Chairman and Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry are urging approve of biotechnology products in China.  Earlier this week Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) sent a letter to President Obama about the ongoing delays.  The letter containing 37 signatures, 16 from members of the Senate Agriculture Committee.

The Senators write, “American producers rely on access to the global market for the food and fiber they harvest. If they are to remain competitive around the world, it is imperative that we hold our trading partners to the commitments they make. When the Chinese government fails to remain transparent, science-based, and timely in its regulatory process it impacts not only our farmers’ and ranchers’ abilities to access critical markets in China, but also their abilities to utilize the best and most innovative agricultural technologies in our fields at home in the U.S.”

“As your administration prepares for the upcoming dialogue between the U.S. and China, the Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade, we ask that you continue to prioritize biotechnology approvals with the Chinese government. We encourage you to continue building on the progress that has been made over the last few years and urge China to move forward in deregulating products awaiting final approval, as well as to eliminate trade barriers due to regulatory systems that don’t operate based on scientific assessments.”