The Gene A Public Voice               The Exchange A Public Voice on Biotechnology and Agriculture     Union of Concerned Scientists Summer 1998 What's Coming to Market? An update on US commercialization of transgenic crops The chart below summarizes agency actions on commercialization of genetically engineered agricultural products as of June 1998. Unlike earlier versions, this chart does not list engineered microbial products or products pending approval. Since the last issue of the Gene Exchange, no new engineered microorganisms have been approved for commercialization. Product Institution Altered Trait Purpose Sources of New Genes Agency Action1 Approved for Sale /Name2 Canola (Oilseed rape) Monsanto/ Calgene Altered oil composition -- high lauric acid Expand use in soap & food products Calif. bay, turnip rape, bacteria, virus USDA/approved FDA/approved3 EPA/not req. 1995 Laurical Canola Hoechst/ AgrEvo Resistance to herbicide glufosinate Control weeds Bacteria USDA/not req.4 FDA/approved3 EPA/not req.4 Yes Liberty Link Canola Monsanto Resistance to herbicide glyphosate Control weeds NA5 USDA/not req.4 FDA/approved3 EPA/not req.4 Yes Roundup Ready Canola Hoechst/ AgrEvo/ Plant Genetic Systems Male sterility/ fertility restorer Facilitate breeding NA5 USDA/not req.4 FDA/approved3 EPA/not req.4 Yes Unknown Chicory, red hearted (Radicchio) Bejo Zaden Male sterility/ resistance to herbicide glufosinate Facilitate breeding bacteria USDA/approved FDA/approved EPA/not req. Yes Seed Link Corn Monsanto Resistance to corn borer (Bt toxin) Control insect pests Bacteria USDA/approved FDA/approved3 EPA/approved Yes YieldGard Corn (field & pop) Novartis/ Ciba-Geigy Resistance to corn borer (Bt toxin) Control insect pests Corn, bacteria, virus USDA/approved FDA/approved3 EPA/approved 1995 (field) 1998 (pop) KnockOut Corn Mycogen Resistance to corn borer (Bt toxin) Control insect pests Corn, bacteria, virus USDA/approved FDA/approved3 EPA/approved 1995 NatureGuard Corn (field & sweet) Novartis/ Northrup King Resistance to corn borer (Bt toxin) Control insect pests Bacteria USDA/approved FDA/approved3 EPA/approved 1996 (field) 1998 (sweet) Bt11 Corn Monsanto/DeKalb Resistance to corn borer (Bt toxin) Control insect pests Bacteria USDA/approved FDA/approved3 EPA/approved Yes Bt-Xtra Corn Monsanto Resistance to herbicide glyphosate & to corn borer (Bt toxin) Control weeds & insect pests Bacteria USDA/approved FDA/approved EPA/approved Yes Unknown Corn Monsanto/ DeKalb Resistance to herbicide glufosinate Control weeds Bacteria, virus USDA/approved FDA/approved3 EPA/approved6 Yes Unknown Corn Hoechst/ AgrEvo Resistance to herbicide glufosinate Control weeds Bacteria, virus USDA/approved FDA/approved3 EPA/approved6 Yes Liberty Link Corn Hoechst/ AgrEvo/ Plant Genetic Systems Male sterility/ resistance to herbicide glufosinate Facilitate plant breeding/ control weeds Bacteria, virus USDA/approved FDA/approved3 EPA/approved6 1995 Seed Link Cotton Monsanto/ Calgene/ Rhone Poulenc Resistance to herbicide bromoxynil Control weeds Bacteria, virus USDA/approved FDA/approved3 EPA/approved6 1995 BXN Cotton Cotton DuPont Resistance to herbicide sulfonylurea Control weeds Tobacco, bacteria USDA/approved FDA/approved3 EPA/approved6 Yes Unknown Cotton Monsanto Resistance to bollworm & budworm (Bt toxin) Control insect pests Bacteria USDA/approved FDA/approved3 EPA/approved 1995 Bollgard Cotton Monsanto Resistance to herbicide glyphosate Control weeds Arabidopsis, bacteria, virus USDA/approved FDA/approved3 EPA/approved6 1996 Roundup Ready Cotton Monsanto/ Calgene/ Rhone Poulenc Resistance to herbicide bromoxynil & bollworms & budworms (Bt toxin) Control weeds & insect pests Bacteria, virus USDA/approved FDA/approved3 EPA/approved 1998 Unknown Papaya Univ. Hawaii/ Cornell Univ. Resistance to papaya ringspot virus Control virus disease Bacteria, virus USDA/approved FDA/approved3 EPA/approved7 1997 Unknown Potato Monsanto Resistance to Colorado potato beetle (Bt toxin) Control insect pests Bacteria USDA/approved FDA/approved3 EPA/approved 1995 New Leaf Soybean Monsanto Resistance to herbicide glyphosate Control weeds Petunia, soybean, bacteria, virus USDA/approved FDA/approved3 EPA/approved6 1995 Roundup Ready Soybean DuPont Altered oil composition -- high oleic acid Increase stability, reduce polyunsat. fatty acids Soybean, bacteria, virus USDA/approved FDA/approved3 EPA/not req. 1997 Unknown Soybean Hoechst/ AgrEvo Resistance to herbicide glufosinate Control weeds Bacteria USDA/approved FDA/approved3 EPA/approved6 1998 Unknown Squash Seminis Vegetable Seeds/ Asgrow Resistance to watermelon mosaic 2 & zucchini yellow mosaic viruses Control two virus diseases Viruses USDA/approved FDA/approved3 EPA/approved7 1995 Freedom II Squash Seminis Vegetable Seeds Resistance to cucumber mosaic, watermelon mosaic 2, & zucchini yellow mosaic viruses Control three virus diseases Bacteria, viruses USDA/approved FDA/approved3 EPA/approved7 1997 Unknown Tomato (cherry) Agritope Altered ripening Enhance fresh market value Bacteria USDA/approved FDA/approved3 EPA/not req. 1996 Unknown Tomato Monsanto/ Calgene Delayed ripening Enhance fresh market value Tomato, bacteria, virus USDA/approved FDA/approved3 EPA/not req. 1994 Flavr Savr Tomato DNA Plant Technology Delayed ripening Enhance fresh market value Tomato, bacteria, virus USDA/approved FDA/approved3 EPA/not req. 1995 Endless Summer Tomato Monsanto Delayed ripening Enhance fresh market value Bacteria USDA/approved FDA/approved3 EPA/not req. 1995 Unknown Tomato Zeneca/ PetoSeed Thicker skin, altered pectin Enhance processing value Tomato, bacteria, virus USDA/approved FDA/approved3 EPA/not req. 1995 Unknown Notes: 1Action may respond to either voluntary or required submissions from companies. 2Because of arrangements among some companies to market each other's crops, it is no longer possible to track all names of products. If we know the original name assigned to a production, we will list that name only. 3FDA "approval" means that FDA has completed consultations with a company and will allow the product to enter the market once regulatory requirements are met at other agencies. Except for the Calgene tomato approved in 1994, FDA consultations are abbreviated reviews of company safety assessments. 4Companies are importing crushed canola seeds and/or canola seeds to crush and sell as canola oil and feed. Since these transgenic canola seeds are not being planted in this country, approval from USDA was not necessary. 5Information not available. 6EPA "approval" means that EPA registers the herbicide to be used on the transgenic crop. The agency does not evaluate the risks of the transgenic crop itself. 7EPA "approval" means that EPA grants a tolerance for the viral gene and protein produced in the transgenic crop. The agency does not evaluate the risks of the transgenic crop itself. Sources: Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety; U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; Federal Register notices; communications with company representatives and staff of US Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, Environmental Protection Agency; W.D. Gelernter, "Transgenic Pest Control Products: Development and Commercialization Status," Transgenic Plants in Mesoamerican Agriculture, A.J. Hruska and M.L. Pavon, eds., pp. 39-47, Zamorano Academic Press, Tegucigalpa, Honduras, 1997. Return to Gene Exchange contents LINK to Union of Concerned Scientists Dec 1996 Listing of genetically engineered agricultural products Union of Concerned Scientists 2 Brattle Square, Cambridge, MA 02238-9105 617-547-5552, ucs@ucsusa.org