European Commission grants approval to Monsanto for Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans

The European Commission has granted import approval to Monsanto Company for Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans.

This approval enables the import and use of Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans as food or feed into the EU.

The commission’s approval comes after Monsanto announced import approval from China in February.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is in the final stages of review for over-the-top use of Roundup Ready 2Xtend soybeans. Following this, Monsanto expects for a full system launch in the US next year.

It will be able to supply roughly 15 million soy acres when the selling season arrives in the US.

The company expects a full system product launch in Canada. Earlier, the Canadian regulatory authority gave approval for Roundup Xtend with VaporGrip Technology and XtendiMax herbicide with VaporGrip Technology.

Monsanto president and chief operating officer Brett Begemann said: "We’ve seen great demand from growers for Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans.

“Farmers are telling us they’re looking forward to the benefits of the full Xtend Crop System, including over-the-top use of dicamba and glyphosate.”

Roundup Ready 2 Xtend is Monsanto’s latest soybean platform that is tolerant to dicamba, which features Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybean trait technology.  This offers farmers the highest yield opportunity with more beans for each pod and more bushels for each acre.