China Approves GMO Rice, Corn As Safe To Grow And Use

China, which produces 31 percent of the world’s rice and 20 percent of the corn, has approved home-grown, genetically modified strains of the two staples that will yield pest- and herbicide-resistant crops to boost food supplies. The country had only approved GMO cotton for large-scale production, according to this Bloomberg report, but potential water and farmland shortages are forcing a re-evaluation of policy. According to a market researcher, trial planting, marketing and public acceptance of the crops are necessary before mass-production and commercialization take place. Nevertheless, the Chinese agricultural ministry called it “an important achievement for domestically researched GMO technology.”