Canadian farmers may benefit from the trade dispute between the United States and China to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars a year. One of the final sticking points in the talks is China’s lengthy approval process for genetically modified crops, according to a Reuters story.
Ian Affleck, vice-president of biotechnology with CropLife Canada, is keeping his fingers crossed that the U.S. is able to force China into making concessions on its sloth-like approval process. “….I think we do have hope,” he said.
China approved five GM crops for import in January during a visit from a U.S. trade delegation in what one Chinese official said was a goodwill gesture toward resolving the trade dispute. Affleck said that could be a sign that China is willing to streamline the process….
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China is the only country in the world that requires new GM traits to be approved in the country of origin before it will entertain an application for approval.
That is followed by a painstakingly long review process that lasts six to eight years….Canada does not commercialize new traits until approvals are in place in all the key export markets.
Read full, original article: U.S.-China GM0-approval breakthrough anticipated
