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Rachel Iadicicco (301) 734-3255

Jerry Redding (202) 720-4623

**USDA SEEKS PUBLIC COMMENT ON DEREGULATION OF GENETICALLY ENGINEERED
PLUM**

WASHINGTON May 15, 2006--The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service is seeking public comment on a petition
to deregulate a plum genetically engineered (GE) to be resistant to plum
pox. The plum has been regulated under permit since September 1995.

The petition, submitted by USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS),
is in accordance with APHIS' regulations concerning the introduction of
GE organisms and products. APHIS has prepared a draft environmental
assessment (EA) to determine whether deregulating the plum could have a
significant impact on the environment. Based on the scientific evidence
presented by ARS, APHIS' current preferred alternative is to deregulate
the plum.

ARS and APHIS are separate agencies of USDA. ARS is the research arm and
works to find solutions to agricultural problems. ARS is required to
follow the same procedures as other developers of GE products. APHIS is
responsible for protecting U.S. agriculture and the environment from
animal and plant pests and diseases. APHIS regulates GE products in
cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services' Food and Drug Administration.

APHIS makes a determination of nonregulated status only when it can
conclude that the organism does not pose a plant pest risk. If APHIS
grants ARS' petition for deregulation, the plum and its progeny would no
longer be regulated articles. The product could then be freely moved and
planted without the requirement of permits or other regulatory oversight
by APHIS. In addition to APHIS review, ARS is consulting FDA on the food
safety of this GE plum variety.

APHIS has been safely regulating GE organisms since 1986 and has
overseen the deregulation of more than 70 products.

APHIS is seeking comment on the petition as required by its regulations.
APHIS also invites comments on the EA.

Notice of this action is scheduled for publication in May 16 *Federal
Register.*

Consideration will be given to comments received on or before July 17.
Send an original and three copies of postal mail or commercial delivery
comments to Docket No. APHIS-2006-0084, Regulatory Analysis and
Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118,
Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. If you wish to submit a comment using the
Internet, go to

\- more -

\- 2 -

the Federal eRulemaking portal at
[http://www.regulations.gov](http://www.regulations.gov/) and, in the
"Search Regulations

and Federal Actions" box, select "Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service" from the agency drop-down menu; then click on "Submit." In the
Docket ID column, select APHIS-2006-0084 to submit or view public
comments and to view supporting and related materials available
electronically.

Comments are posted on the Regulations.gov Web site and may also be
viewed at USDA, Room 1141, South Building, 14th St. and Independence
Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C., between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday
through Friday, excluding holidays. To facilitate entry into the comment
reading room, please call (202) 690-2817.

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