According to Reuters, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) has signed off on a new genetically modified type of corn developed by Monsanto after a review concluded it posed no significant threat to agricultural crops, other plants, or the environment. The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced it would deregulate Monsanto’s MON 87411 maize, which was developed to protect plants against corn rootworms that can damage roots and drag down grain yields and be tolerant to the herbicide glyphosate. The trait would be inserted into a line of corn seeds’ genetic code and could be “stacked” with other traits.
Assessments still need to be made by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and regulators in other countries. Monsanto is planning a full commercial launch of its SmartStax PRO, a line of products featuring MON 87411 maize, by the end of the decade pending necessary regulatory approvals, the company said in a statement.
