USDA today announced deregulation of Roundup Ready Alfalfa (RRA) without conditions.
The agency had published an environmental impact statement (EIS) December 16, 2010, with a minimum 30-day waiting period between EIS release and deregulation.
As soon as the USDA announcement is published in the Federal Register, which could come in the next day or few days, growers will be able to talk to seed companies about purchasing RRA seed for the 2011 growing season. Companies have been able to continue to grow and harvest RRA seed even as they waited for EIS to be completed. So there should be ample seed supplies for this spring, says Mark McCaslin, president of Forage Genetics International, co-developer of RRA.
McCaslin emphasizes his company and the seed industry remain committed to stewardship programs that enable grower choice and co-existence with non-GMO crops. But like all Roundup Ready crop, no refuge areas will be required for Roundup Ready Alfalfa. For more information, click here.
