Capital Press - The West's Ag Website
12/11/2008 10:26:00 AM
Mateusz Perkowski Capital Press

It looks like cauliflower mosaic virus, crown gall disease and E.coli may have some useful purposes after all.

Genes from these plant and human pathogens have been inserted into corn by the Syngenta company, creating a new cultivar that improves the efficiency of ethanol production.

The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service recently announced it will consider deregulating the genetically engineered corn, currently known as Event 3272, which would allow it to be freely grown and sold in the United States.

"There are no other petitions submitted for nonregulated status for GE organisms related to ethanol production," according to an APHIS draft risk assessment. "If granted nonregulated status, Event 3272 corn could be the only GE variety available (specifically) for ethanol production."

Read the full story