May 4, 2001 -- A U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposal for a mandatory review process prior to the marketing of new genetically modified foods will enhance public confidence in the safety and quality of
products produced through biotechnology, said representatives of the American Crop Protection Association (ACPA) and American Seed Trade Association (ASTA).

"In brief, although no new scientific information exists questioning the safety of (biotech) foods ... we support the development of the proposed mandatory FDA pre-market review process," wrote Jay
Vroom, ACPA president, and Dean Urmston, ASTA executive vice president, in comments filed with the FDA May 3, 2001.

Right now, biotechnology companies consult voluntarily with the FDA before going to market with new products. Although the voluntary process has worked
successfully for years, Vroom and Urmston said that the proposed procedures will "appropriately modify" the current voluntary consultation and enhance the
acceptability of biotech foods by improving the transparency of the regulatory process for the public. In particular, they endorsed the requirement for submitting electronic copies of product review
submissions.

"We believe that providing electronic copies will not only enhance the FDA review process, but also will help make the regulatory process more
transparent through availability of on-line versions in the electronic media, such as FDA's Web site," they said.

Vroom and Urmston also wrote they endorse the requirement that biotech providers generally describe the status of their biotech food application
with other federal agencies and foreign governments, but they acknowledged some concerns.

"While we wholeheartedly continue to support the coordination of modern biotechnology regulation by the different federal departments and agencies,
and among different governments, we believe that coordination within the United States should be achieved between the departments and agencies themselves, as has been done up until now," they said.
``We do not believe, however, that ... FDA approval or clearance of a product should be dependent upon the approval, clearance, or authorization by another U.S. or foreign
governmental organization."

FDA's May 3 deadline for comments on mandatory premarket review came exactly one year after a May 3, 2000, White House announcement to strengthen science-
based regulation and consumer access to information on genetically modified foods.

To read the complete statement by Vroom and Ormston, see the ACPA Web site.