Fed gives biotech the o.k

Prepared Foods, July, 1992

The Bush Administration issued a policy statement on May 26 indicating that biotechnologically engineered foods will be regulated no differently than conventionally processed foods.

The Washington-based National Food Processor, Assoc. (NFPA) was quick to praise the policy statement. "We hope this will break the logjam of new food products that need approval to get on the market," said NFPA president John Cady, in a press release.

Biotechnological advances - such as the development of food crops with enhanced nutritional and "nutraceutical" properties; crops with pest-, drought-and saline-resistance; and crops with improved solids content, storage life, and processing qualities-have positioned the food and agriculture industries on the brink of a second "Green Revolution," according to some analysts. A big question, until now, has been what hurdles the federal government would put in the path of these developments.