ABI director involved with USDA  committee's biotechnology reports

May 12, 2005 -- Two reports concerning agricultural biotechnology issues have been released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, according to Dr. Carole Cramer, executive director of the Arkansas Biosciences Institute at Arkansas State University.

Dr. Cramer is one of the 18 members of USDA's Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture, which developed the reports.

She was appointed to the committee by the Secretary of Agriculture in 2003, and was re-appointed for a 2004-2006 term based on her expertise in plant-made pharmaceuticals and specialty value-added applications of plant biotechnology.

The reports focus on issues surrounding traceability and labeling of agri-technology products, and trying to predict how such products will be utilized.

Here is the USDA press release on the two reports:

USDA ISSUES TWO BIOTECHNOLOGY REPORTS

WASHINGTON, 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.

For copies of the reports and more information about the AC21, visit www.usda.gov or www.usda.gov/agencies/biotech/ac21.html.

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