According to a statement last week by Beijing Food Safety Volunteers the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture has confirmed to them that Monsanto’s RR2 Xtend GMO soybeans have not been approved for import, despite the company’s claims earlier in 2016.

In February 2016, Monsanto told American farmers growing GMO Roundup Ready soybeans that China had approved the import of Monsanto’s new RR2 Xtend soybeans tolerant to both Glyphosate + Dicamba herbicides.

However, this seems to have been a “lie” according to Beijing Food Safety Volunteers, who received the following statement from China’s Agriculture Ministry:

“Our ministry never accepted Monsanto’s safety evaluation application material for ‘Glyphosate- tolerance + Dicamba-tolerance” GM soybeans (MON87708×MON89788), never issued ‘Safety Certificate’ to Monsanto’s  ‘Glyphosate- tolerance + Dicamba-tolerance” GM soybeans (MON87708×MON89788). Government information, i.e. “Safety Certificate” No. and awarding date, you applied disclosure for Monsanto’s  ‘Glyphosate- tolerance + Dicamba-tolerance” GM soybeans (MON87708×MON89788) accordingly does not exist.”

“Our ministry never accepted Monsanto’s safety evaluation application material for ‘Glyphosate- tolerance + Dicamba-tolerance’ Government information, i.e. unrevised copy of “Edible Safety” toxicology animal test report, you applied disclosure for Monsanto’s ‘Glyphosate- tolerance + Dicamba-tolerance” GM soybeans (MON87708×MON89788) accordingly does not exist.