CropLife discusses herbicide resistance at congressional hearing

CropLife America (CLA) president and CEO Jay Vroom provided testimony on behalf of the agricultural community and crop protection industry during Congressional Domestic Policy Subcommittee hearing, "Are "Superweeds" an Outgrowth of USDA Biotech Policy?"

The hearing, which is the second hearing on the evaluation of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) biotechnology regulatory policy, focused on genetically engineered, herbicide-resistant crops and the environmental impact of the evolution of herbicide-resistant weeds. Vroom spoke regarding the inevitability of weeds, insects and fungi adapting genetically to their environments. He stressed that growers frequently employ best management practices and that the crop protection market adjusts to help develop solutions.

"Weed adaptation has been happening as long as man has tried to grow crops and is not unique to the use of chemical control or adoption of biotech crops," said Vroom. "Under a regimen of physical control, weeds might become physically harder to distinguish or more difficult to remove. While superweeds might be a catchy moniker, there is nothing particularly superlative about the weeds that have developed resistance to any particular herbicide."

Vroom continued, "Weed control, and the related cultivation regimes embraced by Americas farmers, will always continue to evolve. crop protection is a very necessary business. If a weakness in a particular weed control option emerges, there will be other new or existing technologies that U.S. farmers will adopt in order to stay competitive in a global marketplace."

The hearing was led by chairman of the House Domestic Policy Subcommittee, Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH). Vroom joined a number of other speakers, including a registrant member company of CLA, a grower, NGO representative, and both USDA and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency representatives. For additional information on crop protections role in developing herbicide-resistant crops, visit www.croplifeamerica.org.