Transcript Industry Actions to Enhance Consumer Confidence in

Industry Actions to Enhance
Consumer Confidence in
Biotechnology
Gregory Jaffe
Director, Biotechnology Project
Center for Science in the Public
Interest
December 6, 2002
Center for Science in the Public
Interest (CSPI)
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Food and nutrition consumer organization
Nutrition Action Healthletter
No industry funding
No government funding
CSPI’s Biotechnology Project
“Accurate identification of the risks and benefits of
agricultural biotechnology, ensuring that the U.S.
regulatory system is up to the task of preventing
significant risk, and keeping the public informed are
some of the goals of CSPI's Biotechnology Project.”
CSPI’s Biotechnology Project (Cont.)
-- Support safe uses of the technology in the
future.
-- Strengthen regulatory system in US to
address new biotech products.
-- Address new products on a case-by-case
basis.
Current Biotechnology Products
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Current biotech foods appear to be safe to
ear and the environmental risks are
manageable
There are some benefits to farmers and the
environment from current crops
Recent Events Involving Agricultural
Biotechnology
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“Prodigene-Modified Corn Plant Nearly Gets Into
U.S. Food Supply.” (WSJ, 11/13/02)
“Biotech Industry Adopts Precaution; Altered Plants
Banned Near Major Food Crops.” (Washington Post,
10/22/02).
“EPA May Fine 2 Companies Over Test of
Engineered Corn.” (NY Times, 8/14/02)
“Industry Battles Label for Genetically Modified
Food.” (Oregonian, 10/10/02)
Recent Events Involving Agricultural
Biotechnology (Cont.)
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“Gene Altered Animal Risks Detailed; Panel Notes
Benefits but Urges Better Federal Oversight.”
(Washington Post, 8/21/02)
“Genetically Modified Animals May Pose
Environmental Risks.” (Wall Street Journal).
“Superweed Study Falters as Seed Firm Deny
Access to Transgene.” (Nature, 10/17/02)
“EPA Notes Deficiences in Proposed Bt Compliance
Program.” (Pesticide and Toxic Chemical News,
8/12/02).
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Agricultural Biotechnology Industry’s Worst
Enemy?
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Do Consumers Currently Trust the Biotech
Industry?
Industry Measures to Enhance
Consumer Confidence
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Increasing Transparency
Increasing Accountability
Embracing Reasonable Government Oversight
Respecting Others
Sharing Knowledge
Supporting Independent Risk Assessment Research
Communicating Benefits and Risks
Increasing Transparency – Access to
Regulatory Information
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Biotech companies should make all information in
their possession about safety of different products
available to the public when it is submitted to
government regulators.
Examples that contradict this principle:
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Bt Crop Re-registration at EPA in 2001;
Secret nature of transgenic animal regulation
Implementation of Bt crop registrations
USDA submissions
USDA Submissions and Confidential
Business Information
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Recent NAS report on USDA (2002):
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“The committee finds that the extent of
confidential business information in registrant
documents sent to APHIS hampers external
review and transparency of decision-making
process.”
“Regulatory agencies of other countries receive
documents with less CBI than does APHIS.”
Increasing Transparency – Right to
Know What You Eat
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The Biotech companies should work with
food industry to ensure that consumers who
inquire can find out whether specific products
were produced with genetically engineered
ingredients.
Currently, this information is hidden from
consumers.
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Voluntary labeling does not work
Increasing Accountability
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Biotech companies should meet all
conditions imposed to safeguard human
health and the environment.
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Independent third party auditing
Documentation of compliance (and release to
public of that documentation).
Certification of growers
Inspection and enforcement against noncompliant farmers
Embracing Reasonable Government
Oversight
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Biotech companies should support
mandatory government oversight of their
products that is open and transparent.
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Voluntary systems are not sufficient.
Provide consumers confidence that someone is
looking out for their interests.
Senator Durbin’s Genetically Engineered Foods
Act (S. 3095).
Respecting Others
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Biotech companies should respect that many people
may not want their products and establish
mechanisms to allow those people to avoid biotech
products.
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Biological boundaries so vegetarians, Moslems, Jews, and
others can eat unlabeled foods.
Mechanisms to allow organic farmers to grow foods without
fear of contamination from GE crops.
Sharing Knowledge
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Biotech companies should make their
technology available to developing countries
and university researchers.
Biotech companies should provide support
so that developing countries can use the
technology made available.
Supporting Independent Risk
Assessment Research
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Biotech companies should provide financial
and technical support for independent risk
assessment research.
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Provide raw materials to test products.
Provide money for independent researchers.
Support government research in this area.
Communicating Benefits and Risks
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Educate public on the benefits of agricultural
biotechnology products.
Educate public on risks and how they are
being managed.
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To date, benefits to farmers and environment
have not be publicized by biotech companies.
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Industry ran ads on “golden rice” but ignored benefits
from reduced use of pesticides in growing cotton.
Gregory Jaffe, Director
CSPI Biotechnology Project
Website:
www.cspinet.org/biotech/ind
ex.html
E-mail address:
[email protected]