Latest news with #FusariumGraminearum
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
What Airport Agents Found in This Traveler's Bag Could Wreck U.S. Farms
A seemingly routine trip through Detroit Metro Airport took a sharp turn when federal agents uncovered something alarming in a traveler's luggage—something that could have jeopardized America's food supply. The BBC reported that authorities say Zunyong Liu flew into the United States from China carrying Fusarium graminearum, a crop-destroying fungus responsible for Fusarium head blight, a disease that plagues staple grains like wheat, barley, and rice. Liu told officials he brought the fungus to study with his girlfriend, Yunqing Jian, who works in a University of Michigan lab. Both Liu and Jian now face serious federal charges, including conspiracy, smuggling, false statements, and visa fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Michigan. Fusarium graminearum isn't new to the U.S. In fact, it's already a major issue in North American agriculture. But experts say importing new or potentially more virulent strains of the fungus could worsen the problem, potentially leading to widespread crop failure and supply chain disruptions. The fungus spreads more aggressively in warm temperatures and not only damages crops, but also produces toxins that can cause vomiting, dizziness, and even raise the risk of cancer if consumed. That's part of why federal prosecutors have cited scientific literature calling it a potential 'agroterrorism weapon.' Despite the dramatic charges, some experts are urging perspective. 'It's extremely prevalent in North America,' Harold Kistler, an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota, told CBS News. 'It's not like a foreign agent coming in—it likely arose here.' Still, the incident highlights just how vulnerable the agricultural system is, especially at the intersection of global travel and science. Security officials didn't release details about how the fungus was discovered, but its presence in a passenger's bag has raised fresh concerns about biosecurity lapses at ports of entry. So far, no widespread contamination has been reported, but the case remains under investigation. In the age of rising global temperatures and shifting supply chains, a single missed bag could mean disaster for crops, and by extension, the food millions depend Airport Agents Found in This Traveler's Bag Could Wreck U.S. Farms first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 5, 2025
Malay Mail
30-06-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Trump downplays Chinese hacking, IP theft and pathogen smuggling, says US ‘getting along well' with Beijing
WASHINGTON, June 30 — President Donald Trump on Sunday dismissed the importance of aggressive actions linked to Beijing including recent arrests of two Chinese nationals accused of smuggling a dangerous pathogen into the United States, saying 'that's the way the world works.' Trump told Fox News that Washington behaves in a similar way. 'You don't think we do that to them? We do, we do a lot of things,' he said on the 'Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo' show. 'That's the way the world works. It's a nasty world.' Trump was responding to a question about how he viewed Chinese intellectual property theft, hacking of the US telecoms system and controversy around the Covid-19 pandemic. He likewise dismissed concerns over a case in which two Chinese nationals were accused last month of smuggling in a toxic fungus. Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34, are charged with conspiracy, smuggling, false statements, and visa fraud. The US Justice Department said the pair conspired to smuggle into the United States a fungus called Fusarium graminearum that causes 'head blight,' a disease of wheat, barley, maize, and rice. Trump downplayed this saying, 'you don't know where that came from, though. I mean, did that come from the country, or is that three wackos that happened to carry something?' Referring to the ongoing US-China trade war, Trump appeared to signal he was satisfied, saying 'We're getting along well with China.' He added: 'I think getting along with China is a very good thing, but they are paying substantial tariffs.' This past week the White House signaled trade progress with China, with an official saying both sides have reached an understanding on issues including expediting rare earth shipments to the United States. After talks in Geneva in May, Washington and Beijing agreed to temporarily lower steep tit-for-tat tariffs on each other's products. — AFP
Daily Mail
20-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Urgent warning issued over dangerous fungus smuggled into US by Chinese nationals
As tensions around the globe race towards the breaking point, US officials are warning Americans to watch out for an agricultural sneak attack by foreign agents. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller issued a statewide warning on Wednesday, urging Texans to look out for signs of crops which may have been infected with harmful pathogens that can make people seriously ill. The warning came after three Chinese nationals were arrested and charged in early June with smuggling a dangerous biological pathogen into the US that could devastate essential crops like corn, wheat, and barley. One of the suspects, Yunqing Jian, is reportedly a member of the Chinese Communist Party and is suspected of smuggling other pathogens into the US on previous trips before being caught. Although Miller said the latest threat to US crops has been fully contained, Americans should be on alert for more acts of 'agroterrorism.' 'The concern goes beyond reduced yields; we could face toxins in bread, cereal, and livestock feed, which could disrupt our food supply. That means we must remain vigilant, stay informed, and stay ahead of risks,' Miller warned. Miller revealed that the dangerous fungus smuggled in, Fusarium graminearum, can easily spread through crops and then infect people. 'Grains contaminated and transferred to humans may cause nausea, vomiting, and immune system issues... this represents a serious threat to our personal health, food supply, and security,' the Texas Agriculture Commissioner said. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller (pictured) warned on Wednesday that Americans need to watch for signs of tampering with US crops as global tensions rise Fusarium graminearum, also called head blight or scab, is so dangerous because it loves warm, wet conditions and spreads easily through spores carried by wind or rain. The fungus also produces mycotoxins, poisonous chemicals created when Fusarium graminearum grows on crops. These toxins are invisible, tasteless, and can stick around in food even after cooking or processing. Simply put, mycotoxins are tiny, harmful substances that sneak into food and can make you sick if you eat too much of them over time. They're especially dangerous to young children, pregnant women, and animals because they can cause serious health problems. 'I've said this before, and I'll repeat it again: we cannot allow anyone to compromise our national security,' Miller declared in a statement. 'I'm proud of Texas for responding promptly when those mysterious seeds from China returned. We must act consistently, stay proactive, assert our stance, and convey to the world that Texas agriculture is not to be trifled with,' he added. FBI director Kash Patel issued a chilling warning after the first pictures emerged of Jian on June 3. 'This case is a sobering reminder that the CCP[Chinese Communist Party] is working around the clock to deploy operatives and researchers to infiltrate American institutions and target our food supply,' Patel said. Jian, a University of Michigan postdoctoral fellow, has been charged alongside Zunyong Liu, 34, for the sinister plot allegedly tied to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The Trump Administration has been cracking down on visas given to Chinese students, including those with connections to the CCP or studying in critical fields, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. If successful, US officials said this latest plot 'would have grave consequences... putting American lives and our economy at serious risk.' The duo have been charged with conspiracy, smuggling, making false statements, and visa fraud. The Trump Administration has continued to claim that the CCP has been actively harming US industries through agricultural sabotage and costly trade restrictions. Both China and Russia are allies of Iran, which is currently in a deadly conflict with Israel and is under immense pressure from the US to end its nuclear weapon programs. Russia has already warned the US not to join the fighting on the side of Israel, warning that the move could lead to a full-scale war. On Tuesday, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun criticized the US for 'fanning the flames' and 'pouring oil' on the Iran-Israel crisis, specifically referencing President Trump's warning for Iranians to evacuate Tehran. Texas's agricultural chief noted that their are four signs local crops may have been infected with a harmful fungus like Fusarium graminearum. Farmers and anyone living near crops should look out for bleached or prematurely whitened spikelets, the individual flower structures that make up the head (or 'spike') of the plant. Also watch for shriveled, lightweight, or chalky grains known as 'tombstone' kernels, the individual seeds or grains produced by the plant. Another sign of infection is pink or salmon-colored fungal growth at the base of infected kernels under moist conditions. Lastly, any crops that have dark brown discoloration on the rachis (the stem of the head) may cause spikelet sterility, where the plant doesn't produce usable seeds (grains). Fusarium graminearum has been responsible for causing billions of dollars worth of damage to livestock, wheat, barley, corn, and rice globally each year.
CBS News
17-06-2025
- CBS News
Plea deal discussed for Chinese national accused of smuggling pathogens in U.S.
Attorneys for one of the Chinese nationals accused of smuggling a "potential agroterrorism weapon" into the U.S. say they are working on a plea deal. Originally set to meet on Tuesday afternoon, Yunqing Jian's attorneys asked the court to move her preliminary hearing to early August. In the joint filing, prosecutors and Jian's defense team said, "The parties are currently engaged in plea negotiations and request this additional time so that they can continue." The 33-year-old postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan and her boyfriend, 34-year-old Zunyong Liu, face charges of conspiracy, smuggling goods into the United States, false statements, and visa fraud. The pathogen at the center of the case, Fusarium graminearum, is a noxious fungus known to cause "head blight," a disease that affects barley, rice, wheat and maize, and causes economic losses worth billions of dollars each year. The court approved the motion, moving Jian's next hearing to Aug. 18. Jian remains in custody without bond until then.
Associated Press
17-06-2025
- Science
- Associated Press
Lawyers say plea deal is being pursued for Chinese scientist charged in US toxic fungus case
DETROIT (AP) — Lawyers for a Chinese scientist charged with conspiring to nurse a toxic fungus at a University of Michigan lab already are in talks to try to resolve the case, according to a court document filed Tuesday. 'The parties are currently engaged in plea negotiations and request this additional time so that they can continue engaging in plea negotiations,' a prosecutor and defense attorneys said in a joint filing. Yunqing Jian, 33, was a researcher at the University of Michigan when she was arrested on June 3. She's accused of helping her boyfriend, another Chinese scientist, try to work with a pathogen known as Fusarium graminearum, which can attack wheat, barley, maize and rice. Zunyong Liu, 34, was was turned away at the Detroit airport in July 2024 and sent back to China after red plant material was discovered in his backpack, the FBI said. After first denying it, Liu acknowledged that he was carrying different strains of Fusarium graminearum, investigators said. The university had no federal permits to work with the material. Jian's Boston-based lawyers have declined to comment. She remains in custody without bond. Federal authorities say the case presents national security concerns, though they have not alleged that the scientists had a plan to unleash the fungus. Fusarium graminearum is already prevalent in the U.S., and scientists have been studying it for decades. Jian was a postdoctoral scholar at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China, before being granted a visa to conduct research at a Texas university. She has been working in Michigan since summer 2023. Separately, another scientist headed to the University of Michigan was arrested June 8 at Detroit Metropolitan Airport after arriving on a flight from China. She is charged with shipping biological material to the U.S. without a permit. The material is related to worms.
