Soy growers and other industry partners reiterated the importance of ensuring swift, positive action on pending biotechnology issues in China last week.

As part of the ongoing effort by the American Soybean Association (ASA) and the U.S. Biotech Crops Alliance (USBCA) to elevate the importance of market access in China, the groups sent a letter to President Barack Obama asking for “practical, trade facilitating measures to ensure increased Chinese access” to U.S. products be a top priority for his upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington, D.C. later this month.

“We ask that you raise the need for China to establish a transparent, predictable and practical approach to both biotechnology approvals and imports of grains and oilseeds that may contain crop biotechnology,” the letter states. “A second goal is to obtain a commitment from President Xi to advance the full queue of biotechnology products, including the seven currently awaiting final import approvals, and other products in or awaiting field trials.”

China is a key export market for U.S. soybeans, but the trade is at risk due to China’s restrictive regulatory approval procedures for biotech products.

“Finally, we urge you to reengage President Xi on the importance of elevating and intensifying the Strategic Agricultural Innovation Dialogue, so that we can tackle serious food, environmental, and economic challenges in the strongest possible manner over the long term,” the letter states.

ASA and soybean state affiliates, along with numerous other ag groups sent another joint letter to President Obama last week, recommending positions and emphasizing the importance of these biotech issues and their ability to provide U.S. farmers with new and much needed tools to address environmental and agronomic stress and instill confidence that trade will not be disrupted.

Click here to read the entire letter.