Washington, DC
May 9, 2005
The U.S. Department of Agriculture
today issued two reports on agricultural biotechnology that
cover the evolving world requirements for the traceability and
labeling of agricultural biotechnology products and on the
complexities of predicting the use of these products in the
future.
"These reports will help us to
better understand how biotechnology is changing the face of
agriculture," said Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns.
"Enhancing our understanding of the marketing regulations of
biotech products and how producers and consumers may be affected
by the adoption of this technology will help to guide USDA's
future decision-making in this area."
The reports, developed by
USDA's Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century
Agriculture (AC21), are entitled (1) Global Traceability and
Labeling Requirements for Agricultural Biotechnology-Derived
Products: Impacts and Implications for the United States; and
(2) Preparing for the Future.
The first report considers the
proliferation of mandatory biotechnology traceability and
labeling requirements in other countries; how different segments
of the United States food and feed supply chain are addressing
those requirements; and marketplace issues and tools that are
relevant to these developments.
The second report provides USDA
with an analysis of the factors that will shape the use of
biotechnology in the future. It identifies broad trends that are
likely to influence the future in some predictable ways as well
as key uncertainties that could drive the future in different
directions. The report also provides three examples of scenarios
for the future, not as predictions but as tools to provoke
thought and further analysis, plus a series of questions to help
understand the impacts of each scenario. The questions can be
applied to help analyze any scenario that may be developed.
The AC21 was established by the
Secretary of Agriculture in 2003 and examines how biotechnology
is likely to change agriculture and USDA's work over the next
five to ten years and other biotechnology issues sent to it by
the Secretary.
The 18-member committee
represents a broad spectrum of views and interests and is
composed of farmers, technology providers, academics,
representatives from the food manufacturing and shipping
industries, and representatives from consumer and environmental
organizations. The committee meets in public session three to
four times per year.
Advisory Committee on
Biotechnology & 21st Century Agriculture (AC21) Reports AC21
Consensus Report-Global Traceability and Labeling Requirements
for Agricultural Biotechnology-Derived Products:
Impacts and Implications for
the United States
AC21 Consensus Report-Preparing
for the Future
|
