The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has opened a 45-day public comment period on its draft environmental impact statement (EIS) and draft plant pest risk assessment (PPRA). These documents have been prepared in response to a petition from Bayer CropScience U.S. to deregulate their genetically engineered MON 87429 corn cultivar.
Bayer’s MON 87429 corn is engineered for tolerance to multiple herbicides, including dicamba, glufosinate, quizalofop, 2,4-D, and tissue-specific glyphosate. The company indicates that this cultivar is designed for hybrid seed production and is not likely to pose plant pest risks.
The draft EIS delves into the potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts of approving Bayer’s petition to deregulate the MON 87429 corn cultivar. Simultaneously, the draft PPRA evaluates the potential plant pest risks associated with the cultivar.
Previously, on May 8, 2020, APHIS published Bayer's petition, soliciting public comments for 60 days. The feedback helped define the scope and determine the appropriate environmental documentation for an informed decision. Based on the public comments and information received, APHIS decided an EIS, rather than an environmental assessment, was necessary to evaluate the environmental impacts of deregulating MON 87429 maize.
On April 28, 2021, APHIS issued a notice of intent (NOI) to prepare an EIS for the petition, requesting public input to identify alternatives and relevant information for the draft EIS. The agency reviewed all comments received from the NOI and included a summary of these comments and responses in Appendix 1 of the draft EIS.
The draft EIS and draft PPRA are available for review on the Federal Register, and public comments will be accepted from March 22 through May 6, 2024. This comment period offers an opportunity for stakeholders and the public to provide input on the potential deregulation of Bayer’s genetically engineered corn cultivar.
