Washington, DC
March 29, 2007
USA Rice Federation today filed comments with the
U.S. Department of
Agriculture’s Animal Plant Health Inspection service (APHIS)
asking “in the strongest possible terms that the permit for
Ventria Bioscience’s
pharmaceutical rice be denied.” Ventria is seeking USDA approval
for growing non-food rice bioengineered to contain the human
proteins lysozyme, lactoferrin and recombinant human serum
albumin.
“If Ventria’s pharmaceutical rice were to escape into the
commercial rice supply, the financial devastation to the U.S.
rice industry would likely be absolute,” the USA Rice comments
say. “There is no tolerance, either regulatory or in public
perception, for a human gene-based pharmaceutical to end up in
the world’s food supply.”
The USA Rice biotechnology policy supports the development of
genetically modified rice varieties, but does not support their
commercial release prior to scientific-based regulatory approval
and consumer acceptance (i.e., no negative impact on commercial
sales of U.S. rice).
“While APHIS may base its decision on the stringency of its
permit controls and not on market and financial considerations,
it is still negligent for the agency to risk an entire industry
for the sake of profit for one company,” the USA Rice comments
say. “Already, the USA Rice Federation is receiving complaints
from the public that are confusing the Ventria permit with the
latest Liberty Link rice issue and assuming the worst.”
The USA Rice comments call for a set of actions prior to the
consideration of approval for Ventria BioScience’s
pharmaceutical rice:
- “Because of no assurance
or confidence that Ventria pharmaceutical rice can be kept
separate from commercial food and feed rice, we believe that
USDA must engage FDA in a risk analysis and risk assessment
of the potential health affects that could occur when
genetic material from the pharmaceutical rice is eventually
found in commercial rice.”
- “APHIS should conduct a
full Environmental Impact Statement concurrent with FDA’s
analysis.”
- “Further production of
Ventria’s pharmaceutical rice should not occur in the U.S.
until, at a minimum, the FDA and APHIS have concluded the
studies, assuming the agencies determine that there are no
potential health effects.”
The full text of the USA Rice
comments on the Ventria Biosciences proposal to grow
pharmaceutical rice in Kansas is posted on the USA Rice Web site
at
http://www.usarice.com/industry/communication/factsheets.html
USA Rice Federation is the national advocate for all segments
of the rice industry, conducting activities to influence
government programs, developing and initiating programs to
increase worldwide demand for U.S. rice, and providing other
services to increase profitability for all industry segments.
More news
about Ventria
Bioscience |
|