Availability of Petition for Deregulation of Corn Developed Using Genetic Engineering

November 10, 2020

Dear BRS Stakeholder,

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is inviting public comment on a request from Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. (Pioneer) to extend deregulation to a corn variety developed using genetic engineering. Seed Production Technology for Africa (SPTA) maintainer maize (DP56113 maize) was developed for maintenance and recovery of male-sterile corn breeding lines.

APHIS previously reviewed and deregulated the traits in DP56113 maize in another corn variety developed by Pioneer, referred to as DP-32138-1 maize.

APHIS reviewed Pioneer’s extension request and prepared a preliminary plant pest risk similarity assessment (PPRSA), concluding that DP56113 maize is not more likely to pose a plant pest risk than the previously deregulated DP-32138-1 maize.

APHIS is making the PPRSA and the deregulation extension request available for public review for 30 days.

APHIS will carefully review all feedback on these documents received during the public comment period. If APHIS does not receive any new scientific information, the Agency will announce the extension of deregulation to DP56113 maize on its website.　

The deregulation extension request and the PPRSA can be accessed now on the News page of the APHIS Biotechnology Regulatory Services website. This notice may be viewed in today’s Federal Register at: https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2020-25037. Beginning November 12, members of the public will be able to submit comments through December 14 at: http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2020-0097.