Washington, D.C.
October 6, 2008
As part of the process to update
its regulations for plant biotechnology, USDA's Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service (APHIS) released today a proposed rule
to revise its regulations (7 CFR Part 340) governing
agricultural biotechnology.
Sharon Bomer Lauritsen, executive vice president, food and
agriculture for the Biotechnology
Industry Organization (BIO), issued the following statement
in response to the USDA proposal:
"Rigorous science-based regulations provide the best environment
for the development of valuable agricultural biotechnology
products. Revision of these rules in a timely and transparent
manner will enable ag biotech companies to continue to provide
solutions to a number of challenges facing both farmers and
consumers.
"Biotech plant products are safe, and the existing regulatory
process for regulating, permitting and approving these products
is effective. But it's essential to ensure that the regulatory
system reflects the latest technological advances within the
biotechnology industry as well as the wealth of scientific
knowledge gained over the years about the safe development and
use of agricultural biotech products. We look forward to
reviewing the proposed rule with this in mind and providing our
input.
"The original regulations for plant biotechnology were
promulgated by USDA-APHIS in 1987, and the rules underwent minor
revisions in 1993 and 1997. In late 2003, the White House Office
of Science and Technology Policy directed USDA-APHIS to
undertake a major revision of its rules governing biotechnology,
and the department announced its intent to revise the
regulations after completion of a programmatic environmental
impact statement (EIS). It is anticipated that the final EIS
will be published together with a final rule.
"Since the release of the EIS in July of last year, plant
biotechnology has continued to advance, biotech industries have
grown to become a major force in the U.S. economy, and hundreds
of scientific studies have been published, documenting both the
safety of the current technologies and the promise of
technologies under development.
"BIO and its member companies are reviewing the agency's
proposed revisions and will submit comments. Science-based
regulations, implemented in a timely and transparent manner with
adequate input from stakeholders, will help farmers use
agriculture biotechnology to produce high quality crops to
provide solutions for the world's growing population.”
**Get more information about the regulation of Biotech plant
products at BIO's web resource page at
www.bio.org or visit
USDA-APHIS's web resource page at
www.aphis.usda.gov.
BIO represents more than 1,200 biotechnology companies,
academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related
organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other
nations. BIO members are involved in the research and
development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial
and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also produces the
BIO International Convention, the world's largest gathering of
the biotechnology industry, along with industry-leading investor
and partnering meetings held around the world. |
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