USDA Schedules Public Meetings on Proposed GE Organism Regulations

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Margaret R. Graham

On May 18, 2017, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) published a notice in the Federal Register announcing the dates it would be hosting three public meetings to provide the public with an opportunity to offer comments on the proposed revisions to its regulations regarding the importation, interstate movement, and environmental release of certain genetically engineered (GE) organisms.  82 Fed. Reg. 22802.  USDA has stated that it is updating its regulations “in response to advances in genetic engineering and [its] accumulated experience in implementing the current regulations, as well as [to] reduce the burden on regulated entities.”  The dates and locations for the public meetings are:

• June 6, 2017, at the APHIS Center for Animal Welfare in Kansas City, Missouri;
• June 13, 2017, at the University of California, Davis Conference Center, Davis, California; and
• June 16, 2017, at the USDA Center at Riverside, Riverdale, Maryland. 

APHIS will be accepting comments on the proposed revisions until June 19, 2017, in Docket ID No. APHIS-2015-0057-0001.  Registration is available online.  The meetings will be webcast for those unable to attend in person.