Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain is reminding seed dealers and farmers that all rice seed in Louisiana must be tested for Liberty Link 601 traits.

“The Liberty Link rule was passed in May of 2007 to protect Louisiana’s rice industry from embargos being placed on genetically modified rice containing Liberty Link traits,” Strain explained. “The production of rice contributes more than $235 million to the state’s economy so even the slightest disruption in the availability of markets for our product would be detrimental to the industry.”

Trace amounts of genetically modified rice with Liberty Link 601 traits were originally detected in the U.S. rice supply in August 2006. Although USDA and FDA concluded after reviewing scientific data that there was no threat to human health, food safety or the environment, the European Union placed an embargo on U.S. rice. Other rice importing nations threatened to follow suit.

“Rice producing states had to determine how to best handle the Liberty Link issue. This led to the state’s Seed Commission implementing a rule that says all rice seed must be tested for the presence of Liberty Link traits. If the rice seed is free of those traits, it can be sold and planted for crop production,” Strain said. “If the seed is found to contain Liberty Link traits, it will be placed under a stop sale and either destroyed or sent to a mill that will accept the seed as grain.”

To begin the testing process, seed dealers and farmers should contact the Department of Agriculture and Forestry for sampling. Field personnel will collect a sample and submit it to Biodiagnostics Laboratory Inc. in Wisconsin for testing. Biodiagnostics is approved by USDA to conduct the Liberty Link test. Once testing is complete, the department receives results from the lab and notifies the owner of the sample as to the results.

Samples can be retested if they test positive the first time, but a new sample will not be taken. The retest is only permitted on the original sample.

“Again, all of this is to protect our rice industry from the financial harm inadequate precautions might cause,” Strain said. “Every rice-producing state has implemented rules and regulations regarding Liberty Link traits and Louisiana’s are not out of line with what other states are doing.”

For more information, contact Eric Gates or Lester Cannon at 225-925-4733.