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28 SEEDWORLD.COM SEPTEMBER 2015 In the United States there are currently seven genetically- modified crops that are commercially available. These include corn soybeans cotton canola alfalfa sugar beets and papaya. A record 18 million farmers in 28 countries are growing biotech crops on 447 million acres. Stacked traits now occupy 28 percent of global biotech plantings. DURING THE FIRST week of July the White House issued a memorandum directing the Environmental Protection Agency the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture the three agencies with jurisdiction over biotechnology products to update the federal regulatory policy for ensuring the safety of biotech products. The focus of these efforts is on plants animals and microbes but not human drugs and medical devices. In general the FDA regulates the use of biotechnology products as food or food addi- tives EPA regulates the use of biotechnology products as pesticides or plant incorporated protectants and USDA regulates the release into the environment plants seeds and other regulated articles altered or produced through genetic engineering that are deemed to be a plant pest. As part of the memorandum the three agencies have been asked to update the Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology develop a long-term strategy to ensure that the system is prepared for future biotechnology products and commission an After more than 20 years since the last update the Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology undergoes a formal review and update. Julie Deering expert analysis of the future landscape of bio- technology products to support this effort. While the current regulatory system for biotechnology products effectively pro- tects health and the environment advances in science and technology since 1992 when the framework was last updated have been altering the product landscape writes John Holdren director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. In addition the complexity of the array of regulations and guidance documents developed by the three federal agencies with jurisdiction over biotech- nology products can make it difficult for the public to understand how the safety of bio- technology products is evaluated and navigat- ing the regulatory process for these products can be unduly challenging especially for small companies. Industry Welcomes Review The Biotechnology Industry Organization commonly known as BIO welcomes the White House memorandum. BIO commends the White House for recognizing that coordina- BIOTECH REGULATORY REVIEW FAST STATS