Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-04), a member of the House Agricultural Committee, issued the following statement after the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced a significant step in streamlining the regulatory oversight of agricultural animals modified or produced by genetic engineering, seeking to make the U.S. Department of Agriculture the lead agency for certain farm animals:
“I applaud the Trump Administration for continuing to stand by U.S. agriculture and innovation to move our industry forward. American producers need the safe and efficient approval of this technology to continuously improve animal and human health, increase food safety, and protect from diseases that have the potential to destroy our economy,” Hartzler said.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) requesting public comments on clarifying USDA’s leadership in regulating certain farm animals developed using genetic engineering intended for agricultural purposes.
Today’s action supports a prior Executive Order by President Donald Trumpurging federal agencies to clarify regulatory authorities of animal biotechnology to ensure a predictable pathway to getting this technology to the market.
“I look forward to the continued work of USDA, and it’s coordination with FDA when necessary, to ensure the U.S. remains a global leader in agricultural innovation,” Hartzler concluded.
Hartzler has been a strong advocate for a transparent, streamlined, and safe approval process for these technologies to ensure predictability for U.S. producers and keep leading innovation stateside. Hartzler led a letter to the White House along with 17 Members of Congress expressing the need for the Administration to clarify the regulatory responsibilities and oversight of animal biotechnology.
For further information, contact Danny Jativa in the Washington, D.C. office at 202-225-2876 or at danny.jativa@mail.house.gov.
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