July 22, 2008 - The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture has granted a safety certificate for LibertyLink soybeans, which clears the way for imports of the soybeans into the country. The receipt of the certificate marks a significant milestone toward the commercialization of LibertyLink soybeans, because China is the largest importer of U.S. soybeans.

“We’re very please the Chinese government has cleared LibertyLink soybeans for import,” said Andy Hurst, LibertyLink product manager for Bayer CropScience. “We’re well on track to meet our projected commercial launch target of 2009 in the United States.”

To date, LibertyLink soybeans are fully approved for food, feed and cultivation in the United States, and Canada. LibertyLink soybeans are approved for importation and/or cultivation in Argentina, Australia, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, South Africa and Taiwan.

Bayer CropScience says LibertyLink soybeans will bring important benefits and choice to soybean farmers. The LibertyLink trait and Ignite herbicide will enable growers to maintain current production practices and rotate herbicide tolerant systems to manage weed resistance and preserve the technologies.

The system will also deliver other benefits—tillage, labor, fuel and equipment reductions, and the ease and convenience of non-selective, post-emergent weed control with crop safety — in competitive, high-yielding varieties.