Experts Push for Coordinated Ag Biotech Approval Process

Over 200 biotechnology regulators, international trade experts and farmers from 16 countries on five continents met in Champaign, Illinois in August to discuss the state of agricultural biotechnology regulatory systems and its implications for the future. Hosted by the Illinois Soybean Association during the International Biotechnology Symposium, experts discussed roadblocks presented by the asynchronous biotechnology approval process that includes a wide range of government agencies, testing timelines and restricting factors.

Nicholas Kalaitzandonakes, who delivered the keynote address at the symposium said "Regulation is an important part of the biotech innovation process. Regulation is in place to make sure new products are safe and are used responsibly, but it also is in place to reduce uncertainty and improve the flow of new biotech products."

In an international farmer panel discussion, Santiago Del Solar, a farmer from Argentina echoed a need that many addressed during the symposium: Like-minded countries need to work together to streamline the trade and approval process. He said "Our countries have a very important job to do; help get our soybeans to markets as partners." That work involves overcoming the unique biotechnology regulatory systems of 33 countries to find a faster way to get biotech soybean traits to market for use around the world. The current regulatory path takes an average 16.3 years to accomplish.

For more details about this, read the news release at http://www.ilsoy.org/mediaCenter/details.cfm?pageID=42&mediaCenterID=1956.