The American Soybean Association (ASA) has continued to pressure the European Commission to provide final approval of Xtend soybeans that have been awaiting final authorization from the Commission since January.  ASA also met separately with Monsanto and companies like Pioneer, that have in-licensed the trait , to discuss each company’s planning to keep Xtend soybeans planted in 2016 out of EU export channels should EU approval be further delayed.

ASA is aware of reports of potential inappropriate and unauthorized use of dicamba over Xtend soybeans in the mid-South that reportedly caused crop injuries. Below are updates on all three issues.

Final Authorization in the European Union

While Xtend soybeans are approved for import into China and other major U.S. soy export markets, final approval in the European Union (EU) has been pending since January.  ASA has continued its pressure on the EU to provide final authorization; we hope and anticipate that final approval will be received in the next number of days.  We will keep the ASA board and states informed of developments.

Xtend Soybeans and EU Approvals – In recent weeks ASA has met separately with Monsanto and Pioneer (which was in-licensed by Monsanto to sell Xtend soybeans in 2016) to discuss the status of Xtend soybeans in the EU, and planning to keep Xtend soybeans out of EU export channels should approval be further delayed. The EU commission has communicated to government agencies and been quoted in the press on multiple occasions that the final import approval for Xtend soybeans would be completed soon. The companies are very cognizant of the need to keep unapproved biotech events out of export channels so that U.S. soy exports are not disrupted and U.S. soybean farmers do not suffer losses. The companies remain in dialogue with ASA and key industry partners, including the grain handling sector, on this important issue. Farmers are encouraged to talk with their seed dealer with any questions.

Reports of Dicamba Injury to Crops

Over the past week there have been news stories reporting on potential dicamba injury to crops, and that the Missouri, Arkansas and Tennessee Departments of Agriculture are investigating such reports.

Some Key Points:

• ASA is aware of recent news reports of potential injury to crops from suspected dicamba herbicide use, and that appropriate state departments of agriculture are investigating such reports.
• Susceptible crops can sustain injury from dicamba herbicides due to non-complete cleanout of spray equipment, wind drift, or volatilization in certain climatic conditions (in which the liquid turns into a vapor in certain climatic conditions and moves from its placement on a field).
• In the case of drift or volatilization, injury to nearby susceptible crops could occur if dicamba was being used to “burn down” the weeds in a field prior to planting of a double-crop, if dicamba was being used to control weeds in nearby corn fields or other crops for which dicamba use is approved, or if dicamba was inappropriately used in an over-the-top application on a dicamba tolerant soybeans or cotton (Xtend soybeans and cotton).
• If dicamba was sprayed by an operator on Xtend soybeans or cotton, such in-season crop use was inappropriate and unauthorized because the labels for such use still are in the process of being finalized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  Growers were advised by ASA, Monsanto, Pioneer, BASF, and other sellers of Xtend soybeans and cotton that dicamba use was not approved for over-the-top application during the 2016 growing season.
• Both Monsanto and BASF have developed dicamba formulations that significantly reduce volatilization and thus will help avoid any non-target crop damage.  Labels for these formulations currently are pending review by the EPA.  ASA is working with Monsanto, BASF, and EPA for approval of these labels this summer/fall so that these low-volatility dicamba formulations will be available to growers in the 2017 growing season.