The US Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has called for public comment on a petition to deregulate corn genetically engineered (GE) to produce a microbial enzyme that helps in ethanol production.

 

APHIS has regulated the corn through its notification and permitting process since 2002.

 

The petition for deregulation, submitted by Syngenta Seeds is in accordance with APHIS' regulations concerning the introduction of GE organisms and products and is available for the public’s review and comment.

 

As part of the decisionmaking process, APHIS also has prepared a draft environmental assessment (EA) for review and comment.

 

Following the comment period, APHIS makes a determination of nonregulated status if it can conclude that the organism does not pose a plant pest risk.

 

If APHIS grants the Syngenta Seeds petition for deregulation, the GE corn and its progeny would no longer be regulated articles.

 

The product could then be freely moved and planted without the requirement of permits or other regulatory oversight by APHIS.

 

The scientific evidence indicates that there are unlikely to be any environmental, human health or food safety concerns associated with the GE corn.

 

APHIS is responsible for protecting US agriculture and the environment from animal and plant pests. APHIS regulates GE products in cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

 

In compliance with agency policy, Syngenta Seeds, Inc. submitted a food and feed safety and nutritional assessment summary to FDA for this GE corn. EPA is not involved in evaluating this GE corn because it has not been engineered to produce a pesticide or to be tolerant to an herbicide.

 

APHIS has safely regulated GE organisms since 1986 and has overseen the deregulation of more than 70 products.