The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to exempt from its regulation some biotech crops that are genetically engineered to be toxic to damaging insects and other plant pests. American Soybean Association Vice President and South Dakota grower Kevin Scott says that’s positive the agency is loosening those regulations as that will benefit both producers and consumers.

He says despite any possible environmental activist pushback against this proposed rule, the administration is taking the proper stance by following sound science with their proposal.

Scott says this EPA proposal which is based on good science needs to be used in any trade discussions with our export customers, some of which put up trade barriers to biotech crops.

EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said this new rule will provide critical new tools for America’s farmers as they work to increase agricultural productivity, improve the nutritional value and quality of crops, fight pests and diseases and boost food safety.