House Panel Probes USDA for Clearing Chinese Genetically Engineered Soybeans

Qi Biodesign, an agricultural biotech firm based in Beijing, is backed by official Chinese institutes in research and development as well as funding.

Soybeans are loaded on to a truck on Feb. 17, 2020. Jorge Adorno/Reuters

Republicans on the House China panel probed the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regarding its clearance of a Chinese biotech firm to sell genetically engineered soybeans in the United States.

The USDA said its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service reviewed the new high oleic acid soybean by Qi Biodesign and determined it has no authority to regulate the soybean.