Corn trait wins EU approval: Monsanto

A European Union decision to allow imports of a Monsanto corn variety that “stacks” traits for corn borer resistance and Roundup herbicide tolerance is good news for Canadian corn growers, the company said Thursday.

Monsanto reported that the EU will allow its YieldGard Corn Borer (MON 810) hybrid varieties for food and feed use. The product had been grandfathered in EU countries in 2005 for use in processed feed, the company said, but EU officials hadn’t moved until yesterday to grant full regulatory approval.

Full EU approval means the “Market Choices” designation can be lifted from the affected varieties, Monsanto said. The Market Choices program and label, developed by the American Seed Trade Association, designates varieties that are fully approved for food and feed use in markets such as the U.S., Canada or Japan, but not in the EU.

Corn growers who produce Market Choices varieties are bound to use certain designated delivery options such as feedlots, feed mills and on-farm feeding, or delivery to grain handlers who agree to accept and channel the grain accordingly, Monsanto explained.

However, Monsanto Canada on Thursday cautioned that Canadian growers who have planted YieldGard Plus, YieldGard Rootworm with Roundup Ready Corn 2, YieldGard VT Triple, YieldGard VT Rootworm/RR2 or YieldGard Plus stacked with Roundup Ready Corn 2 hybrids will still have to market the grain under the Market Choices program until all necessary approvals are received from EU regulators.

Dow AgroSciences picked up similar EU import approvals for its Herculex RW rootworm protection trait and its “stacked” Herculex I Insect Protection and Roundup Ready Corn 2 — both of which are also sold under the “Market Choices” label — but not for its Herculex Xtra traits, the company announced Wednesday.