ASA President Danny Murphy and CEO Steve Censky met with administration officials in Washington earlier this week to discuss the approvals process for new biotech traits in the U.S. and China.

On Monday, ASA joined other grower groups in a meeting with USDA Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden; Acting Deputy Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Max Holtzman; Michael Firko, Acting APHIS Deputy Administrator; Michael Gregoire, Acting APHIS Associate Administrator, and other USDA officials to underscore the industry’s need for a timely and science-based approvals process for new biotech traits here in the U.S.

During the meeting, grower group representatives explained industry’s concerns about the impacts of delays in USDA and EPA approvals of new traits on grower competitiveness, the ability to manage weed resistance, and having international clearances in place so as not to disrupt exports. The Deputy Secretary and her team reiterated Secretary Vilsack’s commitment to this goal, and emphasized the Department’s willingness to enter into dialogue with grower groups and the biotech industry on problems and improvements.

On Tuesday, the ASA contingent met with U.S. Trade Representative Chief Agricultural Trade Negotiator Isi Sidiqui and Deputy USTR for Agriculture Sharon Bomer Lauritsen, as well as and USDA Deputy Undersecretary Darci Vetter and FAS staff to we follow up on a letter sent last week by grower groups expressing concern about China’s biotech approval system. The group maintained that delays in the approvals process must be a key issue for U.S.-China discussions under the upcoming December meeting of the high level Joint Commission on Cooperation and Trade (JCCT).

The group reiterated concerns highlighted in the letter about the impacts that China’s delayed approvals have on planting choices for U.S. farmers given the size of the China market, that decisions on pending products for renewal, final safety certificate, and local study need to be made in December or else another year will be lost. Officials from USTR and USDA both assured ASA that the approvals process will be an agenda item for the JCCT.

Click here to see a copy of the letter.