SEPTEMBER 2017 GERMINATION.CA 59 “WHENITTAKESFOURTOSIXYEARS, ORMORE,TOSECUREREGULATORY APPROVALSINCERTAINMARKETS,ITIS CLEARTHATACOUNTRY’SREGULATORY SYSTEMISBROKEN." –WesleySpurlock and food functionality. Vistive Gold soybeans were developed with input from leading food companies over the last decade and can benefit consumers as well as farmers, according to Monsanto. “Oil produced with Vistive Gold soybeans is a beneficial cooking oil,” says Lisa Streck, Monsanto’s soybean launch lead. “It can be used cost effec- tively as a cooking oil that is low in saturated fat with zero grams trans fat per serving. Vistive Gold soybean oil also delivers the same great taste and texture that people expect from cooking oils, as well as shelf life that is equal to, or better than, traditional oils.” Vistive Gold soybeans represent one of the first crops developed through the com- bination of biotechnology and traditional breeding that enable farmers to help food companies bring improved cooking oil to consumers. The soybeans will be built upon the proven performance of Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans, giving farmers a strong yield opportunity and may provide the ability to earn a premium for the nutritionally improved oil, Monsanto said “Vistive Gold soybeans is a unique product that we’ve been working to bring to market,” Streck adds. “We continue to establish partnerships with pro- cessors and are preparing for commercial launch in 2018.” EUROPE THE EUROPEAN Commission authorized five genetically modified organisms (GMOs) for food/feed use. These GMOs are as follows: •  cotton 281-24-236 x 3006-210- 23 x MON 88913; • cotton GHB 119; •  maize Bt11 × 59122 × MIR604 × 1507 × GA21; • maize DAS-40278-9; and deliver control of corn root- worm for a healthier corn crop with higher yield potential, according to Syngenta. The Agrisure Duracade trait has completed the Food and Drug Administration consulta- tion process, received registra- tion from the Environmental Protection Agency and has been fully deregulated by the USDA since 2013. THE NATIONAL CORN GROWERS Association (NCGA) Corn Congress has called for faster access to new biotechnology- enhanced crop traits. The move reflects growing frustration among NCGA members over excessive regulatory delays in the international marketplace. The Corn Congress is comprised of a 127-member delegate body, representing 49 affiliated state corn organiza- tions from 28 states. “Farmers recognize that a strong, science-based, regula- tory system is essential to reas- sure consumers about the safety and quality of our crops,” said Wesley Spurlock, a farmer from Stratford, Texas, and NCGA president. “At the same time, when it takes four to six years, or more, to secure regulatory approvals in certain markets, it is clear that a country’s regula- tory system is broken.” The NCGA’s new policy sup- ports the commercialization of new biotechnology-enhanced corn traits that: a) have been approved by the U.S. and Japan; and b) have faced delays of more than 30 months from any government with a non-func- tioning regulatory system. By comparison, there are biotechnology traits that have been awaiting regulatory approval in certain markets for the past 48 to 72 months. •  the renewal of maize MON 810. The GMOs approved had gone through a full authorization procedure, including a favour- able scientific assessment by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The authorization decisions do not cover cultivation. The authorizations are valid for 10 years, and any products produced from these GMOs will be subject to the EU’s strict labelling and traceability rules, the European Commission announced. UNITED STATES SYNGENTA ANNOUNCED it has received notification of import approval from the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture for its Agrisure Duracade trait. The approval covers corn grain and processing co- products, including dried distillers grains (DDGs) for food and feed use. “Obtaining this regulatory approval opens up new opportunities for our corn seed portfolio. Growers can expect more choice and exciting new hybrids that offer elite genetics plus the latest in corn rootworm control technology,” said Syngenta CEO Erik Fyrwald. Corn rootworm costs American growers more than $1 billion annually due to yield losses and costs of control measures. Agrisure Duracade, which features a unique mode of action, helps