On January 9, 2020, also in recognition of National Biotechnology Month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the launch of a unified website for biotechnology regulation. Streamlining information about the three agencies in charge of overseeing agriculture biotechnology products, this website comes, in part, to fulfill President Trump’s Executive Order (EO) on Modernizing the Regulatory Framework for Agricultural Biotechnology Products. The unified website also describes the federal review process for certain biotechnology products and allows users to submit questions to USDA, FDA, and/or EPA. Aiming to improve customer service to innovators and developers, the three agencies also wish to assure Americans about the safe use of biotechnology innovations. According to USDA Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Purdue, all Americans deserve transparency and science-based regulations that foster innovation, conserve resources, and protect public health. BRAG will supplement this notice with more information next week.
