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[pf] Comments sought on biotech product tracking
by Kaleopono
30 November 2000 23:30 UTC

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PUBLIC COMMENTS NEEDED ON BIOTECH CONTROVERSY

WASHINGTON, DC, November 29, 2000 (ENS) - Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman
today asked the public to provide comments on what, if any, additional steps
his agency should take to help segregate genetically engineered from
non-biotech products. "In order to protect our domestic and foreign markets
and ensure public confidence, it's essential that we improve our ability to
identify and track genetically modified farm products," said Glickman, in
remarks to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Advisory Committee on
Agricultural Biotechnology. "We want to provide a forum where the best ideas
on this subject can be presented," Glickman said. A notice to be published
in Thursday's Federal Register invites public comment on how USDA should
help facilitate the marketing of grains, oilseeds, fruits, vegetables and
nuts in a marketplace that includes biotech and non-biotech crops.

Some of the questions USDA seeks comment on include:

  a.. Should USDA be involved in accrediting, reviewing or certifying the
performance of food company systems to separate traditional and biotech
crops?
  b.. Should USDA establish biotech or non-biotech crop definitions as part
of the current U.S. quality grades and standards?
  c.. Should USDA expand its accreditation of laboratories to detect biotech
grains and oilseeds to other biotech crops?
Glickman also said that USDA's Grain Inspection Packers and Stockyards
Administration (GIPSA) will open a new biotechnology accreditation lab in
January to help standardize the identification of biotechnology derived
grains. The facility will review, upon request and for a fee, laboratories
testing grain for the presence of biotechnology derived grain and will
accredit those laboratories that meet performance standards. More
information is available at:
http://web.archive.org/web/20030424025831/http://www.usda.gov/agencies/biotech/index.html.