Little Rock, Arkansas
December 9, 2008
The final testing results for the
Southern long-grain rice crop show that the U.S. commercial rice
supply is virtually clear of the genetically engineered Liberty
Link traits that caused market disruption after their announced
discovery on Aug, 18, 2006.
Nearly all test results for the 2008 crop were negative for the
presence of genetically engineered traits, with less than one
tenth of one percent of the samples registering any Liberty Link
presence. That is a significant improvement over last year
year’s results in which long-grain rice samples were 99.5
percent Liberty Link free.
“This is a tremendous achievement for our industry,” said Brian
King, USA Rice Federation
Biotechnology Task Force chairman. “There’s no clearer
demonstration of what the U.S. rice industry can accomplish in
the face of incredible challenges.
“We deeply appreciate the efforts of the rice farmers, millers
and merchants who contributed to these outstanding results,”
said King, who is also the USA Rice Merchants’ Association
chairman.
The much improved test results of the 2008 crop follow logically
from the implementation of the rice industry Seed Plan that
required testing of rice seed prior to planting.
Arkansas state authorities mandated that all seed planted in the
state be tested, and no Liberty Link traits were found prior to
this year’s planting. Arkansas produces nearly 60 percent of the
U.S. long-grain crop, and state seed regulators have a
significant impact on seed planted in the neighboring states of
Mississippi and Missouri.
Louisiana, likewise, tested all seed prior to planting and no
Liberty Link traits were reportedly detected. Louisiana is the
second largest long-grain rice producing state.
USA Rice Federation Senior VP Bob Cummings shared preliminary
2008 testing results at a workshop Nov. 12-13 in Seville, Spain,
sponsored by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre.
Workshop participants called for the EU to establish a low-level
presence or tolerance, policy for genetically engineered traits
that have been approved in another country, but are awaiting EU
approval.
“USA Rice Federation has led this issue at home and abroad, and
continues to work to regain lost market share attributed to the
Liberty Link issue,” USA Rice Federation Chairman Jamie Warshaw
said. “This remains a top priority for our industry.”
The USA Rice Federation is the global advocate for all
segments of the U.S. rice industry with a mission to promote and
protect the interests of producers, millers, merchants and
allied businesses. |
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