September 21, 2007

Brazil biosafety agency approves Syngenta GM corn

Multinational seed maker, Syngenta Seeds, had its genetically modified sweet corn, Bt-11, approved by the Brazilian biosafety agency, CTNBio, Thursday (September 21).

Syngenta Seeds is a unit of Syngenta AG (SYT).

CTNBio's approval is the first step in a process that can take as long as two years before Brazilian farmers can commercially plant the transgenic corn.

Monsanto Company (MON) and Bayer CropScience also have had transgenic corn products approved this year by the organization, but none have yet been allowed commercially.

The Syngenta seeds grow into corn plants resistant to certain worms and caterpillars. The mechanism that provides the insect protection is based on a soil bacteria known as bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt.

Bt-11 is permitted in the US, Canada and Argentina, among other nations.

Corn is Brazil's No. 2 crop behind soy.