The Biotechnology Risk Assessment Grants (BRAG) program supports the development of new information that will assist federal regulatory agencies in making evidence-based decisions about the effects of genetically engineered...more
The European Parliament has adopted an amended European Commission proposal to regulate plants engineered using techniques such as CRISPR/Cas and ban any patenting of plants, plant parts, material, genetic information, or...more
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has published final amendments to its biotechnology regulations codified at 7 C.F.R. part 340 under the Plant Protection...more
In a coordinated effort, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched a Unified Website for Biotechnology Regulation on January 9,...more
FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., and Deputy Commissioner Frank Yiannas recently issued a statement addressing new steps included in the President’s 2020 Budget proposal to advance FDA’s food safety program and expand...more
20 years or five months? On March 8, 2019, nearly 20 years after AquaBounty Technology discovered a novel approach to increase the growth of Atlantic salmon, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finally “deactivated”...more
LEGISLATION, REGULATIONS & STANDARDS - FDA Announces Plan to “Advance Plant, Animal Biotechnology Innovation” - U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb has issued a statement announcing the...more
On November 8, 2017, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) issued a statement soliciting applications for its Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research Grants Program. The...more
Alika Atay et al v. County of Maui, et al, No. 15-16466 (9th Cir., Nov. 18, 2016) - Hawai’i Papaya Indus. Assn., et al v. County of Hawaii, No. 14-17538 (9th Circ., Nov. 18, 2016) - Robert Ito Farm, Inc., et al. v. County...more
While Americans have been bombarded with news of Pokemon sightings, legislation concerning our food safety passed through the House, with barely a whisper from the mainstream media. The House of Representatives submitted...more
Provides Practical, Mandatory Disclosure and Preempts State GMO Labeling Laws - Senate Agriculture Committee leaders reached agreement June 23, 2016, on a bill that would require food containing genetic material modified...more
On March 9, 2016, the second public meeting on the July 2, 2015, memorandum entitled “Modernizing the Regulatory System for Biotechnology Products,” was convened in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Region 6...more
On November 19, 2015, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new animal drug application (NADA) that authorizes the marketing of the AquAdvantage Salmon, a genetically modified Atlantic salmon. In...more
In 1960, Judge Friendly famously began an opinion by asking, “What is chicken?” Today, the question is, “What is ‘natural’?” Courts today are filled with cases claiming that foods labeled as “natural” are misleading...more
On November 19, 2015, FDA issued its final guidance for industry concerning the requirements for voluntarily indicating whether food products have or have not been derived from genetically engineered plants. The final...more
On October 15, 2015, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted notice of a public meeting to be held on Friday October 30th, in order to clarify the current roles and responsibilities described in the Coordinated...more
The proposed Federal regulation of GMOs is proceeding. Following the White House’s recent action on GMOs, Representative Pompeo’s “Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act” (H.R. 1599) was passed by the House Agriculture Committee...more
Last week, the White House waded into the GMO regulatory fray with the Office of Science and Technology Policy’s (OSTP) announcement of a major overhaul of GMO regulation. In a statement released July 2, OSTP noted that...more
A recent effort by two Los Angeles city councilmen to ban the sale and cultivation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) signals an emerging trend in the attack against crop biotechnology. Municipalities in a number of...more
Following the issuance of decision G2/07 in connection with the "Broccoli" patent, which discussed whether plant breeding methods were excluded from patentability as essentially biological processes for the production of...more