USDA-APHIS Hold Clearfield Cl131 Rice Seed Distribution

Ron DeHaven, Administrator of the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently released a statement regarding APHIS hold on Clearfield CL131 rice seed. Tests on the long-grain rice seed revealed the possible presence of trace levels of genetic material not yet approved for commercialization.

APHIS has already issued emergency action notifications (EANs) to inform distributors that the seed, which is scheduled for planting this spring, must be held until APHIS can verify and identify the presence of additional genetic material. "APHIS is taking this action because the genetic material detected in Clearfield CL131 seed might be regulated, in which case it would not be approved for commercial use,” said DeHaven.
Clearfield is a registered trademark of BASF. Clearfield CL131 was not developed as a genetically engineered product. The company and its licensed seed distributor of Clearfield CL131, Horizon Ag, are fully cooperating with APHIS.

Read the complete statement from APHIS at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom/content/2007/03/ge_riceseed_statement.shtml.