Despite single-digit temperatures and myriad travel delays, the members of ASA’s Biotech Working Group met this week in Washington to discuss the current regulatory landscape for biotechnology in the U.S.

ASA’s farmer-leaders joined their counterparts from the United Soybean Board (USB) and the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC), as well as representatives from industry technology providers, to meet with administration officials, including Dr. Michael Firko, Acting Deputy Administrator of the Biotechnology Regulatory Services (BRS) office at USDA, Dan Rosenblatt, Associate Director of the Registration Division in EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs and Ed Porter, Director of the New Technology Division at the Foreign Agricultural Service.

Deputy Administrator Firko provided an update on the USDA’s regulatory process, while Rosenblatt did the same for EPA, touching on ways the two agencies work together to streamline the regulatory process. Porter discussed the current state of biotech regulatory affairs in China, Korea and the EU.

Attendees also heard more on the EU biotechnology landscape from industry consultant Benno van der Laan, as well as an update on the progress of the U.S. Biotech Crop Alliance from USBCA Secretariat Dr. Michael Phillips.

This week’s was the first of two 2014 meetings for the Biotech Working Group. The group will meet again this summer, at a venue yet to be chosen.