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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Nov. 12 announced that biotech plants made through modifications that could have been achieved by conventional breeding can be exempt from strict 7 CFR part 340 regulation.
The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), which worked with USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to have the change instated, praised the decision.
“This promising update supports the latest advancements in science and biotechnology, encouraging innovation across a broader range of agricultural products,” BIO said in a statement. “This progress toward aligning regulations with conventional breeding methods helps ensure that new, safe products can be brought to market more swiftly and efficiently, benefiting consumers and supporting sustainable agriculture.”
The final regulations simplify regulatory changes proposed by APHIS in 2023. APHIS received 6,477 comments from the public on that earlier proposal.
Why 7 CFR part 340 matters
Plants that are modified through biotechnology can fall under 7 CFR part 340, which strictly controls the movement and/or planting of the plants.
“APHIS anticipates that expanding the scope of modifications that plants can contain and be exempt from its regulations will foster innovation, enable a larger number of smaller businesses and academic institutions to engage in innovative agricultural product development, and expand the number and variety of new crops being developed through biotechnology,” according to a statement from the agency.
Plants improved by biotech can enhance our food security and reduce the climate impact of agriculture by making crops more able to survive extreme conditions, reducing the need for external inputs, preventing waste, and providing more sustainable materials and energy.
As this new regulation recognizes, biotech improvements to plants often yield the same alterations that traditional cross-breeding can achieve—but with biotech, the improvements can be made in a matter of months, instead of decades.
“BIO played a key role in urging the agency to consider these exemptions and believes these modifications will enable not only major biotech firms but also smaller businesses and academic institutions to drive cutting-edge agricultural development, benefiting both the U.S. economy and global food security,” according to BIO’s statement.
“This inclusion of stakeholder input—considering nearly 6,500 comments—is a testament to APHIS’ commitment to transparency and collaboration. BIO looks forward to working with the agency to further reduce barriers for innovators and expand the diversity of crops developed through biotechnology,” the statement concluded.
