必克四级拓展：VOA慢速

From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report.
这里是美国之音慢速英语农业报道。

China has rejected more than one million metric tons of United States corn since last November. The Chinese Government says it is not accepting shipments that include Agrisure Viptera made by the seed company Syngenta. China says it has not approved importing this genetically-modified kind of corn seed.
自去年十一月起，中国已经拒绝超过100万吨美国玉米入境。中国政府称不会接受包含先正达种子公司Agrisure Vipter品种转基因玉米的货物。中国表示，该国从未批准这种转基因玉米种子的进口。

A GMO food has had gens from other plants or animals added to its natural genetic content. America's National Grain and Feed Association says the rejection is costly. It says the Chinese action is responsible for almost $3 billion in losses to the U.S. agricultural industry.
转基因食品将其它植物或动物的基因添加到自身的遗传基因中。美国国家谷物和饲料协会说，中国拒绝入境的这一举动对美国农业造成了近30亿美元的损失。

Wendell Schauman is a farmer in the central state of Illinois. He also is a past leader of the U.S. Grains Council. He has traveled to China to represent American farmers.
温德尔•绍曼（Wendell Schauman）是美国中部的伊利诺伊州的一位农民。他也是美国谷物协会的前任负责人。他曾代表美国农民到过中国。

"We're the largest corn producer in the world. We're the best supply. We have the best infrastructure to deliver that," said Schauman.
绍曼说："我们是全球最大的玉米生产国，我们供应了最好的产品，我们有最好的配套来确保这一供应。"

Mr. Schauman says demand for American corn used to feed animals is up throughout the world, except in China. But that country has a very large market for it.
绍曼表示，全球对使用美国玉米作为饲料的需求都在上升，唯独中国例外。但该国在这方面拥有极大的市场。

"We went from just minimal sales over there to rather significant ones over two or three years, and, now, just this year, it's dropped back to almost nothing," said Schauman.
绍曼说："在那里，我们从非常少的销量起步，在两三年内销量急剧上升。然而到了今年，销量几乎回落到零。"

Mr. Schauman says the genetically-modified seeds rejected by China are similar to other GMOs in that they have valuable qualities.
绍曼说，被中国拒绝的转基因种子和其它转基因作物一样，它们都拥有有价值的品质。

"They're effective. They help us produce a better quality crop." said Schauman.
绍曼说："它们可以有效帮助我们生产出质量更好的玉米。"

He says some GMOs increase the size and quality of harvest at a lower cost to farmers. And he says some help the environment because they limit the kinds of pesticides control needed.
他说，转基因作物以极低成本帮助农民提高了收成的规模和质量。他还表示，其中一些还有利于环境，因为它们限制了防治虫害所需农药的品种。

Mr. Schauman says he believes Chinese rejection may not result from the product itself.
绍曼表示，他认为中国的拒收可能不是因为产品本身。

"They haven't approved it, so they won't accept it. Basically, they know there's nothing wrong with it," said Schauman.
绍曼说："他们还没有通过这类产品的认证，因此他们不会接受它。基本上来说，他们知道转基因玉米并没有什么问题。"

Craig Turner is a contributing editor for the online publication GrainAnalyst.com. He says when China really needed corn in the past, it will take any kind of corn.
克莱格•特纳（Craig Turner）是谷物分析网（ GrainAnalyst.com）的特约编辑。他说，在过去中国确实对玉米有需求，他们就会接受任何种类的玉米。

Mr. Turner also says corn prices dropped when news first spread of the Chinese rejection. He says corn was trading at about $4.20 a bushel at that time. People feared prices would fall below $4 a bushel.
特纳还表示，中国拒收的消息一传开，玉米价格有所下降。他说，当时玉米交易价格在4.2美元每蒲式耳，人们担心价格会跌破4美元每蒲式耳。

Chinese restrictions continue, but corn prices have since gone up again. Still Wendell Schauman says the situation has led to general mistrust of farmers who use the genetically-modified crop and grain companies that accept it.
中国的限制依旧，但玉米价格已经再次上涨。然而绍曼表示，这一形势已经造成农民和粮食收购企业对转基因玉米的普遍不信任。

And that's the VOA Learning English Agriculture Report. I'm Caty Weaver.
以上就是本期美国之音慢速英语农业报道的全部内容。我是卡蒂•韦弗（Caty Weaver）。

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