USDA Considers Nonregulated Status Petition for Genetically Engineered Maize

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service published a notice in the Federal Register on November 9, 2026, announcing receipt of a petition under docket number APHIS-2026-1288. Filed by Pioneer Hi Bred International, Incorporated, the petition seeks nonregulated status for COR121 maize, a genetically engineered corn variety designed to express the IPD083Cb protein for protection against specific lepidopteran pests. The modification also utilizes the phosphomannose isomerase protein as a selectable marker. This federal action initiates a formal sixty-day public comment period, closing on January 8, 2027, allowing industry stakeholders, academics, and the public to weigh in on the regulatory trajectory of the agricultural product.

Regulatory Background and Legal Framework

The regulatory framework governing this petition stems from the plant pest provisions of the Plant Protection Act found in United States Code Title 7. Under regulations detailed in Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations part 340, the introduction of organisms and products altered or produced through genetic engineering that are plant pests or suspected of being plant pests requires federal oversight. These items are categorized as regulated articles. Section 340.6 outlines the formal process by which any individual or corporation may petition the agency for a determination that a specific article no longer warrants regulation.

Pioneer submitted petition number 26-084-01p asserting that COR121 maize is unlikely to pose a plant pest risk. In response, the agency prepared a draft plant pest risk assessment comparing the pest risk profile of COR121 maize directly against the unmodified corn variety from which it was derived. The preliminary findings of the draft assessment indicate that the genetically altered maize poses no increased plant pest risk compared to traditional variants.

Public Comment Process and Next Steps

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service invites public comments through the federal eRulemaking portal at regulations.gov or via postal mail directed to the regulatory analysis and development division in Beltsville, Maryland. Agency officials have stressed particular interest in receiving scientific data, formal studies, or research focusing on biological and ecological issues associated with COR121 maize.

Following the close of the comment period in January 2027, the agency will evaluate all submitted information alongside other relevant data sources. The administrator will then issue a formal response to Pioneer either approving or denying the petition. The final regulatory determination will be published in the Federal Register and hosted on the agency website, concluding this phase of the administrative review process.