Cablegate: Poland's View On Unapproved Biotech Varieties in U.S.

VZCZCXRO9031
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR
DE RUEHWR #0915 2471500
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 041500Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY WARSAW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8847
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS WARSAW 000915

STATE FOR EEB/TPP/ABT, EUR/ERA
STATE PASS TO USTR
USDA FOR FAS/OSTA NAIM OCRA/NENON, KOWALSKI
BRUSSELS FOR AG MINISTER COUNSELOR,
EU MEMBER STATES FOR AGR AND ECON

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD PL

SUBJECT: POLAND'S VIEW ON UNAPPROVED BIOTECH VARIETIES IN U.S.
SOYBEAN SHIPMENTS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD PL

REF: STATE 86566

1. Summary. Poland likely supports, or will abstain from voting,
on suspended U.S. soybean shipments due to the EU zero tolerance for
unapproved biotech varieties -- if the September 7 Ag Ministers
Council meeting discusses the issue. End summary.

2. August 28, Ag Counselor delivered reftel demarche to Ministry of
Agriculture, Department for Animal and Feed Products, Director
Wojciech Wojtyra. Wojtyra commented that the Ministry had no
position on the low level presence issue. Wojtyra added that the
Polish Grain and Feed Producers Association and others had written
the Ministry asking for support to raise the zero tolerance limit to
a workable level. Wojtyra said that there had been no communication
from the Commission or other member states to Poland about the
issue.

3. September 4, Ag Counselor met with member companies'
representatives of the Polish Grain and Feed Producers Association.
Contacts reported that in their view the Ministry will either
abstain or support the issue if raised. Called for comment, MinAg
declined to confirm how it might vote.

ASHE

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