November 10, 1999. Copyright, 1999, Graphic News. All rights reserved

FDAÕS BIOTECH ROADSHOW
By Elisabeth Ribbans

LONDON, November 10, Graphic News:  AMERICAÕs FOOD safety watchdog is taking to the road in a bid to tackle increasing public concern over genetically modified foods.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says it is holding meetings in three U.S. cities to reassure consumers about safety standards and to find out what can be done to lessen anxiety over foods made using biotechnology.
While insisting that AmericaÕs food supply Òis among the safest in the world,Ó the FDA says it wants the publicÕs views on the Òappropriate means of providing information about bioengineered products.Ó Under present rules, the agency requires genetically engineered food to be labelled only in certain circumstances, such as when the product may contain an allergen not found in the conventionally grown variety. It has been opposed to the idea of further general labelling.
The roadshows, which take place in Chicago on November 18, Washington D.C. on November 30 and Oakland, California on December 13, were announced in mid-October, just a few weeks after the government was reported to be considering a climbdown on its labelling policy. A week later, President Clinton met European Commission President Romano Prodi and agreed to set up a transatlantic working group on issues related to GM foods.
The moves have been seen as an attempt by the U.S. government not only to quell fears in the countdown to next yearÕs presidential elections but also to get closer in step with Europe ahead of the contentious World Trade Organisation summit that opens in Seattle on November 30. Agriculture is set to be the conferenceÕs most controversial topic.
Compared to Europe, where there has been major resistance to so-called ÒFrankenstein FoodsÓ, the American public has been late in rising up over the biotech issue. A substantial proportion of U.S. farmland is already planted with genetically modified crops Ð mainly soybeans and corn Ð and 70 percent of food in the countryÕs stores contains ingredients whose DNA has been recombined.
However, public concern has mounted this year, not least as Americans have seen their farmersÕ GM grain subjected to international boycotts. A recent poll in Time magazine found that 81 percent of Americans now want to follow the EU in making the labelling of GM food compulsory. Early this month, 49 members of Congress petitioned the FDA requesting this should happen.
Chicago, Washington and Oakland have yet to speak but the seeds of discontent are firmly sown.
/ENDS