Feds Urged Not to Upend FDA Oversight of GE Farm Animals

For years, the animal agriculture industry has pressured the federal government to facilitate production of genetically engineered (GE) farm animals as a way to increase production and profits. Just prior to leaving office, the Trump administration published a proposal to transfer the oversight of genetic engineering from the Food and Drug Administration to the US Department of Agriculture, a move that could significantly expedite the process for gaining approval of food products from GE animals. AWI has urged the new administration to maintain oversight of the process under the FDA, arguing that the USDA’s proposed regulatory framework does not address possible negative impacts of the GE process. Given the potential for unintended consequences of altering the genome, and the fact that not all problems will necessarily be evident within the first few generations, a deregulated approach to transgenic animals poses a risk to animal welfare, the environment, and American consumers.

Program Terms: Farmed Animals

AWI Quarterly Terms: Quick Read