Brazil regulation seen as allowing more imported U.S. GMO crops

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Brazil’s government published a new regulation on Thursday, June 17, to align rules for genetically modified (GMO) crops with global standards, a move the agriculture lobby says will make it easier to import more GMO soy and corn from the United States.

Under the new rules, published by Brazilian biosecurity regulator CTNBio in the official government gazette, crops with different genetic modifications can be transported in the same ship, provided each modification is already approved, industry group CropLife said.

“This new regulation makes it possible to import grains from outside Mercosur, creating an alternative for protein producers in Brazil,” the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA) said. Prices in Brazil of corn and soy, used to feed swine and poultry, rose more than 100% and 60%, respectively, over the last year as local producers prefer to export.

It sees the United States, the world’s biggest corn exporter and a large soy exporter, as Brazil’s most likely grains provider outside Mercosur.

Source: Reuters