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New Chinese phytosanitary guidelines for U.S. soybeans start January 1

A USDA official says U.S. soybeans going to China need to meet new standards for foreign material contamination.  William Wepsala with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service says, “The largest concern for China is weed seeds. That’s the primary concern with the foreign material.”

Wepsala says as of January 1^st, new guidelines require U.S. soybeans to have less than one percent foreign matter to meet Chinese phytosanitary guidelines.  “USDA will be inspecting shipments of soybeans and labeling those that have more than one percent foreign material, and then we will be recommending some best practices at the farm level that could include weed control and then some cleaning to be implemented in order to achieve that goal.”

The Chinese have agreed to expedite movement of loads with less than 1% foreign matter.  Wepsala tells Brownfield USDA inspectors will add a declaration to the shipment if it has more than 1% foreign material, and that the Chinese might require additional steps when the beans arrive.  “We’ll simply be labeling it at one percent and then that may mean that it’s going to lead to some more inspection, and that could lead to more cleaning or other phytosanitary practices done in China.”

The USDA is consulting with federal, state, and university experts to develop a “systems approach” and will provide production and harvesting recommendations to producers before the 2018 crop is planted.  Wepsala says USDA will also work with industry stakeholder groups during the process.

The USDA says China will not hold or unnecessarily delay incoming U.S. shipments based solely on the volume of foreign material.  The agency also says shipments that leave the U.S. before New Year’s Day will not be subject to the new rules.

USDA officials say China did not set a maximum foreign matter limit.

USDA Undersecretary Greg Ibach says they have worked with Chinese counterparts to establish procedures and maintain the uninterrupted flow of soybeans from the United States to China.