In a comments to the White House’s National Science and Technology Council regarding updates to the Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology, four agricultural organizations representing farmers shared the benefits of biotechnology and called for a transparent system that allows for a robust, scientific review of the products.
The American Farm Bureau Federation, American Soybean Association, National Corn Growers Association and National Sorghum Producers recommended additional clarification on what is and what is not a regulated product.
In the comments, the organizations state: “While the current suite of products on the market today is relatively established, as new technologies develop, it will remain critical that this clarity be maintained. This will allow developers to innovate with a clear path to market and foster the development of the next generation of products for growers.”
The groups also address the issue of crossover in responsibilities among the three agencies that have jurisdiction over biotech products — the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Environmental Protection Agency and Food and Drug Administration. “Stronger coordination should be supported to avoid unnecessary delays in the approval and availability of new products … Asynchrony between agencies can cause confusion in the marketplace and delay effective implementation of new tools for growers,” the organizations note.
Also noted is that the U.S. regulatory system does not operate in isolation. What happens in the United States is watched, and sometimes followed, by others. “The potential impacts and changes in how the U.S. regulates products, and how different products are regulated, can affect regulatory approvals abroad, and could have adverse impacts on international trade,” according to the organizations.
To read the full letter, visit sorghumgrowers.com.
