Chiayi Puzi Farmers' Association hit by second incident of GM corn mixed into domestic hard corn
Chiayi Puzi Farmers' Association is once again mired in a "GM corn" mixed into domestic corn scandal! The year before last, Puzi City Farmers' Association in Chiayi was reported to have mixed GM corn into domestic hard corn it purchased, and twenty to thirty farmers were referred to the District Prosecutors Office for investigation, but at the beginning of this year, because the perpetrators could not be identified, the case was closed without indictment. Unexpectedly, in yet another GM corn contamination scandal this year, the Puzi City Farmers' Association is still in the re-testing stage, and the specific contamination figures, causes and perpetrators all remain undetermined.
According to an authoritative source, GM corn was detected mixed into contract-farmed corn of the Chiayi Puzi City Farmers' Association, and the Political Ethics Office of the Southern Branch of the Agriculture and Food Agency is currently carrying out a retrospective investigation, with all samples retained and sealed. After Upperstream and Downstream's exclusive revelation, the Agriculture and Food Agency confirmed that among 76 samples submitted for testing this year, 1 sample from Puzi City, Chiayi County was found to contain genetically modified ingredients, and the questionable samples have been sent for testing to trace the source of the corn kernels in depth. In addition, the Puzi City Farmers' Association has more than two hundred tonnes of hard corn in stock, and the Agriculture and Food Agency has requested that it be held in reserve.
Agriculture and Food Agency: earlier corn mixing was hard to trace, full sample retention introduced later
Regarding the GM corn mixing incident the year before last, Huang Yiren, deputy branch chief of the Southern Branch of the Agriculture and Food Agency, explained that at that time every farmer was not required to retain samples, and the scope was ultimately narrowed to twenty to thirty farmers, but all their corn was mixed together, making it impossible to identify the actual perpetrators, and since all the farmers could not be penalised, the case could only be closed without indictment.
Since the GM corn mixing incident the year before last, the Agriculture and Food Agency promoted "full sample retention" last year, in two stages. First, when farmers hand over freshly harvested wet corn to drying plants, a sample of the kernels must be retained and signed to guarantee which farm household the kernels came from and where. When the dried corn is handed over to the farmers' association, a 300-gram sample must also be retained for every truckload and every sample.
Another outbreak this year: has the government failed to guard the gate?
Does this renewed outbreak of a similar incident show that the government has failed to guard the gate? Huang Zhaoxing, head of the Grain Storage and Transport Section of the Agriculture and Food Agency, pointed out that to improve this situation, a sample retention and traceability mechanism was developed last year. This year's similar incident came to light during spot checks of samples, when contamination was found, but the exact situation requires re-testing, and if a definite fact is established, the perpetrators will be penalised.
"It is still in the inspection stage now, not a final result." Huang Yiren responded that all samples have been sealed and the evidence preserved, and the investigation is still ongoing, so it is not convenient to disclose details publicly.
Was it deliberate mixing or contamination of domestic corn? Agriculture and Food Agency: still investigating
Was it farmers privately growing GM corn? Domestic corn fields contaminated by GM corn? Or unscrupulous operators deliberately mixing in GM corn to pocket the price difference? Huang Yiren stressed that the first stage is to clarify the facts, and no inference can be made yet; first confirm that such mixing really occurred, and if the samples are confirmed to be genuinely problematic and contaminated, then further investigation and targeting will follow. "In theory, we can trace it back to individual farmers." Once specific people are identified, they will be referred directly to the prosecution and investigation authorities.
Farmers: imported and domestic prices are similar, so mixing for profit is unlikely
The farmers' association's contract purchase price is nine yuan, while the market price is between a little over five and a little over six, so is there a situation of mixing in GM corn to pocket the price difference? Puzi farmer Hou Jinbiao, who both grows corn and dries corn on contract for others, said he dries small quantities of corn for farmers and has not heard of any GM corn being mixed in. But this year's corn harvest is poor - could there be mixing to pocket the price difference? "There shouldn't be this situation this year, imported prices are rising too."
Agriculture and Food Agency then issued a news release: confirms GM corn detected in Puzi
After Upperstream and Downstream's exclusive revelation, the Agriculture and Food Agency also immediately issued a press release stating that among 76 samples submitted for testing this year, 1 sample from Puzi City, Chiayi County was found to contain genetically modified ingredients, and the questionable samples have been sent for testing to trace the source of the corn kernels in depth. In addition, the Puzi City Farmers' Association has more than two hundred tonnes of hard corn in stock, and the Agriculture and Food Agency has requested that it be held in reserve.
Taiwan, China imports about 4-5 million metric tonnes of hard corn (that is, feed corn) each year, and the domestic self-sufficiency rate is only 1.5%, but with fluctuating international prices and large domestic demand, the Agriculture and Food Agency guides farmers' associations and farmers in contract production. However, because a price gap exists between domestic corn and GM corn, mixing incidents keep breaking out, so last year the Agriculture and Food Agency drew up a plan to conduct full sample retention and spot testing in major production areas nationwide during the hard corn harvest period. Whether farmers deliver kernels, drying plants deliver dried kernels, or farmers' associations sell kernels, kernel samples should all be retained for tracking and traceability.
However, GM corn mixing incidents keep breaking out, continually testing the Agriculture and Food Agency's gatekeeping ability. After full sample retention was implemented, another mixing incident has broken out, and whether the follow-up investigation can really identify definite perpetrators will also test whether the mechanism the Agriculture and Food Agency implemented last year is effective.