Comments to USDA on Modernizing Biotechnology Regulations

For the first time in a generation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is proposing significant changes to regulations for ag biotechnology products. The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) has directed USDA, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Food and Drug Administration to revise and update regulations to reduce unnecessary burdens and adapt them in light of the vast experience accumulated since U.S. regulatory policy was laid down in 1986. The Plant Pest Act gives USDA broad authority to protect American agriculture from the full spectrum of threats. ITIF examines USDA's proposals and notes where they are consistent with U.S. policy and the OSTP mandate and where they are not.