USDA Appears Ready To Tighten Biotech Controls

USDA Appears Ready To Tighten Biotech Controls

WASHINGTON--Food processors have been putting heavy pressure onthe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to tighten its oversight ofpharmaceutical crops, and that pressure seems to have had an effect. Veneman,speaking at a conference sponsored by the Farm Journal, said thedepartment will take action against companies that violate its regulationsconcerning bioengineered crops.

"[W]e have to have a strong and credible regulatory system," saidAgriculture Secretary Ann Veneman in a story from the Des Moines Register(www.desmoinesregister.com).

Food processors have wanted to strengthen planting restrictions andmonitoring of crops--primarily corn--bioengineered to produce pharmaceuticalproducts such as vaccines.

Groups such as the North American Millers' Association and the National FoodProcessors Association have demanded guarantees that biotech crops will notcontaminate the food supply. "Our position remains, there must be 100percent assurance of containment. Period," said Jim Blair, vice presidentof the Millers' Association, in the story from the Register.

Veneman did not offer specifics on what regulations her department mayimpose, but USDA already suggested several recommendations for keeping biotechcrops out of the food supply. Reportedly, ideas proposed by USDA includedaltering the color or leaf pattern of biotech crops, or growing modified cropsonly in areas where corn is not grown for human or animal consumption.