Biotechnology in the United States

Each section begins with a brief summary and is followed by links to
relevant articles and other websites providing more detailed
information.

History

organism, an E. Coli bacterium with the human insulin gene. The 1982 development of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) enabled scientists to multiply gene sequences in vitro, and greatly stimulated research.

By 1985, field testing of genetically engineered plants resistant to
insects, viruses, and bacteria was underway. Only a year later, the EPA
approved the release of the first genetically modified crop,
herbicide-resistant tobacco. In the same year, scientists developed
herbicide-resistant soybeans, which were to become the single most
important GM crop by the mid-1990s.

In 1987, Calgene, Inc. patented a DNA sequence that extended the shelf life of tomatoes. Calgene conducted the first field trials of
herbicide-resistant cotton in 1990. That year also saw the much publicized creation of the first transgenic dairy cow by GenPharm
International. For the consumer, 1990 marked the initiation of
biotech foods, with the sale of a cheese made using GM
microorganisms.

With growing public awareness of biotechnology, the US government
began to play an increasingly visible role in regulating biotechnology. In
response to consumer concern, in 1993, the FDA stated that genetically
engineered foods did not require special regulation, as they were “not
inherently dangerous.” That was followed in 1994 by FDA approval of the
first GM crop, the Flavr Savr tomato, a Calgene product. In 1996, the
sale of herbicide-resistant soybeans was permitted in the US.

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This information was gathered from the following two websites:

“A Brief History of Food” in Food Biotechnology Teaching Guide
A University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Publication
http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/brei/brei3tg/brei3tg.htm

Timeline of US Biotech, from Access Excellencehttp://www.accessexcellence.org/AB/BC/1977-Present.html

Other sites with information on the development of agricultural biotechnology:

A Timeline of Biotechnology, from BIO
http://www.bio.org/timeline/timeline.html

Rhizobium Meliloti Field Tests
Interesting report on field trials of GMOshttp://www.accessexcellence.org/AB/BA/Rhizobium_Meliloti_
Tests.html

FDA’s Review Process for the Flavr Savr Tomatohttp://vm.cfasn.fda.gov/~lrd/biotechn.html

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The American consumer now finds these GM crops in thousands of processed foods. Delayed-ripening tomatoes stay fresh longer in the supermarket, and soybeans with reduced levels of saturated fat produce healthier cooking oils. Herbicide-resistant corn is an ingredient in many prepared foods.

Many more transgenic crops are in the process of being developed. Researchers are attempting to develop a corn cultivar resistant to corn rootworm, one of the most serious corn pests. Improved nutrition is also a major area of research. Scientists are currently investigating the possibility of increasing Vitamin A in tomatoes and rice, and Vitamin E in canola. Bananas are being investigated as a vehicle for vaccines against infectious diseases. Environmental concerns over turfgrass management have led to the search for genes that would reduce growth rate, improve drought tolerance, and improve pest resistance.

As a mandated part of the approval process, transgenic crops undergo field testing. In 2001, there were about 13,000 field tests in the United States, with each test often involving multiple sites.

There are currently 455 agricultural biotechnology companies in the United States. Most research institutions are internally regulated by institutional biosafety committees which enforce safety standards in biological research.