As he toured farms and spoke with farmers in China last month, Terry Vinduska of Marion, Kansas, told them that he consumes food products made with genetically-modified (GMO) corn.

"They were surprised that we ate the GMO corn," he said in an interview. "I showed them pictures of my children and grandchildren because they had heard that eating GMO corn would make you sterile."

Vinduska is a member of the Kansas Corn Commission. He and another farmer visited farms in Beian, Harbin, Nenjiang and Qiqihar to discuss biotechnology farming and other agricultural-related issues from Sept 20-27. The trip was coordinated by the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service.

GMO corn and soybeans come from seeds that have been modified through the addition of a small amount of genetic material from other organisms through molecular techniques. China has taken a cautious approach to GMO products. The country approves GMOs only for processing or use in animal feed, not for direct human consumption, according to Fred Gale, senior economist on the China team at the USDA Economic Research Service in Washington.

"Opposition to genetically-modified crops in China comes mainly from consumers whose opinions have been shaped by a few activists and industry leaders who have spread health-scare stories. Some Chinese farmers are receptive to GMO crops that have benefits of being pest-resistant or drought-resistant," Gale said.

Vinduska said some of the Chinese farmers he talked to had problems with the corn borer, a pest that bores a hole in stalks. 'We've had them in Kansas too," said Vinduska. One way to eliminate the pest is to spray the corn crop with a pesticide.

"We don't have to use what can be a toxic chemical spray because the GMO corn is resistant to the borer," added Vinduska.

"US, Brazilian, and Argentine farmers already supply most of China's demand for soybeans with GMOs. China imports 80 to 90 percent of the soybeans consumed in the country. China imports less corn, but it does import a number of GMO corn varieties grown in the US that the Chinese government has approved," said Gale.

GMO corn and soybean seeds have not been approved by Chinese authorities for sale to farmers for planting in China yet, Gale said. "Several corn varieties developed by Chinese companies are being evaluated by China's Ministry of Agriculture and could be approved for planting in China in coming years. The Chinese government views GMO crops as a technology that can help China's agricultural development, but they have pledged to use a very strict approval process to assure consumers that the crops are safe," he added.

"To my knowledge, there has been no specific case of any illness (in humans) associated with GMO crops in the world," said Charles Santerre, a professor of food toxicology at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. He said he has no financial connections with any company connected to GMOs.

Alison Van Eenennaam is a cooperative extension specialist in the field of Animal Genomics and Biotechnology in the Department of Animal Science at University of California, Davis campus. She said there have been many peer-reviewed studies that show the health and productivity of animals that have eaten GMO feed does not differ from those fed conventional feed. "Additionally my 2014 study shows no difference in the performance and health records of the billions of commercial livestock that have consumed GMO feed over the past decade," she said.

If an animal eats GMO corn or soybeans and then is slaughtered to provide meat for humans, doesn't the GMO product end up in those who eat that meat?

"No," said Van Eenernnaam. "DNA and protein in feed are broken down during digestion and the milk, meat and eggs from animals that have eaten GMO feed is identical to the milk, meat and eggs from animals that have eaten conventional feed. There is no test that can be used to distinguish them. They are literally indistinguishable."

paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com

(China Daily USA 10/23/2015 page2)