CropLink

The Philippines, the largest buyer of U.S. soybean meal, has approved Enlist E3 soybeans for import, giving the final nod needed to open the door for planting the trait in 2019.

Jointly developed by Dow AgroSciences and MS Technologies, Enlist E3 soybeans provide tolerance to new 2,4-D choline in Enlist Duo and Enlist One herbicides, as well as glyphosate and glufosinate herbicides. Dow AgroSciences is now part of Corteva Agriscience, agricultural division of DowDuPont.

For 2019, U.S. growers will see a mixed bag of launch volumes, depending on brand. Some companies, such as Stine and Burrus, took reservations for Enlist E3 varieties, and the announcement came early enough to move that seed to farmers. According to Corteva AgriScience, it intends to hold introductory launch volumes this year except in Canada, where full introduction was already planned.

Watch for full commercial quantities to come across all Corteva brands in 2020, including its flagship Pioneer brand, as well as from Stine Seed Co. and Merschman Seeds.

Corteva and MS Technologies are also in licensing discussions with more than 100 seed brands on the trait. With the broad licensing approach, robust ramp-up plans and extensive seed production, the company estimates that Enlist E3 soybeans could be planted on more than 10 percent of U.S. and Canada soybean acres in 2020.

USDA deregulated the Enlist trait systems in corn, cotton and soybeans in 2014, but lack of import approvals had delayed commercialization, particularly in soybeans. In 2018, Enlist cotton reached 1.5 million acres in the Cotton Belt, and Enlist corn fields could be found in Iowa, Kansas and southern Minnesota. Some farmers planted Enlist E3 soybean acres in 2018, either for seed production or in a closed-loop system in a marketing agreement with Archer Daniels Midland (ADM).

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