Regulation and labeling of genetically modified food products is a highly debated topic among consumers, the food industry, and lawmakers. In 2016, in response to increasing consumer GMO/GE concerns and pending state regulations, federal legislation was enacted requiring GMO labeling. In January 2017, the Obama administration issued an update to the Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology.

Last week, the Washington Post reported the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) will fund a campaign to “promote genetically modified organisms in food under a bipartisan agreement to keep the government funded through the end of September.” The $3 million campaign will incorporate “consumer outreach and education regarding agricultural biotechnology,” including genetic engineering of food. In a letter to congressional leaders, biotechnology companies and agricultural organizations, including CropLife America, Iowa State University, and the New York Farm Bureau, wrote that, “Dedicated educational resources will ensure key federal agencies responsible for the safety of our nation’s food supply – the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) – are able to more easily convey to the public science- and fact-based information about food.”

Next Wednesday, May 17, members of the Agricultural and Food Law Consortium will consider these issues and more during a free webinar, “AquAdvantage Salmon and Other Current Issues in GMO Regulation.”

This webinar will provide an overview of legal issues surrounding genetically engineered and genetically modified products in aquaculture, as well as an overview of GMO regulatory issues, including labeling. The presentations will discuss the AquAdvantage salmon case study and recent legal developments. Congressional staffers, attorneys, students, and ag professionals seeking additional understanding of emerging legal issues involving genetically modified crops will want to attend.

Details on next week’s webinar, including sign-in information, are available here.