U.S. soybean shippers brace for new Chinese phytosanitary rule

Starting Jan. 1, China will begin phasing in a new phytosanitary regulation for U.S. soybean shipments that seeks to reduce the amount of foreign materials, such as weed seeds, to less than 1 percent.    U.S. soybean shippers are preparing for new Chinese phytosanitary imports requirements which take effect Jan. 1.
   In September, the Chinese government notified the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) that weed seeds with quarantine concerns were finding their way into U.S. soybean exports.
   China’s new procedure for monitoring foreign matter in U.S. soybean shipments involves USDA’s Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) sampling China-bound bulk and containerized shipments. APHIS will notify the Chinese government when a soybean shipment exceeds 1 percent foreign material by placing an additional declaration on the phytosanitary certificate that states, “This consignment exceeds 1 percent foreign material.”
   China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) has agreed to expedite agricultural clearance of shipments with 1 percent or less foreign material. However, AQSIQ will determine whether phytosanitary measures, including inspection, cleaning, treatment or other actions, are required to mitigate pest risk in shipments with more than 1 percent foreign material. 
   USDA said the Chinese government will allow all U.S. soybean exports, including those with more than 1 percent foreign material, to enter the country without interruption until the United States fully implements the procedures during the 2018 crop year. 
   “We worked closely with our partners in China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine on a practical solution that addresses their concerns and provides for the uninterrupted flow of U.S. soybeans for our soybean producers and exporters,” Osama El-Lissy, deputy administrator for APHIS’ Plant Protection and Quarantine program, said in a statement.
   U.S. agricultural trade groups said they’re working closely with soybean producers to meet the new Chinese requirements.
   “We look forward to working with APHIS and other stakeholders in the U.S. soybean value chain to develop the components of the systems approach, including weed seed control best practices to be implemented on-farm, starting with the 2018 soybean growing season,” said Randy Gordon, president and CEO of the National Grain and Feed Association.
   China has become one of the largest markets for U.S. soybeans. Xiaoping Zhang, the U.S. Soybean Export Council’s country director for China, estimated that U.S. soybean sales to China for the 2017-2018 marketing year, ending August 2018, will reach $14 billion.