Necessary Regulatory Changes to Improve the Federal Government’s Oversight of GE Crops

If farmers are to continue growing genetically engineered (GE) crops, consumers must believe they are safe to eat and make a positive contribution to agriculture. The current regulatory oversight by FDA is unlikely to make consumers more comfortable with the safety of GE crops and foods and ingredients made from those crops. However, if FDA instituted a mandatory approval process for GE crops, public perception of GE crops could become much more favorable. In addition, if USDA used a science-based regulatory system to regulate GE crops and manage any potential environmental and agricultural impacts, GE crops would be able to better contribute to making agriculture sustainable. While such regulatory changes would require significant departures from current federal oversight and likely entail Congressional action, such actions are necessary to allow safe and beneficial GE crops to be planted, harvested, and accepted well into the future.

View resource