Ark. Plant Board: 10 of 156 samples positive for LL traits

From a press release...

Arkansas State Plant Board Continues Testing for Liberty Link Traits

Little Rock, January 25, 2007 – As part of its testing for rice seed for planting in Arkansas, the Arkansas State Plant Board has received results from 156 rice lots, and 10 of those have tested positive for the Liberty Link trait.

The limited amount of detection was in a single variety of rice, CL131, and a large volume of CL131 seed without the trait remains on the market. However, the early detections are not yet conclusive. It is not currently known if these detections are of LL601, LL62, or something else. Additional work is required before the ASPB has a better understanding of the issue.

Test results will follow the respective lot from its seller to a farmer purchasing seed and from the farmer to the market.

The ASPB adopted regulations December 28, 2006, requiring testing of all rice seed to be planted in Arkansas in 2007 for LL traits.

“The Arkansas State Plant Board adopted these regulations to eliminate any additional LL traits from the system as soon as possible,” Darryl Little, Arkansas State Plant Board director, said, “Although the Food and Drug Administration have declared LL RICE 601 safe and environmentally sound, we want to take every precaution to protect our rice markets.”

Trace amounts of LL RICE 601 variety were found in U.S. long grain rice last fall before the variety received FDA and USDA approval. This bioengineered rice variety features a protein which protects the rice from glufosinate-ammonium herbicide.

For additional questions, please call Terry Walker, Arkansas State Plant Board, @ 501-225-1598.

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