Posted January 7, 2014
USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently announced that it will reopen the comment period for the genetically engineered (GE) Arctic Apple, according to an article by Agri-Pulse available here. The Federal Register notice is available here.
The comment period for the plant pest risk assessment and draft environmental assessment of the GE apple has been reopened through January 30.
APHIS explained the reason for reopening the comment period was “due to numerous requests for additional time to prepare and submit comments.” The letter to stakeholders is available here.
The GE apple varieties (Arctic Golden and Arctic Granny) resist browning and were developed by Okanagan Specialty Fruits Inc. (OSF), a Canadian Company. APHIS recommended the two varieties to be granted non-regulated status. In its environmental assessment, APHIS stated that the apples “have the potential to improve fruit processing capabilities for maintaining the quality and shelf life of apples.”
The U.S. Apple Association stated that it doubted “the consumer demand was there for those (non-browning) attributes” and that the apple’s success “will become a matter of consumer choice.”
For more information on biotechnology, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
Share: