The American Crop Protection Association welcomed further oversight of biotech food crops by the Food and Drug Administration.
The May 3 action by the FDA to provide further oversight will strengthen consumer confidence in the safety and benefits of the new technology, Jay Vroom, ACPA president, stated.
"Americans depend on information so more transparency about how biotechnology is regulated by the government to assure consumer and environmental safety is especially important," Vroom continued.
"We will continue to work closely with the FDA, EPA, and the USDA to strengthen consumer and farmer confidence in crop biotechnology."
Vroom said American farmers have a critical stake in a strong and open regulatory process. More than any group, they understand how important crop biotechnology is to lowered costs of production, increased yields and the ability to remain competitive on world agricultural markets, he added.
FDA Commissioner Henney has emphasized, "FDA's scientific review continues to show that all bio-engineered foods sold in the United States today are as safe as their non-bio-engineered counterparts."