Biotechnology

The European Commission (EC) has announced authorization allowing the import of five genetically modified strains of corn and sugar beets for use as food or feed.  The approvals include two new ones for stacked biotech corn traits developed by Monsanto and DuPont Pioneer – MON 87427 X MON 89034 x NK 603; and 1507 X 59122 X MON 810 X NK 603. Both are herbicide and insect-resistant traits. The EC also renewed the market authorization for two strains of biotech-enhanced corn (DAS-59122-7 and GA 21), as well as one sugar beet trait (H7-1). The authorizations came after approval by ... Read More

By Randy Gordon, President; and Sarah Gonzalez, Director of Communications and Digital Media The European Union (EU) Court of Justice, in a highly anticipated decision issued July 25, ruled that genetic mutation (mutagenesis) of organisms – better known as “gene editing” – is subject to the EU’s extensive regulations governing genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The case [Case C-528/16] was brought by nine French agricultural associations – led by a group called Confédération paysanne, a French agricultural union – that asked the court to limit the current EU exemption for plant ... Read More

By Randy Gordon, President In a widely anticipated development, the European Union Court of Justice is scheduled to issue a decision on July 25 on whether the use of genetic mutation (mutagenesis) – better known as “gene editing” – should be differentiated from the European Union’s extensive regulations governing genetically modified organisms, such as transgenic biotechnology. The case [Case C-528/16] currently before the European court was brought by nine French agricultural associations – led by a group called Confédération paysanne, a French agricultural union – that are asking the ... Read More

By Randy Gordon, President; and Sarah Gonzalez, Director of Communications and Digital Media The NGFA submitted recommendations specific to the grain, feed and processing industry to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on its proposed rule implementing the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Law. Enacted in July 2016, the law mandates establishment of a uniform national disclosure standard for bioengineered food in an effort to prevent a patchwork of state or local food labeling requirements that would disrupt supply chains and interstate commerce, and drive up food costs for ... Read More

Proposed on-pack food labeling graphics developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to disclose “bioengineered” (BE) foods would increase consumer concerns about the products, according to new research from the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation. Disclosure of bioengineered products was mandated by Congress in 2016 legislation dubbed the Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard. The law provides options for food manufacturers for providing such disclosure, including on-pack symbols, text or QR codes that direct consumers to food ... Read More

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will host an informational webinar about the proposed National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard on June 1 on the AMS website. USDA said the pre-recorded webinar will provide an overview of the background, provisions and potential impacts of the proposed standard, which would require food manufacturers and other entities that label foods for retail sale to disclose information about bioengineered food and bioengineered food ingredients. The new standard was enacted by Congress in 2016. As a member of ... Read More

The NGFA and its Crop Technology (formerly Biotechnology) committee has begun an intensive analysis of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) recently issued proposed rule for labeling food products containing bioengineered ingredients. The NGFA encourages input from its members as the Association develops its official comments, as well as provides input into the comments being developed by the Coalition for Safe and Affordable Food, on whose steering committee NGFA serves. While the proposed rule for the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard, which the agency published on ... Read More

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded approximately $2 million to pursue research on stakeholder and public engagement on new plant breeding innovation techniques, such as gene-editing, intended for use in agricultural production. The funding is being provided by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) through its so-called “Social Implications of Emerging Technologies initiative.”  The initiative is housed within the agency’s Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities (AERC)’s program area.   “Recent advances in gene editing technologies promise ... Read More

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service today officially published in the Federal Register a proposed rule to implement the bioengineered food labeling law enacted by Congress in July 2016. The 30-page proposed rule outlines the conditions under which a food containing bioengineered ingredients would need to be labeled.  The law created a federal preemption to provide one set of standards governing the labeling rules to preclude potential enactment of a plethora of different labeling schemes by states or localities that would have disrupted interstate ... Read More