Cablegate: Gm Rice Found in France by Gof Authorities

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Lucia A Keegan 09/11/2006 03:56:35 PM From DB/Inbox: Lucia A Keegan

Cable
Text:

UNCLAS SENSITIVE PARIS 06040

SIPDIS
cxparis:
ACTION: AGR
INFO: UNESCO SCI POL ECNO DCM AMB ECON TRDO

DISSEMINATION: AGRX
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: AGR: EBERRY
DRAFTED: AGR: MCHENARD
CLEARED: AGR:MMEADOR ECON: TWHITE SCI:RDRY

VZCZCFRI267
RR RUEHC RUEHRC RUCNMEM RUEHMRE RUEHSR RUEHGV
RHEHAAA
DE RUEHFR #6040 2511443
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 081443Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1141
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES
RUEHMRE/AMCONSUL MARSEILLE 1314
RUEHSR/AMCONSUL STRASBOURG 0178
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2481
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC

UNCLAS PARIS 006040

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

BRUSSELS PASS USEU FOR AGMINCOUNSELOR
STATE FOR OES; EUR/ERA AND EB (SPIRNAK);
STATE PASS USTR FOR MURPHY;
USDA/OS/JOHANNS AND PENN/TERPSTRA;
USDA/FAS FOR OA/YOST/SIMMONS/JONES;
ITP/SHEIKH/MACKE/TOM POMEROY/MIKE WOOLSEY/GREG YOUNG; BOB
RIEMENSCHNEIDER
FAA/SEBRANEK/BLEGGI;
EU POSTS PASS TO AGRICULTURE AND ECON
GENEVA FOR USTR, ALSO AGRICULTURE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD EU FR
SUBJECT: GM RICE FOUND IN FRANCE BY GOF AUTHORITIES

REF: State 136471

1. (SBU) Summary: The French Government is testing for the presence
of GM rice in U.S. long grain products already on the French market,
an action which goes beyond the EU Commission's decision to have
Member States test rice imports for the presence of GM material.
Tests revealed several lots that contained the presence of LLRice
601 and French authorities removed them from the market. France
imported 30,000 MT of rice from the U.S. in 2005, 95 percent of
which was long grain, with a value of $12.6 million. End Summary.

2. (SBU) Following the EU Commission's decision on August 23 to
have Member States test imports of U.S. long grain rice for the
presence of GM material, the French Government (GOF) notified the
Commission that they would test imported products already on the
French market.

3. (SBU) Tests performed by the Fraud Control Office (DGCCRF) of
the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry showed several
lots of US origin long grain rice were contaminated with the
LLRice601 event at a rate lower than 0.1 percent. The lots, which
were imported by two French companies, were immediately removed from
the French market. According to DGCCRF, this action was not related
to any food safety risk, but rather because, in accordance with EU
requirements, a product is forbidden on the EU market until it is
authorized.

4. (SBU) DGCCRF informed FAS/Paris that they will participate in the
meeting of the EU Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal
Health next Monday, September 11, where EU Member States are
expected to discuss ways to harmonize their policies on the issue of
testing rice already in the EU market. For instance, French
authorities relayed their understanding that UK authorities won't
test GM rice in lots already in the UK market.

5. (SBU) Comment: The presence of unauthorized GM rice in U.S.
shipments may have a dampening effect on French imports of long
grain rice from the United States, particularly if widely publicized
by anti-GMO groups. France imported 30,000 MT of rice from the U.S.
in 2005, 95 percent of which was long grain variety, with a value of
$12.6 million. Of interest, DGCCRF is also testing to confirm
whether rice shipments from China contain GM rice. FAS/Paris will
continue to monitor and report on the situation. End Comment.

Stapleton

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