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Wednesday, April 24, 2002

Chamber Calls for Sound Science in Biotech Regs; Highlights Benefits During Biotech Week

The U.S.Chamber of Commerce reiterated its call for sound science in the regulation of biotech crops, during the second annual Biotechnology Week (April 21-28).

“Biotechnology holds enormous potential for our quality of life and economy,” said Bill Kovacs, U.S. Chamber vice president for environmental, technology, and regulatory affairs.  “It has been, and will continue to be, of tremendous benefit in developing more nutritious, safer foods around the world.”

The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) and the National Academy of Sciences’ assessments both show biotech foods to be just as safe as their conventional counterparts.  Yet biotech foods undergo a level of regulatory scrutiny, by three different federal agencies, that is not applied to conventional foods, according to the Chamber.

A flexible and diversified food supply is essential if we are to meet the needs of a rapidly growing global population, Kovacs noted.  Higher yields from biotech crops allow more food to be produced with the same natural resources, thus feeding more people while preserving wild habitats.

Biotech crops can prevent soil erosion and are environmentally friendly because they use fewer and more benign pesticides than conventional crop varieties, according to the Chamber.  They also offer consumers nutritionally enriched foods that could never be developed through traditional plant breeding.  Finally, farmers benefit from the reduced costs and the increased profit margins that biotech provides.  The rapid adoption of these crops by farmers in North America is a clear indicator of these benefits. 

“A regulatory approach based on science is vital in sustaining the use of biotechnology to the benefit of all people and all nations,” said Kovacs.  “Sound science will help ensure the success of biotech crops as a safe food supply.”

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector and region.

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