null
Lucia A Keegan  09/11/2006 03:56:35 PM  From  DB/Inbox:  Lucia A Keegan

Cable 
Text:                                                                      
                                                                           
      
UNCLAS    SENSITIVE     PARIS 06040

SIPDIS
cxparis:
    ACTION: AGR
    INFO:   UNESCO SCI POL ECNO DCM AMB ECON TRDO

DISSEMINATION: AGRX
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: AGR: EBERRY
DRAFTED: AGR: MCHENARD
CLEARED: AGR:MMEADOR ECON: TWHITE SCI:RDRY

VZCZCFRI267
RR RUEHC RUEHRC RUCNMEM RUEHMRE RUEHSR RUEHGV
RHEHAAA
DE RUEHFR #6040 2511443
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 081443Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1141
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES
RUEHMRE/AMCONSUL MARSEILLE 1314
RUEHSR/AMCONSUL STRASBOURG 0178
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2481
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC

UNCLAS PARIS 006040 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
BRUSSELS PASS USEU FOR AGMINCOUNSELOR 
STATE FOR OES; EUR/ERA AND EB (SPIRNAK); 
STATE PASS USTR FOR MURPHY; 
USDA/OS/JOHANNS AND PENN/TERPSTRA; 
USDA/FAS FOR OA/YOST/SIMMONS/JONES; 
ITP/SHEIKH/MACKE/TOM POMEROY/MIKE WOOLSEY/GREG YOUNG; BOB 
RIEMENSCHNEIDER 
FAA/SEBRANEK/BLEGGI; 
EU POSTS PASS TO AGRICULTURE AND ECON 
GENEVA FOR USTR, ALSO AGRICULTURE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR ETRD EU FR
SUBJECT: GM RICE FOUND IN FRANCE BY GOF AUTHORITIES 
 
REF: State 136471 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  The French Government is testing for the presence 
of GM rice in U.S. long grain products already on the French market, 
an action which goes beyond the EU Commission's decision to have 
Member States test rice imports for the presence of GM material. 
Tests revealed several lots that contained the presence of LLRice 
601 and French authorities removed them from the market.  France 
imported 30,000 MT of rice from the U.S. in 2005, 95 percent of 
which was long grain, with a value of $12.6 million.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Following the EU Commission's decision on August 23 to 
have Member States test imports of U.S. long grain rice for the 
presence of GM material, the French Government (GOF) notified the 
Commission that they would test imported products already on the 
French market. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Tests performed by the Fraud Control Office (DGCCRF) of 
the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry showed several 
lots of US origin long grain rice were contaminated with the 
LLRice601 event at a rate lower than 0.1 percent.  The lots, which 
were imported by two French companies, were immediately removed from 
the French market.  According to DGCCRF, this action was not related 
to any food safety risk, but rather because, in accordance with EU 
requirements, a product is forbidden on the EU market until it is 
authorized. 
 
¶4. (SBU) DGCCRF informed FAS/Paris that they will participate in the 
meeting of the EU Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal 
Health next Monday, September 11, where EU Member States are 
expected to discuss ways to harmonize their policies on the issue of 
testing rice already in the EU market.  For instance, French 
authorities relayed their understanding that UK authorities won't 
test GM rice in lots already in the UK market. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Comment:  The presence of unauthorized GM rice in U.S. 
shipments may have a dampening effect on French imports of long 
grain rice from the United States, particularly if widely publicized 
by anti-GMO groups.  France imported 30,000 MT of rice from the U.S. 
in 2005, 95 percent of which was long grain variety, with a value of 
$12.6 million.  Of interest, DGCCRF is also testing to confirm 
whether rice shipments from China contain GM rice. FAS/Paris will 
continue to monitor and report on the situation.  End Comment. 
 
Stapleton