Brussels, Belgium
April 26, 2007
DuPont, through its subsidiary,
Pioneer Hi-bred International,
Inc., met an important milestone toward the
commercialization of its proprietary Optimum™ GAT™ trait (known
as soybean event 356043) with the publication on the EFSA
website of the application for approval for the
import, food and feed use of
this trait in soybeans. The same trait was submitted for
approval in the United States on November 28, 2006 and the EU
submission keeps the Company on track for U.S. commercial
introduction of soybean products containing the Optimum GAT
trait by 2009 as well as approval for import in key export
markets shortly thereafter.
The Optimum GAT trait will give growers an improved choice in
herbicide-tolerant soybean seed that maximizes yield potential,
improves crop safety and expands weed control options.
"This is a significant step for Pioneer," said Alejandro Muñoz,
vice president, European Operations, Pioneer Hi-Bred
International, Inc. "Pioneer is pursuing EU approvals of all our
biotech products and we are endeavouring to submit
near-simultaneous approval applications around the world so as
to minimise the possibility of trade disruption caused by
asynchronous approvals. We expect the EU to process this
application according to the timelines set out in its own
legislation and anticipate EU approval for import, food and feed
use of soybean event 356043 in early 2009.”
DuPont has completed its regulatory submissions for soybeans
with the Optimum GAT trait in the United States and Canada for
cultivation approval and in Mexico for import approval.
Additional submissions for import approval will be made in
Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Australia-New Zealand.
The Optimum GAT trait is a proprietary herbicide-tolerance trait
that DuPont plans to commercialize in corn, cotton and other
crops, following its 2009 introduction in soybeans. In addition
to maximizing growers' yield potential and providing unsurpassed
glyphosate tolerance, this next-generation herbicide tolerance
trait was created to provide farmers with new weed control
options. This includes the ability to incorporate complementary
ALS herbicides offered by DuPont Crop Protection into a
glyphosate program, giving growers longer lasting, broader
spectrum control under more conditions.
The Optimum GAT trait is the first-ever agricultural trait
developed through proprietary DuPont gene shuffling technology.
Further information on this
trait is available at:
http://www.pioneer.com/web/site/portal/menuitem.889f710333784bac81127b05d10093a0/
Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., a subsidiary of DuPont is
the world's leading source of customized solutions for farmers,
livestock producers and grain and oilseed processors. With
headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa, Pioneer provides access to
advanced plant genetics in nearly 70 countries.
DuPont is a science-based products and services company. Founded
in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable
solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for
people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont
offers a wide range of innovative products and services for
markets including agriculture and food; building and
construction; communications; and transportation.
EFSA Application number: EFSA-GMO-UK-2007-43
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/science/gmo/gm_ff_applications/more_info/gmo_uk_07_43.html
Optimum™, GAT™ and the Optimum Design are trademarks of Pioneer
Hi-Bred International, Inc. |
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