Hubei sent a working group to investigate genetically modified rice

In the sample survey of rice in Wuhan, it was found that 30% of samples contained genetically modified components, which aroused public concern. The Office of Safety Management of GMOs in Hubei Province responded quickly. A task force was sent to the sampling site mentioned in this report and the GM rice survey was conducted for the first time. At the same time, the Huazhong Agricultural University involved in the report questioned the results in the report.

Deng Qiansheng, chief agronomist of the Hubei Provincial Department of Agriculture, said on the 14th that since last year, the Ministry of Agriculture and Hubei province have begun genetically sampling rice seeds and rice in the province. So far, more than 1,300 samples of rice seeds, plants, rice, etc. have been collected, and no samples have been found to contain positive transgenic components. Four out of 15 samples of an outside organization in Wuhan were found to have “high-probability events” in 4 cases of genetically modified rice and they expressed concern and attention.

Wang Yan, director of the food and agriculture senior project of the organization's East Asia Office, said in an interview with reporters on the 14th that they have tracked GM rice for 10 years in China. The 15 samples tested were collected from Wuhan Supermarket Evaluation Supermarket and Wuhan Jiangxia Farmers’ Market on November 13 last year. Among them, 4 samples of transgenic ingredients showed NOS-positive results, and transgenic lines showed 3 out of 4 results. Bt63 positive. According to Wang Xi, Bt63 is a transgenic Cry1Ab/Cry1Ac insect-resistant rice Bt Shanyou 63 developed by Huazhong Agricultural University (hereinafter referred to as Bt Shanyou 63), indicating that the final source of these three rice containing genetically modified components is Huazhong Agricultural University.

As for how to flow to the market, Wang Xi stated that because they are testing rice and rice products in the market, they cannot know the specific distribution channels, but it is certain that this is an illegally imported genetically modified rice because at present China has not allowed any GM rice to be commercially available. Planting.

According to the latest “Approval Procedures for Major Crop Varieties” implemented on February 1, 2014 in China, the verification methods for genetically modified crop varieties will be formulated separately. Deng Qiansheng said that this means that the country currently has no laws and regulations on the commercial cultivation of genetically modified crop varieties. Even Bt Youyin 63, which received the national agricultural genetically modified biosafety certificate in 2009, can only stay in scientific research and experimental bases.

It is understood that this year, Hubei Province has stepped up its supervision measures on GM rice, corn, rapeseed and other crops, and issued the “Work Plan for the Supervision of Agricultural Genetically Modified Organism Safety in Hubei Province in 2014” to strengthen the source management of genetically modified crop varieties. In this year's spring ploughing and farming counterfeiting work, a special survey was conducted on genetically modified seeds. Currently, more than 200 samples were selected for the detection of genetically modified components.

At the same time, the Huazhong Agricultural University involved in the report issued a statement to this effect, holding a "non-recognition" attitude toward the sample survey and questioning the legitimacy of its testing procedures and the authority of the test results.

The State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetic Improvement at Huazhong Agricultural University asked five questions: “Where is the testing of genetically modified experimental materials carried out? If it is not in China, how are the materials taken abroad? Has the testing agency been certified by the host government? Permits? Is there any monitoring of the content of the inspection? Can it guarantee that intellectual property will not be disclosed?"

In addition, the State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetic Improvement believes that the true purpose of the survey report is to intervene in the administration of justice and to confuse public opinion.

According to reports, on April 11th, 2014, the organization stole rice material from Huazhong Agricultural University in Hainan and was caught on the spot. Currently, the school is using legal channels to investigate the responsibility.

The State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetic Improvement said in a statement, “What needs to be pointed out is that such kind of theft is likely to lead to the proliferation of unapproved genetically modified materials.”

Wang Hao believes that although there are some testing agencies in China that possess the qualifications of inspection authorized by the Ministry of Agriculture, their integrity and independence have been questioned. This time in the sample survey in Wuhan, they chose an independent third-party commercial laboratory with nationally recognized testing qualifications. However, because the parties signed a confidentiality agreement, they were unable to disclose the name of the laboratory and expressed frustration with the official and the public questioning the test results.