USDA - APHIS - Biotechnology

BRS News and Information

State Partnership
The State Departments of Agriculture play an important role in the regulation of GE organisms. As such, BRS makes continuous efforts to reach out to the state agencies through cooperative agreements, memorandum of understanding, and participation in working groups, to increase confidence in the effectiveness of the federal biotechnology regulatory system and the safety of products derived through biotechnology. BRS is currently working with the states on several initiatives to strengthen this partnership and ensure effective regulation that considers a range of perspectives. Some of the initiatives include:

State Inspection Pilot Project

In 2004, BRS, APHIS' Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ), and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) initiated a pilot project to train and authorize state inspectors to conduct inspections for low-risk field tests of GE plants occurring under notification. In 2007, APHIS began a similar pilot project with the National Plant Board (NPB).

ePermits

The BRS ePermits system allows applicants to submit permit applications electronically and allows states to review notifications and permits online. Each state has its own mailbox and state officials who have been eAuthenticated will receive an email notification when new notifications and permits arrive for review or when notifications are acknowledged or permits are issued. The ePermits system will store all notification and permit information that has been sent to the mailboxes, allowing states to have easy access to this important information while reducing email traffic.

Advanced Course on Biotechnology Regulations

In 2007, BRS offered an in-depth, interactive course on several areas related to the regulation of genetically engineered (GE) organisms at each of the regional plant board meetings. BRS continues to develop similar training initiatives for 2008.