Monsanto officials say they expect the USDA to give the all clear for the Roundup Ready by the years end. However, Chinese approval for the system's soybeans won't be done by the the end of 2014.
"In the interest of stewardship, that will push us back for (Roundup Ready Xtend) soybeans to 2016 (pending regulatory approval)," says John Combest, a Monsanto spokesperson during a recent interview with Agriculture.com. He said the farmers need to know that Roundup Ready Xtend soybeans will be able to be exported. It's key to have China's approval first before introducing the product to farmers.
Monsanto originally planed on releasing the product in 2014. That was before the USDA decided to have Animal and Plants Health Inspections Services (APHIS) launch two separate environmental impact statements (EIS) for traits that tolerate 2, 4-D and diacamba herbicides.
Dow AgroScience is still aiming for a 2015 release of its Enlist Weed Control System that includes soybeans tolerant 2, 4-D. Just how large the scope and size of the release is up to the US approvals and import approvals from foreign nations. Like the Roundup situation, China is a stickler for gaining import approvals of Enlist system components.
"There are still some approvals that need to be gained there," says Damon Palmer, Dow AgroSciences US commercial leader for Enlist. That applies to other soybean systems as well as Enlists technology. Authorities in Canada, Australia, Japan, Colombia, Taiwan, and Mexico have all cleared Enlist components for export.
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