Several European Union governments on Monday voted against the cultivation of three genetically modified maize strains developed by Syngenta, Monsanto and Pioneer. Sixteen countries voted against authorizing two GM strains manufactured by Syngenta and Dow, while 14 voted against the Monsanto trait. Despite the number of countries voting against the GM crops, the bloc failed to reach a “qualified majority” of votes that would force the European Commission to dismiss its authorization in Europe, meaning the commission must make the final decision. (A qualified majority is achieved when at ... Read More
Biotechnology
Study warns U.S. regulatory system could be ‘overwhelmed’ by new advances in biotechnology
By Randy Gordon, President A new study finds that the profusion and diversity of new biotechnology products expected to be introduced during the next five to 10 years could “overwhelm” the U.S. regulatory system. The 177-page report, issued March 9 by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NAS), found that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture and other agencies involved in regulating biotechnology products should increase their scientific capabilities, tools and expertise in key areas of expected ... Read More
USDA must consider supply chain when crafting GMO labels, says University of Missouri economist
By Sarah Gonzalez, Director of Communications and Digital Media The U.S. Department of Agriculture is still working on crafting a labeling system mandated by the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Law, which charges the agency’s Agricultural Marketing Service with developing a mandatory system for disclosing the presence of bioengineered material in food products. During a panel discussion at USDA’s annual Agricultural Outlook Forum last week, MSMC Endowed Professor of Agribusiness Strategy at the University of Missouri, Nicholas Kalaitzandonakes, said there are many economic ... Read More
USDA extends comment period for biotech regulatory review rules
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) extended the comment period for its proposed rule that would revise regulations regarding the importation, interstate movement, and environmental release of certain genetically engineered organisms. In January, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released several proposals regarding the U.S. government’s pre-market regulatory oversight of genetically engineered plants. In response, the NGFA issued a statement emphasizing the importance of working to achieve consistent regulatory policies ... Read More
NGFA emphasizes importance of engaging with trading partners as USDA proposes new biotech regulatory review policies
ARLINGTON, Va., Jan. 18, 2017 -- In response to today’s release of proposals regarding the U.S. government’s pre-market regulatory oversight of genetically engineered plants, the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) emphasized the importance of working to achieve consistent regulatory policies globally for products of the latest plant breeding methods to avoid costly disruptions in international trade. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published several documents related to the pre-market regulatory oversight of genetically ... Read More
NGFA reviews report on asynchronous biotech approvals
NGFA’s Director of Legislative Affairs and Public Policy Bobby Frederick represented the grain and feed industry in a panel on Dec. 8 to discuss the new eight-page literature survey report issued by the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) on the impact of asynchronous approvals of biotech crops on ag sustainability, trade and innovation. USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service contracted the literature review, which very effectively demonstrates the negative impacts across the value chain caused by asynchrony between various countries’ regulatory systems, Frederick noted. ... Read More
U.S. government’s latest talks with China on agricultural biotechnology prove disappointing
By Sarah Gonzalez, Director of Communications and Digital Media; and Max Fisher, Director of Economics and Government Affairs The U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) talks that took place Thanksgiving week failed to make progress in promoting a more synchronous approach to crop biotech regulatory approvals, or to address the backlog in biotech traits awaiting approval by Chinese regulatory authorities. In a statement on Friday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said he was disappointed that further progress was not made on agricultural biotechnology issues during the ... Read More
Grain groups fault update to biotech regulatory framework for giving ‘short shrift’ to marketability, trade-disruption issues
WASHINGTON, Nov. 8, 2016 – The latest attempt at updating the federal government’s coordinated biotechnology regulatory framework fails to adequately consider and address the importance of implementing strategies to avoid trade disruptions that result when biotech-enhanced products deregulated and approved for cultivation in the United States become present in shipments to important U.S. export markets where such traits have not yet been authorized for import. That was the key message conveyed to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy recently by the National Grain and Feed ... Read More
House lawmakers push White House on Chinese biotech approvals
A bipartisan group of 112 House lawmakers submitted a letter to the White House expressing concern about China’s progress in accelerating its approvals of biotech-enhanced events, and asking that President Obama raise the issue during the upcoming Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) later this month. “China continues to be a very significant trading partner for U.S. agriculture,” the House members noted. “Paving a path forward through continued high-level engagement is essential to facilitate a more positive trade environment and relationship, including for products of ... Read More
Obama administration’s biotech regulatory framework proposal ignores marketability, trade-disruption issues, NGFA says
By Bobby Frederick, Director of Legislative Affairs and Public Policy The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) noted in comments submitted Nov. 1 that the White House’s latest proposal to update the government’s regulation of biotech products fails to adequately consider and address marketability- and trade-disruption issues posed by the commercialization of biotech-enhanced crops in the United States resulting from the lack of international coherence on how to provide pre-market regulatory review of such traits. The NGFA submitted comments on the proposal from the White House ... Read More
National Grain and Feed Association
TwitterYoutubeFacebookLinkedin