After a thorough review of biotech traits, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced its decision in deregulating Dow AgroSciences’ Enlist corn and soybean traits. The traits will help with resistant weeds that have more than doubled since 2009 and infest approximately 70 million acres of American farmland.
According to a Dow AgroSciences release, the Enlist traits are part of the Enlist™ Weed Control System, a new trait and herbicide technology that will control herbicide-resistant and tough weeds. USDA’s decision applies to the Enlist corn, Enlist soybean and Enlist E3™ soybean traits. Enlist E3 soybeans are being developed through collaboration between MS Technologies and Dow AgroSciences.
Along with the USDA’s announcement, Enlist Duo herbicide, the companion herbicide to the Enlist traits, is expected to be approved in the near future from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
“Enlist will help farmers increase their productivity to meet the growing demand for a safe and affordable food supply,” said Tim Hassinger, president, Dow AgroSciences. “We’ve used the latest science and technology to address problem weeds. Enlist will be a very effective solution and we’re pleased to have this technology one step closer to the farmgate.”