Companies field-testing mutationally altered microbial pesticides onless than 10 acres will no longer have to notify the EnvironmentalProtection Agency, according to the final rule on "microbial pesticides,experimental use permits and notifications" under the FederalInsecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act.The rule cleared the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) lastweek, and should become effective this fall, Larry Zeff, of the Officeof Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances, EPA, told BioWorld.Notification will still be required for field tests of transgenicallymodified microbial pesticides. The EPA then has 90 days to determinewhether a company needs an experimental use permit. Applications forexperimental use permits take up to 120 days to process. But mosttransgenic pesticides have not required permits, Zeff told BioWorld. _David Holzman

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