A U.S. appellate court turned down EPA’s request to withdraw its registration of a new weedkiller that its developer, Dow Chemical, expects will be a big seller. “The three-sentence order did not elaborate on the judges’ reasoning,” said the Chicago Tribune, adding the decision “brought the next generation of genetically modified crops closer to America’s dinner tables.” At issue was Enlist Duo, a combination of 2,4-D and glyphosate, one of the most widely used herbicides in the world. The new weedkiller would give farmers a weapon against weeds that have developed resistance to glyphosate.
Dow genetically engineered strains of corn and soybeans that tolerate spraying by Enlist Duo, similar to the approach that Monsanto used in its popular Roundup Ready seeds that withstand glyphosate. “Precisely when farmers will be able to plant Dow’s new genetically modified crops remains uncertain. The court’s decision allows Dow to sell Enlist Duo while the EPA takes a second look at the weedkiller,” said the Tribune. China, a major market for U.S. corn exports, has yet to approve Enlist Duo seeds, creating a potential roadblock to marketing the crops.