Verdeca LLC has petitioned the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service seeking a determination of nonregulated status for the new HB4 soybean, Glycine max, which has been genetically engineered for increased yield.

The petition is available for review and comment to identify potential environmental and economic issues and impacts.

All comments received on or before Jan. 16, 2018, will be considered.

How do you submit a comment?

Go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=APHIS-2017-0075

Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:  Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS–2017–0075, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A–03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737–1238. 

Where can you find more information?

Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may be viewed at http://www.regulations.gov/ - !docketDetail;D=APHIS-2017-0075

or in our reading room, which is located in room 1141 of the USDA South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, please call (202) 799–7039 before coming.

The petition is also available on the APHIS Web site at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/biotechnology/ petitions_table_pending.shtml under APHIS petition 17–223–01p.

Tell us more about HB4 soybean.

The soybean, known as event IND-00410-5, has been genetically engineered to increase yield through the insertion of the HaHB4 transcription factor gene variant from sunflower. This gene reduces the plant’s sensitivity to ethylene, which would otherwise negatively impact growth.

Source: USDA, Federal Register