USDA Announces Deregulation of Enhanced Yield, Herbicide Tolerant Corn Variety Developed Using Genetic Engineering

Dear BRS Stakeholder,

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is deregulating a corn variety designated as DP202216 developed by Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. (Pioneer) using genetic engineering for enhanced yield potential and resistance to glufosinate-ammonium herbicides.

As part of the petition process, APHIS prepared a draft plant pest risk assessment (PPRA) and draft environmental assessment (EA), and made these documents available for a 30-day public review and comment period on July 20, 2020.

APHIS considered all public comments and conducted a thorough review of the potential environmental impacts in its final EA pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), reaching a finding of no significant impact (FONSI).

APHIS concluded in its final PPRA that the DP202216 corn variety is unlikely to pose a plant pest risk to agricultural crops or other plants in the United States and is deregulating it effective the date of publication of the Federal Register notice. The final EA, PPRA, FONSI and regulatory determination are available on the News page of the APHIS Biotechnology Regulatory Services website.