September 21, 2009
Brazil approves new varieties of GMO corn
Brazil's biosecurity regulator, CTNBio, approved two new varieties of genetically modified corn on Thursday (September 17), both of which have been engineered to resist pests and glyphosate-based herbicide.
The seeds were developed by the world's largest seed company, Monsanto and the world's largest agrochemicals company, Syngenta.
A third variety developed by Syngenta with insect resistant properties only, was also approved, bxringing to nine the total number of GMO corn varieties approved for use in Brazil.
According to agricultural consultants Celeres, about 30 percent of the seed planted for Brazil's 2009-10 summer corn crop will be one of these genetically modified kinds.
