Roundup Ready alfalfa has approval by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to be granted what is called a non-regulated status. This allows alfalfa growers to plant Roundup Ready Alfalfa. Roundup Ready Alfalfa has been genetically modified to be resistant to the Roundup herbicide.
This decision has been determined based on a thorough plant pest assessment prepared by APHIS. Their findings indicate there is not any plant pest risk associated with the use of Roundup Ready alfalfa.
Farmers can plant Roundup Ready alfalfa seed without further oversight from APHIS. However, farmers will be subject to contract restrictions within Monsanto’s technology use agreement. These non-regulatory restrictions include managing hay to prevent seed production, harvesting at or before ten percent bloom in areas where seed is produced, and prohibitions on use in wildlife feed plots. Also, growers whom grow alfalfa for seed must follow Forage Genetics Best Practices.
This information has been published by APHIS Biotechnology Regulatory Services January 2011: “Questions and Answers: Roundup Ready Alfalfa Deregulation.”
For more information, contact Wayne Flanary at 660-446-3724 or Heather Benedict at 660-425-6434, Regional Agronomists, University of Missouri Extension.
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