Summary: In response to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Department of Agriculture's (USDA): (1) programs and activities relating to biotechnology; (2) decisionmaking concerning the release of genetically engineered organisms into the environment; and (3) relationship with other federal agencies involved in biotechnology.
GAO found that: (1) USDA has not formulated a well-defined regulatory structure to approve requests for the deliberate release of genetically engineered organisms into the environment; (2) oversight of biotechnology programs is handled by agencies within USDA that have other responsibilities and were established before the emergence of new biotechnologies; (3) the USDA Agriculture Recombinant DNA Research Committee (ARRC) lacks the authority and direction to effectively act as the focal point for biotechnology matters; and (4) USDA has not communicated to Congress and the public the benefits and risks of biotechnology, as well as its plans to minimize those risks. GAO also found that USDA has been hesitant to develop a well-defined regulatory structure because: (1) it does not want to impose cumbersome regulations that might stifle growth; (2) the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) has been examining biotechnology regulation and coordinating the actions of many federal agencies; and (3) several lawsuits filed by opponents of biotechnology have created some anxiety. USDA has recently set up a general framework for biotechnology regulation, but it still needs to establish: (1) detailed procedures concerning responsibility for a wide range of research and product development; (2) ARRC authority and duties; and (3) improved communications with Congress and the public for more informed discussion and a lessening of fears.
