DuPont submits Optimum™ GAT™ Trait in Soybeans for EU approval

Next-generation herbicide tolerant trait awaiting EFSA safety evaluation

BRUSSELS, Belgium,- DuPont, through its subsidiary, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., met an important milestone toward the commercialization of its proprietary Optimum™ GAT™ trait (known as soybean event 356043) with the publication on the EFSA website of the application for approval for the import, food and feed use of this trait in soybeans. The same trait was submitted for approval in the United States on November 28, 2006 and the EU submission keeps the Company on track for U.S. commercial introduction of soybean products containing the Optimum GAT trait by 2009 as well as approval for import in key export markets shortly thereafter.

The Optimum GAT trait will give growers an improved choice in herbicide-tolerant soybean seed that maximizes yield potential, improves crop safety and expands weed control options.

“This is a significant step for Pioneer,” said Alejandro Muñoz, vice president, European Operations, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. “Pioneer is pursuing EU approvals of all our biotech products and we are endeavouring to submit near-simultaneous approval applications around the world so as to minimise the possibility of trade disruption caused by asynchronous approvals. We expect the EU to process this application according to the timelines set out in its own legislation and anticipate EU approval for import, food and feed use of soybean event 356043 in early 2009.”

DuPont has completed its regulatory submissions for soybeans with the Optimum GAT trait in the United States and Canada for cultivation approval and in Mexico for import approval. Additional submissions for import approval will be made in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Australia-New Zealand.

The Optimum GAT trait is a proprietary herbicide-tolerance trait that DuPont plans to commercialize in corn, cotton and other crops, following its 2009 introduction in soybeans. In addition to maximizing growers’ yield potential and providing unsurpassed glyphosate tolerance, this next-generation herbicide tolerance trait was created to provide farmers with new weed control options. This includes the ability to incorporate complementary ALS herbicides offered by DuPont Crop Protection into a glyphosate program, giving growers longer lasting, broader spectrum control under more conditions.

The Optimum GAT trait is the first-ever agricultural trait developed through proprietary DuPont gene shuffling technology. See a full media kit and further information on this trait.