By CAROL KINSLEY

5/09 Saying “agricultural biotechnology holds enormous promise,” the Clinton administration last week took steps to secure that promise.
“Food and Agricultural Biotechnology Initiatives” were introduced which are intended “to build consumer confidence, ensure that regulations keep pace with the latest scientific and market developments, and ensure that voluntary product claims ... are truthful and not misleading.”
In the next six months, The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) will assess federal environmental regulations pertaining to agricultural biotechnology and, if appropriate, make recommendations to improve them.
Jane Rissler of the Union of Concerned Scientists criticized this step as yet another delay of EPA’s planned release of tighter safety rules for biotech plants.
The FDA will develop a proposed rule to require companies to notify FDA of their intent to market a new food derived from biotechnology at least 120 days before the product is introduced into the food supply. Companies routinely do this now on a voluntary basis. After reviewing the company’s submission, FDA will issue a letter to the firm describing its conclusion about the safety and regulatory status of the food or animal feed.
FDA also will develop guidelines to help manufacturers design labeling that is truthful and informative, rather than confusing. The agency will develop draft labeling guidelines with the use of focus groups, and will publish them for comment.
USDA will work with farmers and industry to facilitate the creation of reliable testing procedures and quality assurance programs for differentiating non-bioengineered commodities.
USDA also will work with the State Department to collect information on overseas markets and will provide information to farmers to help with their planting decisions.
The announcement was welcomed by such groups as the American Farm Bureau Federation, the American Crop Protection Association and the American Soybean Association.
Robert Stallman, AFBF president, said, “The Clinton administration’s proposal to increase oversight of foods enhanced through biotechnology should further boost consumer confidence in the safety of America’s food supply. Like farmers, biotech companies should welcome the opportunity to share research that proves any new biotech food product is safe.
“We are also encouraged that the FDA has chosen to accentuate the positive in regard to biotech labeling. Since biotech crops are common on America’s farms and biotech food products are common on the grocer’s shelf, it makes more sense to label products not containing biotech ingredients. That way, if farmers take special steps to grow non-biotech crops, not only should farmers be rewarded with premiums from food companies, but the food companies also should be able to positively reflect that non-biotech status on a label.”
Jay Vroom, ACPA president, said his organization would continue to work closely with the FDA, EPA and the USDA to strengthen consumer and farmer confidence in crop biotechnology. “American farmers have a critical stake in a strong and open regulatory process. More than any group, they understand how important crop biotechnology is to lowered costs of production, increased yields and the ability to remain competitive on world agricultural markets,” Vroom continued. He noted that FDA’s scientific review continues to show that all bioengineered foods sold here in the United States today are as safe as their non-bioengineered counterparts.
ASA President Marc Curtis, a producer from Leland, Miss., said, “People should realize that farmers want to know that the products they grow are safe to eat and safe for the environment,” Curtis said. “Most farmers live and raise their children on the same land where they farm, and we eat the same food as everyone else.
“One of the biggest challenges farmers face is making the right planting decision in view of the current controversy surrounding biotechnology,” Curtis said. “Since the introduction of biotech soybean seedstock in 1996, ASA has offered advice to producers about the market for both biotech and non-biotech soybean varieties. ASA welcomes USDA’s involvement in this effort to provide farmers with reliable information to help them make informed decisions.”