Other Food Safety Issues

CFA Joins Consumer, Environmental Advocates in Asking EPA to Protect Consumers from Gene Editing Risks

CFA submitted the following letter with the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Environmental Defense Fund, and National Wildlife Federation in response to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to exempt broad categories for genetically edited plants from regulatory oversight. As the letter explains, EPA’s proposal risks exposing consumers to unreasonable adverse effects from gene-edited products. Rather than inviting developers to self-determine whether their products are exempt, EPA should require industry to apply for exemptions and confirm that they qualify. At a minimum, EPA should require developers to submit documentation in support of an exemption, and establish a publicly available list of exempt products on its website. The agency should further revise its standards for exemptions to better protect against hazards to human health and the environment.