EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy detailed the ways EPA and USDA are working together to streamline the review and approval process of new weed-resistant and herbicide-tolerant crops during a hearing of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies. Administrator McCarthy said that decisions on some products are coming soon.

The Administrator’s testimony comes following a letter from ASA and fellow farm groups earlier in March calling for swifter approvals for new traits.

“Farmers need timely access to new technologies to prevent and mitigate weed resistance, increase yields, and fight pests. Weed resistance is real. Farmers need timely EPA approval of the pending and forthcoming companion herbicides for GE crops to prevent and fight this problem,” wrote the groups in the letter. “The ability of farmers to remain profitable, along with our ability to export a substantial portion of our production, is being negatively affected by both weed resistance and delays in regulatory approvals. The sooner we have more technology to control weeds that are resistant to herbicides (especially based on metabolic resistance) – the better chance we will have of averting major weed control concerns.

The full letter can be downloaded below.

[gview file="https://soygrowers.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Follow-up-letter-to-EPA-re-March-13-meeting.pdf"]