A new Biotechnology Industry Organization policy will encourage the group's members in food and agriculture to seek regulatory authorization from major countries before commercializing new biotech crops, BIO announced Wednesday.
The Product Launch Stewardship Policy seeks to address the potential trade disruptions caused by agricultural biotechnology when regulatory authorizations among trading partners approve or deregulate biotech crop varieties at different times.
BIO is calling its policy of restraint "forward-looking."
"It demonstrates that BIO is committed to doing our part to promote the continued safety and trust in the world's food supply, and to help support smooth trade transactions in the international grain community," says BIO CEO Jim Greenwood.
The policy encourages authorizations in the U.S., Canada and Japan prior to commercialization of a trait, and also calls on companies to consult with grain handlers and develop detection methods.
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