Senators Press Froman to Eliminate Chinese Ban on US Dried Distillers Grain

U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman should reach out to the Chinese government to remove a de facto ban on U.S. dried distillers grains exports (DDGs), said a bipartisan group of Senators in a Sept. 8 letter, while urging Froman to collaborate with Chinese officials to establish a biotechnology review process that is consistent with World Trade Organization rules. China reportedly halted in June all license authorizations for the U.S. exporters, claiming the shipments contained MIR 162, a genetically modified organism not yet approved in China (here). “Every link in the DDGs supply chain -- including ethanol producers, corn farmers, and shippers -- have already incurred significant economic damages due to these actions by the Chinese government,” said the lawmakers, mostly comprised of Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee members and led by Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich. “The trade disruption in DDG is yet another example of the regulatory challenges industry has faced with China since it began blocking U.S. corn shipments in November 2013.” The U.S. exported 4 million tons of DDG to China in 2013, making China the top product destination for U.S. exporters, said the lawmakers.