(RT) The commercial use of new herbicide-resistant, genetically modified corn and soybean seeds moved one step closer to reality on Friday when the United States Department of Agriculture announced their introduction in limited quantities.
The new seeds have been genetically engineered by Dow AgroSciences to survive the hefty application of 2,4-D, a widely used weed killer that’s commonly known as one of the ingredients in the Vietnam War-era herbicide Agent Orange.
According to a report by the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, these modified seeds will be used in restricted field trials while the agency continues to evaluate the possibility that it will deregulate the product altogether, despite concerns regarding a surge in herbicide use.
Last May, government officials delayed the approval of the new crops until they had conducted new environmental impact statements (EIS). In addition to the APHIS report, a separate review is currently underway by the Environmental Protection Agency with the goal of determining the consequences of extensive 2,4-D use that’s likely to occur should the seeds come to market.
Although the EPA review should be released sometime over the next few months, it’s unclear when exactly the final rulings on the herbicide and the seeds will be made. If approved, farmers would be able to plant the new seeds while spraying fields with 2,4-D throughout the life of the crops, which in their current variation are still susceptible to the herbicide.
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