While the demand for U.S. alfalfa hay has grown in the Chinese market since 2007, the market has skidded to a trickle following a decision by China to more sensitively test for the presence of genetically modified crops (GMO) in 2014. This GMO-sensitive test has forced the Western alfalfa industry to realign production, testing and shipping practices over the past two years.
In their letter, the Oregon and Washington senators noted that China has sporadically made exceptions to GMO products in the past. The senators also claimed that GMO testing is done at the place of hay origination but can be rejected for the presence of GMO when testing is again accomplished 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.”
More than 1.2 million tons of GMO-free alfalfa is shipped from Western ports annually. FG
