Biotech Updates

Taiwan, South Korea Approve Eight-Trait GM Corn for Import

December 11, 2009

Monsanto Company and Dow AgroSciences announced that they have received full regulatory approval for importation of products produced from the genetically modified SmartStax corn in Taiwan and Korea. SmartStax combines eight different insect protection and herbicide tolerance genes. It has previously received approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and regulatory authorization from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). Korea and Taiwan are significant importers of U.S. and Canadian corn. Grain produced from SmartStax corn can also be imported to Japan, Australia, and New Zealand among other countries.

SmartStax is the product of a cross-licensing agreement and research and development collaboration signed in 2007 between Monsanto and Dow AgroSciences. The companies plan to launch the GM corn on 4 million-plus acres next year.

View the press release at http://monsanto.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=777