NAEGA Moving

NAEGA is pleased to announce that it will be moving to a new office space as of August 30, 2016. NAEGA will be joining the National Grain and Feed Association, which NAEGA currently shares space with in its Washington, D.C. office, in a move to a new office in the Crystal City neighborhood of Arlington, VA. Our new Crystal City office is conveniently located near the Crystal City Metrorail station, next door to the Crowne Plaza Washington National Airport Hotel, adjacent to shops and restaurants and less than a 10-minute drive to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Our new address is below. Please note that NAEGA email addresses and telephone numbers will not change.

1400 Crystal Drive
Suite 260
Arlington, VA 22202

Please contact Gary or Ryan if you have any questions.

Decree 177 Working Group

Following up on a July meeting, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is leading a newly developed working group to address industry concerns regarding implementation of Chinese Decree 177, which came into effect on July 1. Decree 177 lays out a regulatory framework for import to China of grains for food and feed and strengthens existing food safety laws on imported foods, including implementation of a facility registration process. The newly created working group will develop an advocacy and engagement strategy related to industry interest regarding implementation of Decree 177. Included in the working group are government personnel including the Grain Inspection, Packers, and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA), the Farm Service Agency (FSA), and APHIS, as well as private sector stakeholders including NAEGA, the National Oilseed Processors Association (NOPA), the U.S. Grains Council, U.S. Wheat Associates and the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC). More information on the activities of the working group will be shared as information becomes available.

Please contact Gary or Ryan with any questions.

GMO Soybeans: EU Authorization BUT RR2Xtend lacking key Approval

On July 22 the European Commission announced it had granted import approval for three genetically modified soy traits – Monsanto and Dupont Pioneer’s RR2 Xtend (dicamba x glyphosate MON87708 x MON89788), Monsanto’s Vistive Gold (high oleic x glyphosate MON87705 x MON89788) and Bayer CropScience’s Balance GT (glyphosate x HPPD inhibitor FG72).

The approval of these traits follows a letter written by NAEGA and NGFA to Monsanto regarding the responsible commercialization of Monsanto’s RR2 Xtend Soybean trait in the United States before import approval was granted in the European Union (EU). Commercialization of this trait before import approval in the EU and other soy markets threatened to severely disrupt trade with the EU if RR2 Xtend soybeans. The NAEGA/ NGFA  letter included a series of follow up questions to Monsanto. The letter and follow up questions with Monsanto answers can be found here and here.

Because RR2Xtend is likely to present in soybeans from the current 2016 harvest, NAEGA is monitoring and reporting on its global regulatory status  IMPORTANTLY To the best of our knowledge:  the stack RR2Xtend (MON 87708 X MON 89788) lacks sufficient approval to allow for import for food, feed and processing in the Philippines but has achieved such status in other import markets that regulate and accept biotech.  The new Philippine regime for approvals put in place in May has yet to be completed and there is come expectation that the needed approval for the stack will occur in late August 2016. NAEGA does understand that the following countries have approved this event for import: Australia, New Zealand, Canada, China, Colombia, European Union, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Russia, Taiwan, United States, Vietnam and Indonesia.

NAEGA welcomes your comments and questions, especially if you are aware of different information or if there are countries with approval requirements that import soybeans or soybean meal that you are concerned about.

Please contact Gary if you have any questions or comments.