By Ryan Hanrahan
Progressive Farmer’s Todd Neeley reported that “two Chinese nationals, including a scholar at the University of Michigan, were arrested for allegedly smuggling a pathogen into the U.S. that is known to be destructive to corn, wheat, rice and barley crops, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court on Monday.”
“Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34, citizens of the People’s Republic of China, were charged with conspiracy, smuggling goods into the U.S., false statements and visa fraud, according to a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan,” Neeley reported. “The U.S. Attorney Office in Detroit said in a news release on Tuesday the FBI arrested Jian in connection with the pair’s alleged smuggling into the U.S. of a fungus called Fusarium graminearum, which scientific literature classifies as a potential agroterrorism weapon.”
“The complaint filed in federal court, however, does not allege the couple had plans to unleash the pathogen on U.S. farms,” Neeley reported. “According to the complaint, Jian received Chinese government funding for her work on the pathogen in China.”