USDA unable to weed out unapproved modified foods

The U.S. food supply is at risk of being invaded by unapproved imports of genetically modified crops and livestock. The report, released by the U.S. Agriculture Department's Office of Inspector General, said the USDA does not have an import control policy to regulate imported GMO animals. Its policy for GMO crops could become outdated as other nations boost production of their own GMO crops, the report added.

The Office of Inspector General recommended the department develop an overall control policy for all GMO imports and implement a strategy to monitor GMO crop and livestock development in foreign nations.

The audit found that the USDA needs to develop screening measures to weed out undeclared GMO crops and livestock. The department currently has no measures in place to identify a shipment of unapproved GMO imports unknown to the U.S. regulatory system, the report said.

The report noted that China has pledged $500 million toward biotechnology by 2010 and has developed a new form of GMO rice.

Although the implications associated with Americans consuming unapproved GMO food are unknown, the health and environmental concerns that it poses could threaten commerce.

Steve - we discussed this inevitability when we attended a public comment event held by the USDA. It is coming to fruition as predicted because the USDA and FDA are underfunded, undermanned, and corrupt (as they themselves have stated).