Russia heaps restrictions on GMO imports | Progresiv
Russia has adopted a new law to ban imports of GM feed in war on genetically modified organisms (GMO) found in meat and feed products. 
Meat imports from Ukraine and the EU are banned under Russia's food embargo, so GMO restrictions for these country apply only on compound feed products. However, Belarus, the largest supplier of meat to Russia within the Eurasia Economic Union has to impose self-restrictions since the beginning of July, according to Russia's minister of agriculture Alexander Subbotin.
“Import into Russia of products of animal origin from several Belarus companies have been temporarily suspended, due to non-compliance with Russian quality standards”, Subbotin stated in a letter to Russian veterinary body Rosselkhoznadzor. He added that Belarus had agreed with Russia's complaints and had initiated an internal investigation to identify the factors that had resulted in the supply of low-wuality products.
Earlier, Rosselkhoznadzor had raised concerns over GMO in compound feeds and meat from Belarus. The two countries have a free trade zone within the Eurasia Economic Union.
On 15 June, Rosselkhoznadzor banned imports of feed from Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and France, after identifying GM components in several shipments. On 22 June, similar restrictions were introduced against Ukraine feed producer Katerinopolsky Elevator as, according to the Russian veterinary watchdog, it had also been found dupplying GM feed to Russia.
These decisions have been followed by a new law, effective from 4 July and signed by Vladimir Putin, implementing a full ban of imports on compound feed products containing GM ingredients for livestock, as well as GM animals. The only exception has been made for imports of goods destined for scientific research.
Several market participants have supported new law, claiming it will bring more order to the market, where GM feed has been present for quite some time. (www.globalmeatnews.com)
