Washington, Oregon Senators Call on USDA to Stand Up for GMO-Free Alfalfa Farmers Exporting To China

Today, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray of Washington joined Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley to urge U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to address China's restrictions on imports of GMO-free alfalfa hay.

More than 1.2 million tons of GMO-free alfalfa is shipped out of western ports annually, and China has been a significant growth market for U.S. GMO-free alfalfa exports since 2006.

Despite U.S. tests showing the shipments are free of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), China has rejected or delayed shipments for showing trace amounts of GMOs. Trace GMOs are commonly found in agriculture exports when tested at the destination, and can be picked up in a variety of places, including the shipping containers in which the shipments are transported or on the docks.

"We urge you to address this issue without delay, so that the market access gains enjoyed by American alfalfa exporters are not lost," the senators wrote to Secretary Vilsack. "There are a range of possible solutions that could be pursued. However this issue is approached, it is critical that it be addressed expeditiously and in a manner that provides American alfalfa exporters with a cost-effective, predictable solution to ensure reliable access to China's market."