Streamlining USDA Regulation of Gene Editing to Benefit US Agriculture

Abstract

Feeding a growing world population and adapting agricultural production to a changing climate is a significant challenge that can be mitigated through the use of new gene-editing technologies in crops. However, current regulatory processes are overly burdensome and confusing, limit scientific innovation, and unduly hinder the widespread production of genetically engineered crops. To address these shortcomings, we propose the consolidation of federal regulatory communication into the United States Department of Agriculture and a unified and detailed web platform for commercial approval applications.