach Japan around November, grain traders expect traces of Bt-10 in cargoes to drop. Testing for the biotech variety in shipments has also slowed since Hurricane Katrina stalled grain export operations in the New Orleans area.
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Tagged: Syngenta
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