CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, US — Bayer AG’s genetically modified short-stature corn has received safety approval from the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

“This plant may be safely grown and bred in the United States,” the USDA said in a notice on June 6.

The USDA said it reviewed the plant to determine whether it presented an increased plant pest risk compared to unmodified corn plants. Bayer CropScience LP modified the corn plant to reduce gibberellic acid, a plant growth hormone, to produce shorter plants and reduce the likelihood of lodging (stem buckling).

APHIS found the plant, which is about one-third the size of current varieties, was “unlikely to pose an increased plant pest risk compared to other cultivated corn plants.”

The government noted that because the plant is shorter than a typical corn stalk, it can better tolerate strong winds that damage crops. It also makes it easier for farmers to apply chemicals during growing season.

Bayer said it still needs approval from the Environmental Protection Agency and importing countries before it can launch the corn in the United States, something it hopes to do in the next several years.

Bayer estimates that sales of short-stature corn in North America could reach €1 billion ($1.07 billion).