USDA final analysis recommends deregulation of GE bentgrass

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service received a request (APHIS Petition 15-300-01p) from The Scotts Company LLC of Marysville, OH and Monsanto Company of St. Louis, MO seeking a determination of nonregulated status for ASR368 creeping bentgrass that has been engineered to be resistant to the herbicide glyphosate. When APHIS receives a petition for nonregulated status of an article currently regulated under its PPA authority codified in 7 CFR part 340, the Agency is required to make a decision. As a Federal agency, APHIS must also comply with applicable U.S. environmental laws and regulations because a decision on a petition for nonregulated status, whether positive or negative, is a final Agency action that might cause environmental impacts. The petition stated that APHIS should not regulate ASR368 creeping bentgrass because it does not present a plant pest risk. In the event of a determination of nonregulated status, the nonregulated status would include ASR368 creeping bentgrass and any progeny derived from crosses between ASR368 creeping bentgrass and conventional creeping bentgrass, including crosses of ASR368 creeping bentgrass with other biotechnology-derived creeping bentgrass varieties that are no longer subject to the regulatory requirements of 7 CFR part 340