New USDA rule aids biotech crop development

Nov 14, 2024
By Farms.com

USDA eases rules for faster crop innovation

The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has revised its biotechnology regulations, expanding the exemptions for modified plants, as announced in a recent update under 7 CFR part 340.

This regulatory enhancement is endorsed by the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), which views it as a crucial step towards modernizing biotech advancements in agriculture.

By broadening the scope of these exemptions, the USDA APHIS aims to foster a more innovative and responsive agricultural biotech industry.

This change is expected to streamline the process by which new agricultural products are brought to market, thereby ensuring they are safe and effective more rapidly than before.

BIO has actively supported the revision of these regulations, emphasizing the positive impact on not only the industry giants but also smaller firms and academic institutions involved in agricultural biotech.

The organization highlights the inclusion of extensive public and stakeholder feedback, with nearly 6,500 comments considered, underscoring the USDA's commitment to collaborative regulatory development.

With these updates, BIO looks forward to continued collaboration with the USDA to further minimize obstacles for biotech innovators.

This regulatory change is poised to enhance the diversity of biotechnologically developed crops and support sustainable farming practices, which are vital for future food security and economic stability in the U.S. and globally.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.