USDA Releases Proposed Bioengineered Ingredients Standard

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released the proposed National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard, which would establish “a mandatory uniform national standard for disclosure of information to consumers.” The proposal defines “bioengineered food” as food “that contains genetic material that has been modified through in vitro recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) techniques” “for which the modification could not otherwise be obtained through conventional breeding or found in nature.” AMS seeks comments on “how to interpret the statutory definition of ‘bioengineering,’ and thus the scope of the regulatory definition of ‘bioengineered food,'” according to the announcement. “In particular, AMS is interested in any additional studies conducted on this issue, the cost of implementation under each policy, and whether certain policies describing the scope of foods subject to the disclosure standard would lower costs to affected entities.” Comments on the proposed rule must be received by July 3, 2018.