USDA’s Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) today announced “determinations of nonregulated status for Monsanto Company’s (Monsanto) soybeans and cotton that are resistant to certain herbicides, including one known as dicamba.”

Monsanto officials say the decision to deregulate Roundup Ready 2 Xtend™ soybeans and Bollgard II® XtendFlex™ cotton “will provide farmers with more consistent, flexible control of tough-to-manage broadleaf weeds.”

“This announcement marks an important milestone for farmers around the world,” said Robb Fraley, Ph.D., Monsanto’s chief technology officer. “Weeds represent a key pest to agriculture operations around the world and limit crops of much-needed nutrients, sunlight and access to available water resources.”

To prepare for commercialization and to further enhance growers’ experience with the technology, Monsanto trained more than 7,500 growers, retail partners and stakeholders on weed management. The company expects to announce commercial intentions in the near future.

The USDA decision is expected to be published shortly in the Federal Register.