Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. Petition (11-244- 01p) for Determination of Nonregulated Status of Insect-Resistant and Herbicide-Tolerant Pioneer 4114 Maize: Event DP-004114-3 OECD Unique Identifier: DP-004114-3 Final Environmental Assessment May 2013 Agency Contact Cindy Eck USDA, APHIS, BRS 4700 River Road, Unit 91 Riverdale, MD 20737-1237 Phone: (301) 734-0667 Fax: (301) 734-8910 [email protected] The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’S TARGET Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326–W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250–9410 or call (202) 720–5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Mention of companies or commercial products in this report does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture over others not mentioned. USDA neither guarantees nor warrants the standard of any product mentioned. Product names are mentioned solely to report factually on available data and to provide specific information. This publication reports research involving pesticides. All uses of pesticides must be registered by appropriate State and/or Federal agencies before they can be recommended. DRAFT PIONEER 4114 MAIZE TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION PAGE ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS...............................................................................vii 1 PURPOSE AND NEED ......................................................................................................1 1.1 BACKGROUND .............................................................................................................1 1.2 PURPOSE OF PRODUCT ..............................................................................................2 1.3 COORDINATED FRAMEWORK REVIEW AND REGULATORY REVIEW ..............3 1.4 PURPOSE AND NEED FOR USDA-APHIS ACTION ...................................................5 1.5 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT .............................................................................................5 1.6 ISSUES CONSIDERED ..................................................................................................6 2 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ...........................................................................................8 2.1 CORN – BACKGROUND INFORMATION ..................................................................9 2.2 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION OF CORN ............................................................. 10 2.2.1 Areas and Acreage of Corn Production ............................................................. 10 2.2.2 Agronomic Practices: Tillage, Crop Rotation, and Agronomic Inputs ............... 11 2.2.3 Organic Corn Farming and Specialty Corn Systems.......................................... 23 2.3 PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT ...................................................................................... 25 2.3.1 Soil Quality ...................................................................................................... 25 2.3.2 Water Resources ............................................................................................... 26 2.3.3 Air Quality ....................................................................................................... 27 2.3.4 Climate Change ................................................................................................ 27 2.4 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES ....................................................................................... 29 2.4.1 Animal Communities........................................................................................ 29 2.4.2 Plant Communities ........................................................................................... 32 2.4.3 Soil Microorganisms ........................................................................................ 37 2.4.4 Biological Diversity ......................................................................................... 38 2.4.5 Gene Movement ............................................................................................... 40 2.5 PUBLIC HEALTH ........................................................................................................ 41 2.5.1 Human Health .................................................................................................. 41 2.5.2 Worker Safety .................................................................................................. 43 2.6 ANIMAL FEED ............................................................................................................ 44 2.7 SOCIOECONOMIC ...................................................................................................... 45 2.7.1 Domestic Economic Environment .................................................................... 45 2.7.2 Trade Economic Environment .......................................................................... 47 i DRAFT PIONEER 4114 MAIZE 3 ALTERNATIVES ............................................................................................................. 49 3.1 NO ACTION: CONTINUATION AS A REGULATED ARTICLE ............................... 49 3.2 PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE: DETERMINATION THAT PIONEER 4114 MAIZE IS NO LONGER A REGULATED ARTICLE ................................................................... 49 3.3 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT REJECTED FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION ....................................................................................................... 50 3.3.1 Prohibit Any Pioneer 4114 Maize from Being Released ................................... 50 3.3.2 Approve the Petition In Part ............................................................................. 51 3.3.3 Isolation Distance between Pioneer 4114 Maize and Non-GE Corn and Geographical Restrictions ........................................................................................ 51 3.3.4 Requirement of Testing for Pioneer 4114 Maize ............................................... 52 3.4 COMPARISON OF ALTERNATIVES ......................................................................... 52 4 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ......................................................................... 57 4.1 SCOPE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS ..................................................... 57 4.2 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION OF CORN ............................................................. 58 4.2.1 Areas and Acreage of Corn Production ............................................................. 59 4.2.2 Agronomic Practices: Tillage, Crop Rotation, and Agronomic Inputs ............... 60 4.2.3 Organic Corn Farming and Specialty Corn Production ..................................... 69 4.3 PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT ...................................................................................... 72 4.3.1 Soil Quality ...................................................................................................... 72 4.3.2 Water Resources ............................................................................................... 74 4.3.3 Air Quality ....................................................................................................... 77 4.3.4 Climate Change ................................................................................................ 78 4.4 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES ....................................................................................... 79 4.4.1 Animal Communities........................................................................................ 79 4.4.2 Plant Communities ........................................................................................... 85 4.4.3 Soil Microorganisms ........................................................................................ 91 4.4.4 Biological Diversity ......................................................................................... 94 4.4.5 Gene Movement ............................................................................................... 96 4.5 PUBLIC HEATH .......................................................................................................... 99 4.5.1 Human Health .................................................................................................. 99 4.5.2 Worker Safety ................................................................................................ 105 4.6 ANIMAL FEED .......................................................................................................... 107 4.6.1 No Action: Animal Feed ................................................................................. 107 4.6.2 Preferred Alternative: Animal Feed ................................................................ 108 ii DRAFT PIONEER 4114 MAIZE 4.7 SOCIOECONOMIC .................................................................................................... 109 4.7.1 Domestic Economic Environment .................................................................. 109 4.7.2 Trade Economic Environment .......................................................................