"We call upon responsible industry players, farmers, feed mills, processors and retailers, to place an immediate moratorium on commodities imported from China."
Strong words but ones that should be listened to when they come from Mark Kastel, Co-Director of the Cornucopia Institute a farming research and lobby organisation from the US.
USDA investigations have revealed that a fraudulent NOP certificate was in use by a Chinese exporter. Whilst there is no evidence that this certificate resulted in any produce sold as organic it is hugely concerning that the certificate was found. Is this an isolated incident?
Cornucopia report their domestic market has been damaged by cheap imported soya which perhaps was not all it should have been. Are there parallels here with the UK? Here the market for cereals is usually set by cheap imported supplies the integrity of which have been called into question. Have these supplies ever been investigated by the UK certification bodies or Defra in the way USDA has acted for Chinese soya?
Cornucopia story
USDA Story
