USDA - APHIS - Biotechnology

BRS News and Information

Update for Rice Industry on the Handling of Clearfield 131 Long-grain Rice Seed

On April 9, APHIS began reissuing emergency action notifications (EAN) to distributors that will allow for the movement of Clearfield 131 (CL131) rice seed for disposal. Under the revised EANs, CL131 rice seed not previously treated with pesticides can be moved to mills for devitalization. Pesticide-treated seed can be moved to approved landfills for destruction. All movements must be completed by August 1, 2007. The EANs are updates to the EANs APHIS issued on March 4-5, instructing that the seed must be held, after testing by a private company revealed the presence of trace levels of regulated genetically engineered rice in CL131.

APHIS announced on March 22 that testing conducted by two USDA laboratories identified LLRICE604 as the source of the genetic material. This testing was part of an ongoing investigation into the presence of minute levels of regulated genetic material found in Clearfield 131 (CL131) rice seed. LLRICE604 was developed by Bayer Cropscience for herbicide tolerance as part of the LLRICE600 series. The protein contained in LLRICE604, phosphinothricin-N-acetyltransferase, (PAT), has a long history of safe use and is present in many deregulated products. FDA has concluded that the presence of rice from the LLRICE 600 series at low levels in food and feed would pose no food or feed safety concerns. Based on this determination, APHIS will not prevent movement or processing of CL131 rice from previous years.

During processing at mills, rice is devitalized, or prevented from germinating. Devitalized rice is not capable of living or developing successfully, thus eliminating the possibility that it can be planted and grown. Because rice going to mills is comprised of a mixture of rice varieties, any minute levels of regulated genetic material that might be present in CL131 will be further diluted by the volume of other rice varieties.

View the March 22 APHIS press release

View the March 9, 2007 statement

View the March 5, 2007 statement