Agriculture & Food Systems Institute

ADVOCACY OF SCIENCE-BASED DECISION MAKING IN AGRICULTURE BIOECHNOLOGY

ADVANCING SCIENCE-BASED POLICIES AND DECISION MAKING FOR AGRICULTURALBIOTECHNOLOGIES

THE AWARD WILL STIMULATE ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS DEVELOPED IN SUPPORT OF SCIENCE-BASED DECISION MAKING UNDER THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY AND THE CARTAGENA PROTOCOL ON BIOSAFETY (THE PROTOCOL) FOCUSED ON AFRICA AND/OR ASIA REGIONS WITH GLOBAL COLLABORATION AS APPROPRIATE. THESE ACTIVITIES ARE INTENDED TO FOLLOW ON SEVERAL YEARS OF SUCCESSFUL REGIONAL EFFORTS. THE AWARD(S) ARE ANTICIPATED TO SUPPORT PREPARATION FOR INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS, INCLUDING THE CONFERENCE OF PARTIES-MEETING OF THE PARTIES TO THE CARTAGENA PROTOCOL ON BIOSAFETY (COP MOP), AND ASSOCIATED INTERSESSIONAL MEETINGS AND NEGOTIATIONS, WHICH MAY EDUCATE STAKEHOLDERS ON TECHNICAL ISSUES TO ALLOW THEM TO FULLY PARTICIPATE IN INTERNATIONAL FOR A DEALING WITH AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGIES. NO SUBAWARDS ARE ANTICIPATED.

ILSI RF WILL ORGANIZE TWO ACTIVITIES BETWEEN U.S. INDUSTRY,CADEMIA, AND GOVERNMENT AND COUNTERPARTS IN INDIA AND THE PHILIPPINES ON THE USE AND SAFETY OF PROCESSED FOOD INGREDIENTS.

THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR DATA TRANSPORTABILITY DESCRIBEDIN GARCIA-ALONSO ET AL REQUIRES CROP SPECIFIC INFORMATION (PLANTING DATE) TO BE COMBINED WITH GEOSPATIAL DATA ON AGRO CLIMATIC CONDITIONS IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY ENVIRONMENTS WHERE ACROP PLAN

WORKSHOP ON MEASUREMENT METHODS FOR RELEASE OF ENGINEERED NANOMATERIALS FROM FOOD

CONFERENCE GRANT: ISBGMO 13 SESSION ON ERA OF RNAI PLANTS

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE OVERLAPPING FUNCTIONS OF BIOLOGICALS, I.E. BIOSTIMULANTS, BIOPESTICIDES, BIOFERTILIZERS AND BIOCONTROLS, CREATE CHALLENGES FOR REGULATIONS DEVELOPED FOR THE SYNTHETIC CHEMICAL MARKET. THE STRICT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM USED FOR SYNTHETIC CHEMICALS CAN LEAD TO ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES, INCREASED COSTS, AND DISRUPTIONS IN THE USE OF TRADITIONAL BIOLOGICAL INPUTS. FOR EXAMPLE, SEAWEED EXTRACTS CAN USED AS A FERTILIZER, A BIOSTIMULANT, AND/OR A PLANT GROWTH REGULATOR DEPENDING ON THE EXTRACTION PROCESS LEADING TO COMPLICATIONS IN CLASSIFYING THIS BIOLOGICAL PRODUCT. THESE CHALLENGES CAN HINDER THE ADOPTION AND COMPETITIVENESS OF PRODUCTS BENEFICIAL TO SUSTAINABLE AND REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE. THIS CONFERENCE WILL UNITE RESEARCHERS, PRODUCT DEVELOPERS, GROWERS, AND REGULATORS TO GENERATE INSIGHTS ON BIOLOGICALS, ADDRESS POTENTIAL REGULATORY IMPACTS, AND PREPARE FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS. OVER THE COURSE OF A DAY, SPEAKERS AND DISCUSSION PANELS FROM KEY STAKEHOLDER GROUPS WILL EXAMINE THE CURRENT STATUS OF THIS SPACE. THEY WILL IDENTIFY UNINTENDED IMPACTS, DEFINITIONAL CHALLENGES, AND DISCUSS THE NEED FOR FUTURE REGULATORY DESIGN ALIGNED WITH THE POTENTIAL OF BIOLOGICALS. INSIGHTS GAINED FROM THIS CONFERENCE WILL RESULT IN A REPORT OF PRACTICAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE ACTIONS BY RESEARCHERS, DEVELOPERS, AND REGULATORS RESULTING IN A TRANSPARENT, SCIENTIFICALLY SOUND, AND EFFECTIVE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT FOR THE USE OF BIOLOGICALS IN THE EMERGING BIO-ECONOMY.

CONFERENCE/WORKSHOP GRANT: CRITERIA FOR USE OF MODELING TO INFORM REGULATORY ASSESSMENT OF GENE DRIVE APPLICATIONS

CONFERENCE PROPOSAL: PROBLEM FORMULATION FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL RISK ASSESSMENT OF RNAI PLANTS