Washington, DC
August 18, 2006"The
U.S. Department of Agriculture
and U.S. Food and Drug
Administration have been notified by
Bayer CropScience
that the company has detected trace amounts of regulated
genetically engineered (GE) rice in samples taken from
commercial long grain rice. Both have reviewed the available
scientific data and concluded that there are no human health,
food safety, or environmental concerns associated with this GE
rice.
"Bayer has developed many GE
herbicide-tolerant products with the protein called Liberty
Link, three of which are rice. The regulated line is LLRICE 601
and Bayer reports finding only trace amounts of it during
testing. LLRICE 601 was field tested between 1998 and 2001. Two
deregulated lines, LLRICE 62 and LLRICE 06, have been through
thorough safety evaluations and have been deemed safe for use in
food and safe in the environment, although these lines have not
been commercialized.
"Based on the available data
and information, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has
concluded that the presence of LLRICE 601 in the food and feed
supply poses no safety concerns. USDA's Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service also conducted a risk assessment, which
indicates LLRICE 601 is safe in the environment.
"Bayer indicated it had no
plans to market LLRICE 601 and therefore had not requested
deregulation. Based on reports that LLRICE 601 is in the
marketplace and a petition from Bayer, APHIS will conduct a
deregulation process, including an opportunity for public
comment.
"Because the line of GE rice in
question was regulated, APHIS is conducting an investigation to
determine the circumstances surrounding the release and whether
any violations of USDA regulations occurred.
"The protein found in LLRICE
601 is approved for use in other products. It has been
repeatedly and thoroughly scientifically reviewed and used
safely in food and feed, cultivation, import and breeding in the
United States, as well as nearly a dozen other countries around
the world.
"Since 1987, APHIS has
deregulated more than 70 GE crop lines and in the last decade
farmers have increasingly planted biotech varieties engineered
mainly for herbicide tolerance, insect resistance, and enhanced
quality traits. USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service
estimates that in 2006, 61 percent of the corn, 83 percent of
the cotton and 89 percent of the soybeans planted in the United
States were biotech varieties."
U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Statement On Report Of
Bioengineered Rice In The Food Supply
Fact Sheet: Genetically Engineered Rice
Transcript Of Remarks By Agriculture
Secretary Mike Johanns and Dr. Robert Brackett, Director of the
Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and
Applied Nutrition
Washington D.C.
August 18, 2006
MODERATOR: Good afternoon from Washington. I'm Larry Quinn
speaking to you from the Broadcast Center at the U.S. Department
of Agriculture. Welcome to today's news conference with
Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns. Today's topic is
Genetically Engineered Rice.
Joining the Secretary in the
studio is Dr. Robert Brackett, director of the Food and Drug
Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
Just a reminder for reporters,
please press *1 on your telephone touchpad to alert us that you
have a question to ask.
Now it's my pleasure to
introduce Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns.
SEC. MIKE JOHANNS: Good
afternoon, and let me just start out and say thanks to everybody
who is joining us on the line this afternoon. I also want to
start by saying welcome to Dr. Robert Brackett from the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration. I do appreciate his participation
in this call.
I might also mention that we
are joined in the studio with Deputy Administrator for
Biotechnology Regulatory Services, Cindy Smith. And when we get
to the point where we take questions, both of them will be
available to answer questions.
I will share with you some
information about genetically modified rice, and then I'll
invite Dr. Brackett to offer some thoughts on behalf of the FDA.
And then as I indicated, we'd be happy to take some questions.
The U.S. Department of
Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have been
notified by Bayer Crop Science that the company has detected
trace amounts of regulated genetically engineered rice in
samples taken from commercial long grain rice. Both agencies
have reviewed the available scientific data, and based on that
data have concluded that there are no human health, food safety
or environmental concerns associated with this GE rice.
Bayer has developed many GE
herbicide tolerant products with the protein called "liberty
link," three of which are rice. The regulated line is called LL
Rice-601, and Bayer reports finding only trace amounts of it
during its testing. Two deregulated lines, LL Rice-62 and LL
Rice-06, which again use the same protein, have been through
thorough safety evaluations and have been deemed safe for use in
food and safe in the environment, although these lines have not
been commercialized.
USDA's Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service conducted a risk assessment based on
available data and information, which indicates this regulated
rice line, LL Rice-601, is safe in the environment. Bayer
indicated it had no plans to market it, and therefore had not
requested deregulation.
Field testing on LL Rice-601
occurred between 1998 and 2001. Based on reports that it is in
the marketplace and a petition from Bayer, APHIS will conduct a
deregulation process including an opportunity for public
comment. Because the line of GE rice in question was regulated,
I have directed APHIS to conduct an investigation to determine
the circumstances surrounding the release and whether any
violations of USDA regulations occurred.
It is important to note that
the protein found in this regulated rice line, LL Rice-601, is
approved for use in other products. It has been repeatedly and
thoroughly scientifically reviewed, and used safely in food and
feed, cultivation, import and breeding in the United States.
It is also approved for use in
nearly a dozen other countries around the world. Since 1987,
APHIS has deregulated more than 70 GE crop lines. In the last
decade farmers have increasingly planted biotech varieties
engineered mainly for herbicide tolerance, insect resistance,
and enhanced quality traits.
USDA's National Agricultural
Statistics Service estimates that in 2006 61 percent of the
corn, 83 percent of the cotton, and 89 percent of the soybeans
planted in the United States were biotech varieties.
With that, I would like to
invite Dr. Brackett to offer a few thoughts, and then as I
indicated we'd be happy to take your questions.
Doctor?
DR. ROBERT BRACKETT: Thank you,
Secretary Johanns.
I'd just like to emphasize what
the secretary just said, and that is on the basis of everything
we know at this point, we're aware of no safety concerns here.
We have a robust system for insuring the safety of foods in this
country including those foods produced using bioengineering
methods in which developers and marketers on one hand and the
government on the other hand both have responsibilities. We're
working closely with USDA and with the industry in this
situation.
As is always the case, food
that is marketed in this country must be safe and lawful. We
fully expect that companies marketing food will be vigilant in
this task as well as FDA and USDA. In the present case of
bioengineered rice, as with all foods under FDA purview, if we
become aware of any new information that suggests that food or
feed may be unsafe, we can and will take appropriate action to
ensure continued protection for consumers.
However, we have no suggestion
that there's any food safety concerns at all with any rice on
the market today, including any rice that may possibly contain
LL Rice-601.
SEC. JOHANNS: Larry, with that
I think we're ready to take some questions.
MODERATOR: Just before we
begin, I would remind reporters to please press *1 to indicate
if you do have a question.
Today our first question comes
from Chris Clayton from DTN. Chris, go ahead, please.
REPORTER: Thanks for taking
questions, Mr. Secretary. What was -- I'm sorry I didn't catch
it necessarily -- what was the genetic enhancement or whatever
that this rice line has? And what is the estimation in the
amount of I guess spreading or contamination that may have
occurred?
SEC. JOHANNS: Let me ask Cindy
to take the first question, and then in terms of any estimation
of spreading I'll offer a thought on that. But Cindy, go ahead.
MS. CINDY SMITH: Okay. The line
that we are talking about that there's some preliminary
information on is a rice line that conveys herbicide tolerance.
And so what that means is that the plant is protected through
the way that it's been genetically engineered against the
Liberty Link Herbicide.
SEC. JOHANNS: In reference to
your question about spreading, Chris, I would hesitate to even
offer an opinion about that today. What I can tell you is that
on July 31 the FDA and the USDA were notified that testing
conducted had identified this genetically engineered rice in the
sample that they had taken. But today it would be way premature
for me to go beyond what we've been given by this company Bayer
and try to surmise what percentage might be out there.
MODERATOR: Next question will
come from Jackie Fatka of Farm Progress followed by Stewart
Doan. Jackie, go ahead, please.
REPORTER: Good afternoon. Thank
you for taking my question. You started off by saying that Bayer
had reported trace amounts. What was it exactly that they found
the trace amounts in? Was it other field testing they were
doing?
And also, you had just
mentioned that July 31 was when you were notified. Have you been
doing investigations since then during the month of August, or
what has been going on since July 31?
SEC. JOHANNS: I'll again ask
Cindy to answer the first part of your question, and then let me
talk about some of the things that we've been able to put in
place in this short period of time in preparation for today.
Cindy?
MS. SMITH: Yes. Thank you.
Bayer tested a couple of market samples that were made up of
long grain rice. That's what they tested and then found tested
positive for the 601 Liberty Link.
SEC. JOHANNS: A couple of
things that I would offer in terms of what we've been doing to
prepare for today, we wanted to have a couple of tests validated
or in the process of validation because we anticipate that
producers out there will want to test rice or shippers will want
to test rice. Customers may want rice tested.
So that actually is in the
process, and we actually have a test available where you can
identify the protein. More information will be available on that
yet today.
The second issue was that we
wanted to be able to offer based upon the information that was
provided to us by Bayer, an indication as to food safety, public
health, environmental. And so they provided us documents, which
our experts have been reviewing to be able to say the things
that we have offered today.
And again I emphasize that
based upon the materials that have been provided, we have
reached a determination based upon those materials that there
isn't any environmental fear; there isn't a food safety fear.
Now as the doctor indicated, if
there were additional information that would cause concern about
that we of course would get that information out immediately and
make that available to the public.
And then the other thing I
would mention is that we just wanted to make sure that we knew
what the genesis was, just gather as much information as we
could about the rice and its testing and its background and that
sort of thing. And so we've also been engaged in that process.
MODERATOR: Next question comes
from Stewart Doan of Clear Channel Ag Networks. And Stuart will
be followed by Jerry Hagstrom. Stuart?
REPORTER: Thank you, Larry.
Good afternoon, Mr. Secretary. Where was the -- the sampling
question, where did it come from-- a commercial warehouse in
what state, what part of the country?
Secondly, impact, potential
impact on exports, what is USDA doing? Are you communicating
with major buyers of U.S. rice? Is APHIS or FAS doing that, sir?
SEC. JOHANNS: I can't offer
anything on the first part, but I can, Stewart, offer a couple
of thoughts on our sales overseas. Of course we do have a very
solid market in terms of rice overseas. We will be working with
those trading partners. In fact that has already begun this
afternoon where we have indicated we'll get information in their
hands.
But the thing that I've
emphasized in the discussions I've had, and I suspect they will
continue in the weeks ahead, is that not only the USDA but the
FDA has been involved in this, that based upon the materials
provided there isn't a food safety concern, there isn't an
environmental concern.
I gave them some verbal
information but I also indicated to them that our scientists
were at their disposal. I also indicated to them that any
paperwork that we could provide we wanted to provide, and that
our experts would work with them.
I also wanted to be able to
tell them and was able to tell them today the status of the
validation of the testing to ascertain the existence of this
protein.
So all of that information was
shared, and we're going to continue to do that in the days and
weeks ahead.
SEC. JOHANNS: I'm just not
going to get that far down the trail because one of the things I
learned long ago is you should try to do everything you can to
avoid interfering with an investigation, needless to say. So my
direction to APHIS has been, you do whatever you feel you need
to do to make sure that this investigation is thorough and
complete. And you're not going to get any interference
whatsoever in that effort. In fact, we want to make sure that
they have all the cooperation in the world to make sure that
when the investigation is done that they've looked at all
aspects of the issue.
REPORTER: Thank you, sir.
MODERATOR: Jerry Hagstrom of
Congress Daily is next, followed by Brian Hartman. Jerry?
REPORTER: Yes. Mr. Secretary, a
rice lobbyist has just e-mailed me a message saying that there
is some, that there is a bit of confusion out here about whether
the rice that has been contaminated was part of the 2005 rice
crop or whether it is part of the 2006 crop that is now in the
field. Can you clarify that?
Secondly, there are rumors out
there that this positive sample came from rice that was grown in
Louisiana, and it's held by Riceland Foods. Can you comment on
that?
And third, I would ask you, do
we know if this contamination has occurred in the various
rice-growing regions of the country? Or if it is just in one
area rather than, let's say, both Louisiana and California?
SEC. JOHANNS: It was the 2005
crop, I can tell you that. I won't verify rumors. And your third
question about region, we are working off of samples that the
company has provided, and so I'll turn to Cindy on that. I don't
believe I have ever heard, Cindy, of what region this was from.
But --
MS. SMITH: I think what we know
is that it's long grained rice that's in question. I think
that's as much as we know.
SEC. JOHANNS: Okay, great.
REPORTER: And is -- excuse me
-- is long grain grown in one part of the country?
MODERATOR: -- of ABC News. And
standing by should be Scott Kilman. Brian?
REPORTER: Sure. First off, back
to the July 31 thing, why didn't we hear about this on August 1?
And second of all, when you say long grain rice we're talking
about there was a package on a grocery store shelf that had this
rice in there somewhere?
SEC. JOHANNS: Brian, the reason
why you didn't hear about it on August 1 or even July 31st is
because we didn't have all the information that we felt was
necessary to even get this story out today at that point in
time.
We were supplied with
significant amount of information. We definitely wanted to make
sure that FDA's experts had an opportunity to look at that. And
we wanted to make sure that our experts had an opportunity to
look at that.
The other thing was that we
knew that the day that this was talked about that producers out
there, justifiably so, or people who might be sold rice would
want to know what tests are available. And that is a very, very
justified request. And so we've been working on validating tests
so we would be able to answer that question today.
I can tell you that we wanted
to make sure that we were doing everything we could to try to
get a handle, based upon the information we had, relative to
environmental safety and food safety. And so we've really
intensely been working on those issues so we could say what we
did today.
In terms of your question about
was this off a shelf, or something like that, let me again point
something out here. It's very, very important because I don't
want to read too much into your question, but it implies to me
something that quite honestly I find concerning in your
question.
The genetically engineered
products in the United States are very, very common, have been
for many, many years. We estimate that about 70 percent of the
processed food in the United States would have some genetic
engineering component, some background to it. In other words,
it's just not an unusual phenomena here. In fact it is a very,
very common phenomena.
The protein that was used in
this rice was a protein that is identical to two other lines of
rice that would have gone through our entire process, could be
commercialized here, absolutely have met the requirements that
are out there and satisfied those requirements.
REPORTER: But if it's not
unusual, why are we having --
SEC. JOHANNS: I guess what I
would say to you is this. I'm not exactly certain where the
sample came from, but I didn't want anything about your question
to imply to people that there's a safety concern here because
based upon all the information we see -- and we took the time to
look at it -- we don't see that.
Now again, as the doctor
indicated, if we got any indication to the contrary we would get
that information out there just as quickly as we possibly could.
REPORTER: But you haven't
answered the question --
MODERATOR: Next question will
come from Scott Kilman of Wall Street Journal, and Scott will be
followed by Jack Caske (sp). Scott, go ahead, please.
REPORTER: I'll reask the
question and I'll ask another one, two questions. One is, what
happens to rice that contains this unapproved strain, the 601?
Does it have to be recalled or be destroyed? That's my first
question.
And number two, Mr. Secretary,
are you saying that the USDA knows where this unapproved variety
of genetically modified rice was found, but you're not going to
tell the public?
SEC. JOHANNS: The first
question, whether we would recall it or destroy it, there's
nothing that we have seen that would justify that action,
nothing whatsoever. Again, I point out to you that the FDA and
the USDA have been both involved in this.
And I'll ask Dr. Brackett to
offer a thought on that too, but there would be nothing that
would justify that action.
And I can tell you in terms of
the location of this sample and the information I've provided I
can tell you very candidly, I didn't ask where this sample came
from. I know it's long grain rice. I can't tell you if that came
from this state or that state. The information that was provided
to me was sufficient for purposes of ascertaining the safety of
this, and I wanted to know where the process was at, and had it
been through the process, and a whole list of things. (Note
to readers: Secretary Johanns did not request information
about the specific states from which the samples were collected
because he was advised that the samples came from grain bins
that contained rice from several states, making it impossible to
determine where the sampled rice was actually grown.)
But whether it came from this
state or that state, quite honestly, is an issue that I just, it
never came up, and it's an issue that hadn't been addressed in
the conversations I'd had.
DR. BRACKETT: I agree
completely. The mere fact that this rice has some genetically
engineered components in it doesn't in and of itself make the
food unsafe. In fact, we have looked at all the data that's been
provided and arrived at the conclusion that this does not pose
any food or feed safety concerns to us.
And so consequently FDA does
not plan to take any regulatory action based on the presence of
this bioengineered rice variety in food or feed.
MODERATOR: Next question is
from Jack Caske (sp) of Bloomberg News. And Jack will be
followed by Sally Schuff. Jack, go ahead, please.
REPORTER: Good afternoon. What
percentage of U.S. long grain rice is exported? And what are you
doing to protect those imports? How is it affecting those
imports?
SEC. JOHANNS: What are we doing
to protect the exports probably is your question.
REPORTER: Yeah, exports. What
percentage --
SEC. JOHANNS: About 50 percent
of the rice crop is sent into the export market. About 80
percent of that would be long grain rice if I remember my
statistics. So 50 percent of the rice crop thereabouts goes into
the export market and about 80 percent of that would be long
grain rice.
The best way to deal with trade
issues is to deal very, very directly with your trading
partners, and we are doing that. We are engaging them. We are
providing information to my colleagues. I'm talking to them. In
addition I have indicated to them that we will provide whatever
information they need, we'll put our experts together with their
experts.
I also indicated during our
phone conversation today that the determination has been made
based upon the information we were supplied that there is not an
environmental risk, there's not a food safety risk. And I've
also indicated to them that as we continue to go through
whatever process we have that we'll continue to stay in touch
and provide them with information.
So our goal here is to just
make sure that we're engaged with them, not only today but on
any day that they want information or are seeking advice on what
we're doing.
MODERATOR: Sally Schuff of Feed
Stuffs Magazine is next, followed by Kevin Freking of Associated
Press. Sally?
REPORTER: Yes. Hello, sir, and
thank you for taking my call. And I apologize -- I came on the
call a little bit late, so this question may have been asked.
But how was this discovery made? Was it, was the testing that
called this to your attention conducted by a consumer group or
one of the regulatory agencies or perhaps the company?
SEC. JOHANNS: The company came
to us voluntarily, and they indicated that they had performed
tests and indicated that those tests had shown a very small
presence of a GE product in the rice. So that's how it came to
us through the company, through Bayer.
REPORTER: Thank you.
MODERATOR: Kevin Freking of
Associated Press is next followed by Christopher Dohring. Kevin,
go ahead, please.
REPORTER: Yes. I understand the
safety message that you're stressing and you don't believe any
regulatory action is required. But I'm still wondering, is this
a product that is something on the shelves today? Are American
consumers potentially buying this product?
SEC. JOHANNS: That's very, very
hard to answer just simply because the information we have
received and the information, the statements we are making is
based upon the testing that we have seen. And I was asked the
question earlier, what percentage of rice may be impacted by
this, and I just hate to venture out there because there's just
nothing I have that I could base that statement on.
Kevin, if I might just offer a
thought, I think you indicated there was no need for further
regulatory action. There's actually two things that are
happening here that involved the regulatory aspect of this. The
first thing is that as I indicated in my statement, we are going
to do an investigation to see how this product, which has not
been deregulated, is out there.
And APHIS will be conducting
that. And again, my direction to them is to do a complete and
thorough investigation.
The second thing I would tell
you is that they, "they" being Bayer, will petition for the
deregulation of this rice line. Keep in mind that two rice lines
that have the same protein have been deregulated. They could be
used. I can also tell you that this line, a pretty significant
amount of work had been done on this line when Bayer decided it
was not going to commercialize it and did not pursue it to a
final result.
But I can tell you that the
risk assessment that we have done to date indicates that this
rice from the USDA standpoint is environmentally safe.
Now let me emphasize something
very strongly. This process will involve public comment. We will
invite the scientific community, the public, whoever, to offer
their thoughts. And we will give them the opportunity to do that
and that will be very, very carefully reviewed as we review all
of that information in a regulatory process. And based upon all
of that and the work that has been done and will be done by
APHIS, a decision will be made as to whether this should
continue to be regulated or whether it should be deregulated.
MODERATOR: And our final
question today comes from Christopher Dohring of Reuters.
Christopher, go ahead, please.
REPORTER: Yes. Thank you for
taking my question. I'm just curious to know if anything -- I
know you've had other instances in the past where crops have
been contaminated between biotech and traditional crops. Is this
the first time this has happened as far as rice is concerned?
SEC. JOHANNS: Let me ask -- I
believe it is. But let me have somebody else answer that.
MS. SMITH: That's correct. This
is the first issue that's come up with respect to rice because
this was a crop that actually while it was approved previously
to be marketed the company had not yet brought it to market.
We've not had any other situations involving rice.
REPORTER: Thank you.
MODERATOR: Mr. Secretary, any
final thoughts?
SEC. JOHANNS: Let me just wrap
up my comments by expressing my appreciation to those who have
so diligently worked on this and to those who are in the studio
with me. If I were to wrap up with just a final message, this
message would be that based upon the information we have seen,
this product is safe. At the USDA we have already done a
significant amount of work on this line. We invite people to
comment as the deregulation process goes forward, and that will
start immediately. That will be posted in the Federal Register
as we always do.
The other thing that I would
urge people to do is to stay in touch with our website. Any
information that we have will be posted on our website, and it
will be available for anyone to see.
With that, let me just finally
say to all of those who have joined in the call today, we
appreciate that immensely.
MODERATOR: Secretary of
Agriculture Mike Johanns.
I'm Larry Quinn bidding you a
good afternoon from Washington.
Fact Sheet:
Genetically Engineered Rice
August 2006
AGRICULTURAL GENETIC ENGINEERING
Genetic engineering (GE) is a precise
and predictable method used to introduce new traits into plants
and animals by moving genes and other genetic elements from one
or more organisms into another organism.
- GE
crops are being produced that have a wide variety of traits
that benefit farmers and consumers. For example, GE crops
can tolerate drought conditions and herbicides, resist
insects and viruses, and provide enhanced quality and
nutrition for consumers. GE crops are being developed by
private companies, universities, and other researchers.
- GE
crops that are currently consumed for food, fiber or feed
include corn, soybeans, cotton, canola, alfalfa and squash.
Over 70 percent of processed foods on grocery store shelves
in the U.S. contain ingredients and oils from biotech crops,
according to an industry estimate.
-
USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service estimates
that in 2006, 61 percent of the corn, 83 percent of the
cotton and 89 percent of the soybeans planted in the United
States were biotech varieties.
BIOTECHNOLOGY REGULATORY AUTHORITY
Under a coordinated regulatory framework, USDA's
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the Food and
Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) share responsibility for regulating biotechnology
products to ensure that approved biotechnology products
developed in the U.S. pose no risk to human health or the
environment.
-
APHIS through its Biotechnology Regulatory Services (BRS)
arm is responsible for overseeing the introduction of GE
agricultural products in the United States. Since 1987,
APHIS has safely deregulated or approved more than 70 GE
products.
-
Deregulation of GE crops is necessary before they can be
produced commercially. The process includes several steps
including an initial risk assessment and thorough
environmental review.
INVESTIGATION OF REGULATED RICE IN
COMMERCIAL RICE SAMPLES
-
USDA and FDA have been notified by Bayer CropScience that
the company has detected trace amounts of regulated
genetically engineered (GE) rice in samples taken from
commercial long grain rice.
-
Both USDA and FDA have reviewed the available scientific
data and concluded that there is no human health, food
safety, or environmental concerns associated with this GE
rice.
-
Bayer has developed many GE herbicide-tolerant products with
the protein called Liberty Link, three of which are rice.
The regulated line is LLRICE 601 and Bayer reports finding
only trace amounts of it during testing. Bayer conducted
field tests of LLRICE 601 between 1998 and 2001. Bayer has
indicated it had no plans to market LLRICE 601 and therefore
had not petitioned for deregulation.
-
Two deregulated rice lines, LLRICE 62 and LLRICE 06, have
been through thorough safety evaluations and have been
deemed safe for use in food and safe in the environment,
although these lines have not been commercialized.
-
Based on the available data and information, the FDA has
concluded that the presence of LLRICE 601 in the food and
feed supply poses no safety concerns and APHIS, through a
risk assessment based on the same data and information,
concluded that LLRICE 601 is safe in the environment.
-
Based on reports that LLRICE 601 is in the marketplace and a
petition from Bayer, APHIS will conduct a deregulation
process, including an opportunity for public comment.
-
Because the line of GE rice in question was regulated, APHIS
is conducting an investigation to determine the
circumstances surrounding the release and whether any
violations of USDA regulations occurred.
-
The protein found in LLRICE 601 is approved for use in other
products. It has been repeatedly and thoroughly
scientifically reviewed and used safely in food and feed,
cultivation, import and breeding in the United States, as
well as nearly a dozen other countries around the world.
-
USDA is in the process of validating a test to provide the
marketplace with a tool to detect the presence of the
Liberty Link protein in rice. Bayer has made arrangements
with several private laboratories to run the tests and will
post that information on their website.
U.S. RICE STATISTICS
More than 100 varieties of rice are
commercially produced primarily in six states (Arkansas, Texas,
Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and California) in the U.S.
-
According to estimates for the 2006 crop year, rice
production in the U.S. is valued at $1.88 billion,
approximately half of which is expected to be exported.
-
The U.S. provides about 12 % of world rice trade.
- In
2005, 80% of rice exports were long grain varieties.
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The majority of domestic utilization of U.S. rice is direct
food use (58%), while 16 percent is used in processed foods
and beer respectively. The remaining 10 percent is found in
pet food.
GLOSSARY OF TERMINOLOGY
Agricultural Biotechnology: A range
of tools, including traditional breeding techniques, that alter
living organisms, or parts of organisms, to make or modify
products; improve plants or animals; or develop microorganisms
for specific agricultural uses. Modern biotechnology today
includes the tools of genetic engineering.
Deregulated: If a GE crop has gone
through the regulatory process for USDA to determine that it can
be safely commercialized, it is commonly referred to as being a
deregulated crop. This is necessary before it is sold and
produced commercially. It allows the product to be moved and
planted freely without the need for notification or permits. A
developer may file a petition for deregulation only after a GE
crop has been tested extensively and the developer can show that
the product does not pose a plant pest risk.
Gene: The fundamental physical and
functional unit of heredity. A gene is typically a specific
segment of a chromosome and encodes a specific functional
product (such as a protein or RNA molecule).
Genetic engineering: Manipulation of
an organism's genes by introducing, eliminating or rearranging
specific genes using the methods of modern molecular biology,
particularly those techniques referred to as recombinant DNA
techniques.
Herbicide-tolerant crops: Crops that
have been developed to survive application(s) of particular
herbicides by the incorporation of certain gene(s) either
through genetic engineering or traditional breeding methods. The
genes allow the herbicides to be applied to the crop to provide
effective weed control without damaging the crop itself.
Protein: A molecule composed of one
or more chains of amino acids in a specific order. Proteins are
required for the structure, function, and regulation of the
body's cells, tissues, and organs, and each protein has a unique
function.
Regulated: If a GE crop has not gone
through the regulatory process for USDA to determine if it can
be safely commercialized, it is commonly referred to as being in
regulated status or a regulated crop.
Variety: A subdivision of a species
for taxonomic classification also referred to as a 'cultivar.' A
variety is a group of individual plants that is uniform, stable,
and distinct genetically from other groups of individuals in the
same species.
More information on biotechnology and the USDA regulation of
biotechnology can be found at:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/biotechnology/index.shtml
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