APHIS Issues Regulatory Status Review Responses

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently reviewed two plants modified using genetic engineering to determine whether they posed an increased plant pest risk as relative to non-modified comparators: 

• Inari Agriculture, Inc., modified corn for higher yield.
• Greenlab, Inc., modified corn to produce a protein sweetener called brazzein in seeds and for herbicide resistance. 

APHIS found these modified plants were unlikely to pose an increased plant pest risk compared to other cultivated plants. As a result, they are not subject to regulation under 7 CFR part 340. From a plant pest risk perspective, these modified plants may be safely grown and bred in the United States. 

You can view these RSR requests and APHIS’ responses on the APHIS website.