Congressman John Moolenaar Chairman of the Select Committee on the CCP | Official Website
WASHINGTON D.C. -- Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party has written to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, questioning why the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved a Chinese agricultural biotech company with close ties to the Chinese government to operate in the United States. The firm, Qi Biodesign, produces genetically engineered soybean seeds and was prioritized for USDA regulatory approval ahead of many American agricultural companies currently facing extensive delays.
Select Committee Members Neal Dunn (R-FL), Dusty Johnson (SD), Ashley Hinson (R-IA), Carlos Gimenez (R-FL), and Ben Cline (R-VA) joined in signing the letter.
The lawmakers expressed several concerns, stating, “Qi Biodesign and other PRC firms like it are directly supported by the PRC government with the explicit purpose to replicate and replace U.S. agriculture biotechnology. While the PRC is clear-eyed about its desire to never allow its agriculture industry to be reliant on foreign technology, it appears the USDA is approving PRC agriculture biotechnology without concern for U.S. supply chains or trade negotiations. USDA’s clearance of Qi Biodesign’s products undermines years of hard-nosed U.S. trade demands and could make U.S. farmers complicit in the PRC’s desire to replace them.”
Chairman Moolenaar highlighted how perplexing it is for USDA to extend these benefits to companies tied to a chief adversary, especially when China forbids U.S. agricultural companies from operating within its borders. He noted that this decision raises serious questions for American consumers who mistrust genetic engineering from China.
Government-backed actors from China have a history of stealing U.S. agricultural intellectual property, including incidents where individuals have dug up seeds from U.S. farm fields to smuggle back to China.
In light of these concerns, Chairman Moolenaar requested that Secretary Vilsack revisit the regulatory status review for Qi Biodesign and asked for a briefing addressing several questions:
1. What steps does USDA take to protect U.S. supply chains from foreign adversaries when making regulatory decisions?
2. What steps does USDA take to ensure reciprocity between nations prior to greenlighting another country's technology?
3. What was the complete timeline of USDA’s regulatory status review of Qi Biodesign products?
4. Was USDA’s completion of the regulatory status review of Qi Biodesign’s products discussed as part of the U.S.-PRC Joint Committee on Cooperation in Agriculture?
5. Did USDA consult with USTR prior to completing the review of Qi Biodesign’s products?
6. Will USDA suspend review of PRC-based company submissions until China's Phase 1 commitments in agriculture biotechnology are met?
