Origin Agritech Ltd., based in Beijing, has planted biotech corn seeds in a U.S. greenhouse, “an early step toward launching China’s first GMO corn products in the United States,” said Reuters. The next step, field tests of seed that resist insect and herbicide damage, are scheduled for the summer, according to the company.
Before it can put its seeds on the market, Origin Agritech will need approval from the USDA, the EPA and the FDA. The company is using seed technology developed in China. The United States is the largest corn producer in the world, followed by China. The world’s largest seed company is Monsanto, based in St. Louis.