US GAO Report on Regulatory Process for GE Crops

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) in its report on “Genetically Engineered Crops: Agencies Are Proposing Changes to Improve Oversight, but Could Take Additional Steps to Enhance Coordination and Monitoring” forwarded several recommendations in its review of the regulatory process for genetically engineered (GE) crops. These are: 1) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) make public the results of its early food safety assessments of GE crops; ·2) US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and FDA develop an agreement to share information on GE crops with traits that, if released into the food or feed supply, could cause health concerns; and 3) USDA, Environmental Protection Agency, and FDA develop a risk-based strategy for monitoring the widespread use of marketed GE crops.

In reaction to the report, Sharon Bomer Lauritsen, executive vice president, food and agriculture for the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), stated that “The Biotechnology Industry Organization and its member companies are confident in the rigorous testing and approval regimes of biotech products put in place by U.S. government authorities. "While we are still reviewing the 109-page report, it appears that the GAO has suggested a small number of recommendations that could improve an already robust system. However, GAO is ignoring the fact that the three agencies working together have approved for commercial use dozens of crops that have been safely developed, tested and commercialized for the marketplace.”

Access the full report at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d0960.pdf. The Bio statement is available at http://www.bio.org/news/pressreleases/newsitem.asp?id=2008_1205_01