The National Grain and Feed Association is estimating the U.S. corn,  dried distillers grain and soybean industries lost billions of dollars on China’s rejection of cargos due to them testing positive for MIR 162 trait.  NGFA President Randy Gordon says having Viptera commercialized prior to getting export approval was part of the problem along with China’s zero tolerance policy.

Gordon says his group along with several others are working to get a better export approval process with trading partners that is science based and allows for development of a low level policy rather than zero tolerance.

Gordon says his group agrees with the National Corn Growers in advising farmers that when they make their planting decisions on whether or not to use new traits that they balance the agronomic benefits of those traits with the need to preserve export markets.