Posted January 21, 2015
Monsanto
has received approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for new genetically
modified cotton and soybean seeds, according to
an ABC News article available here. Capital Press also
published the article here,
and The Wall Street Journal also published an article available here
and.
GMO seeds
are used to decrease pest and weed damages and increase yields and
herbicide tolerance. But many crops can develop a resistance to herbicides so companies must develop a new version.
The new
soybean and cotton seeds are designed to tolerate glyphosate exposure as well
as dicamba, according to The
Wall Street Journal.
The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is “nearing completion of its concurrent
review” of a new dicamba and glyphosate formulation.
Environmental
and consumer groups opposing the new formulation have argued that stronger weed
killers pose more of a threat to the public’s health.
For more information on biotechnology, please visit the
National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
