Save the Date: APEC High-Level Policy Dialogue on Agricultural Biotechnology Activities

The United States would like to cordially invite you to attend the APEC High Level Policy Dialogue on Agricultural Biotechnology's suite of events, to be held from July 26-31, 2023, (TBC), as part of the APEC Third Senior Officials Meeting.

The events will build on the intersessional work of HLPDAB's APEC member economies in promoting science-based, risk proportionate regulations for products of agricultural biotechnology. The suite of hybrid events includes:

• July 29 (TBC), Early Career Researchers and Innovative Start-ups Symposium, to be held in Seattle, will include panel discussions, lightning talks, and a poster session on new developments in agricultural biotechnologies to showcase the role of early career researchers and innovative startups in APEC. Researchers will share the latest in genetic engineering and genome editing for food and agriculture, and industry representatives will discuss the pathway from research to commercialization, and the importance of science-based policies. Virtual or in-person participation is open to member economies, academia, government officials, non-governmental organizations, and industry.
• July 30-31 (TBC), Workshop on Reducing Redundancies and Facilitating Efficiencies: Regulatory and Policy Solutions for the Oversight of Agricultural Biotechnologies, to be held in Seattle, will include two-days of lectures, panel discussions, and interactive activities on regulatory and policy approaches across APEC economies for the oversight of agricultural biotechnologies. Science-based and risk-proportionate approaches can mitigate climate change, strengthen supply chains, increase food security, and facilitate trade. Participants will explore various approaches to address redundancies, decrease resource costs, and increase efficiencies in regulatory processes. Virtual or in-person participation is open to member economies, academia, government officials, non-governmental organizations, and industry.

Request for Nominations

Participant nominations are being accepted for all events. Refer to the attached nomination form in Annex 1 for further details on the criteria for nominees for each activity. Economies must formally nominate participants in advance for them to attend. For participant nominations for in-person attendance, please respond as soon as possible but no later than June 30, 2023. For any eligible participant needing travel support, please reach out to Joshua.Noonan@usda.gov as soon as possible. For participant nominations for virtual attendance, please respond as soon as possible but no later than July 7, 2023.

Travel Funding for Eligible Economies for the Symposium and Workshop

Limited travel and per diem will be provided for official participants from each travel eligible economy for the Symposium and the Workshop. Travel eligible economies include: Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam. Please refer to the attached nomination form for details on APEC travel-eligible economies and specific events and procedures for nominating delegates. Separate travel support is available for speakers.

Please complete the attached nomination form for participants- Annex 1 - and return by the dates noted in the Request for Nominations section so that we can process applicable funding and confirm nominations. Completed nomination forms should be sent to Joshua.Noonan@usda.gov and Elizabeth.Jones@usda.gov.

Download the flyer, nomination form, and invitation letter.