On July 16, 2015, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS) released a preliminary assessment of a GMO corn
product created by Monsanto, finding the product to be unlikely to pose a “plant
pest risk” moving the product into consideration for deregulation.
MON 87403, the product, has been engineered to increase the
biomass of the corn during the early stages of reproduction as compared to
non-modified varieties. According to the environmental assessment, the field
tests of the product showed increased yields compared to other varieties in a
majority of the test locations.
The current regulations on the product control the
introduction into the environment and interstate movement, as well as
importation. The current regulations will only continue until APHIS makes a
declaration that the product is not a plant pest risk, thereby removing the
regulations on the product. Comments on the assessment and the possibility of
deregulation are open until August 20, 2015, and can be made here.
Written by Tyler R. Etter
July 21, 2015
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