Brazil: Two Biotech Corn Varieties Approved
1 July 2008 Brazil’s National Biosafety Council (CNBS) has approved two genetically modified (GM) corn varieties: Bayer CropScience‘s Liberty Link glufosinate tolerant corn; and Monsanto‘s MON 810, with in-plant lepidoptera resistance.
These two varieties, along with another insect resistant corn variety from Syngenta – were approved in 2007 by the National Biosafety Technical Commission (CTNBio). However, because of the joint position of the Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Health in opposition to the release of these corn varieties, the final decision was taken to the National Biosafety Council (CNBS), which is comprised of 11 cabinet ministers. Under the current legal framework established by Brazil’s Biosafety Law 11,105/2005, CNBS is the highest institutional body to give a final decision to release biotech products for planting and sale.
With CNBS approval, Bayer and Monsanto can now register their varieties at the Ministry of Agriculture and start planting the biotech seeds for multiplication. However, it is estimated that it will take up to two crop years before Brazilian farmers can begin to plant the varieties.
Syngenta’s biotech corn was left for the next meeting of the CNBS, which has yet to be scheduled.
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