The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will host two public forums to accept public comments on a new variety of genetically engineered (GE) creeping bentgrass. The public forums will be held on May 3 at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center, Exhibition Hall, 7100 Connecticut Ave., Chevy Chase, Md., and on May 18 at the Oregon State University Conference Complex, CH2M Hill Alumni Center, Cascade Ballroom, 725 SW 26th Street, Corvallis, Ore. Each public forum will be held from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., local time.

APHIS’ biotechnology and regulatory services (BRS) program is preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS) concerning a petition received from Monsanto Company and the Scott’s Company to grant non-regulated status to a new variety GE herbicide–tolerant creeping bentgrass. If granted, the GE variety could be sold and grown in the U.S. without further BRS oversight.

The open forums provide a venue to interact with APHIS representatives. APHIS is soliciting public input on potential environmental impacts of herbicide-tolerant creeping bentgrass and on the scope of issues to be considered in the EIS.

APHIS will use the information contributed in the public forums in combination with collected scientific information and previous public comment as part of an in–depth analysis of the potential environmental issues associated with the GE variety.

Creeping bentgrass is a perennial turf grass used primarily on golf courses. Through a joint venture, Monsanto and the Scott’s Company developed the GE creeping bentgrass to be resistant to the herbicide glyphosate.

BRS regulates the field release, importation and interstate movement of GE organisms such as plants, insects, microorganisms and any other organism that is known to be, or could be, a plant pest. Through a strong regulatory framework, BRS thoroughly evaluates GE organisms to verify that they are as safe for agriculture and the environment as traditionally bred varieties, which have been the cornerstone of American agriculture. For more information on APHIS’ biotechnology regulatory program, please visit www.usda.aphis.gov/brs.