U.S. Wheat Industry Applauds USDA Approval of Drought Tolerant Wheat Trait
August 28, 2024
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that it plans to deregulate the HB4 drought-tolerant trait from Bioceres Crop Solutions.
Both the the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) and U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) are thankful for the USDA's decision to provide a robust, science-based process that affords a pathway for the cultivation of the HB4 trait in the United States, which has the potential to benefit both farmers and consumers.
Access to drought-tolerant wheat like HB4 could help with global supply challenges and further enhance the sustainability of wheat by using less water and other inputs.
Although USDA’s ruling clears the regulatory pathway for cultivation of HB4® wheat in the United States, there are several additional steps needed before those benefits are realized and HB4® is grown commercially in the United States. These include the need to conduct closed-system field trials prior to commercialization.
“As a wheat grower who has experienced drought firsthand, it is exciting to see a regulatory pathway where drought-tolerant wheat might be available to producers in the future,” said Oklahoma wheat farmer and NAWG President Keeff Felty. “Over the past few years, wheat producers across the major wheat producing regions have had to grapple with intense drought, and continued innovations like HB4 can be a tool that helps growers protect and stabilize their yields.”
“Wherever wheat is grown in the world, drought takes its toll on yields and quality, so an innovation like HB4 holds a lot of interest for growers like me,” said USW Past Chairman and Okarche, Okla., wheat grower Michael Peters. “With global demand for wheat hitting new records almost every year, there is concern about variable production. A drought-tolerant trait offers more stable, sustainable production. At the same time, it is important that customers who have specific purchase preferences understand the industry supports their ability to purchase the type of wheat they want. That remains our policy after more than 16 years.”
NAWG and U.S. Wheat Associates have developed and maintain their joint “Wheat Industry Principles for Biotechnology Commercialization,” which outlines how transgenic wheat traits should be commercialized to best meet the U.S. wheat industries’ needs. While USDA’s deregulation of the trait provides a pathway for the cultivation of HB4, additional steps are needed before the trait’s benefits can be realized and commercialized in the United States. NAWG will continue to engage with Bioceres on its plans for commercialization in the United States and as they seek regulatory approval for our major export markets.
In line with the principles for commercialization, USW and NAWG support for HB4® and any transgenic wheat commercialization is linked to the technology company receiving regulatory approval in major importing countries that represent at least five percent of average U.S. wheat export volume.
In addition to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration accepting the safety of the HB4® trait in 2022, Bioceres has received regulatory approval for food and feed use in Nigeria, Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, and South Africa, and has applied for approval in several other countries. Farmers are currently growing wheat with the HB4® trait in Argentina and Brazil. Bioceres also plans field trials in Australia with the intent to gain regulatory approval for cultivation there.
Source: NAWG & USW
