ASA President Wade Cowan, Chairman Ray Gaesser, ASA First Vice President Richard Wilkins, Past President Steve Wellman, CEO Steve Censky and Washington staff attended the Plenary of the U.S. Biotech Crops Alliance in Washington where progress toward reaching the USBCA’s goals on domestic and international biotech issues was reviewed. The Domestic Working Group reported on its efforts to establish standards for limited, stewarded launches of biotech events approved in the U.S. but not yet approved in key foreign markets, how value chain participants can work together to prevent unintended releases of these events into commercial channels and how responsibility for any trade disruptions should be shared. The International Working Group pointed to the success of its efforts to raise the importance of obtaining foreign biotech approvals as a trade policy issue, reflected in President Obama’s discussions with Chinese President Xi in November and China’s decision to approve three biotech events in December. Efforts by both Working Groups will continue in 2015, with the goal of reaching agreement on how stewarded launches should be handled, how to proceed in convincing China to adopt a transparent and long-term process for biotech approvals, and how to advance efforts to develop commercially feasible U.S. and global policies allowing a Low Level Presence of biotech traits that haven’t received the necessary clearance from importing countries.