This week, founding organizations announced Dr. Michael J. Phillips as the first secretariat of U.S. Biotech Crops Alliance (USBCA).

Phillips will spearhead collaborative efforts to improve the environment for technology innovation and the market for U.S. crops produced through modern biotechnology. He will work to further advance the organization’s reach, work and wide range of activities pursued by the  national initiative consisting of 11 influential national organizations representing U.S. biotechnology providers; seed, grain and oilseed producers; grain handlers, feed manufacturers, grain processors and millers; exporters and other end-users.  The secretariat also serves a key role in helping develop and implement consensus positions on specific policy issues.

Established in 2012, USBCA has developed and continues to implement consensus positions on key policy issues designed to improve the introduction, stewardship, domestic and international regulatory policy, and distribution in U.S. and export markets of commodities and processed products containing or derived from modern biotechnology.

Phillips is president of MJ Phillips and Associates LLC, an agricultural consulting firm that specializes in agricultural biotechnology issues.  Throughout his career, he has been active in providing leadership and advice on agricultural biotechnology to U.S. and foreign governments, as well academic institutions and all sectors of the agricultural biotechnology value chain.

The USBCA’s founding organizations are the: American Soybean Association, National Corn Growers Association, , American Seed Trade Association, Biotechnology Industry Organization, National Grain and Feed Association, and North American Export Grain Association.  Other national organizations that subsequently have become participants in the USBCA include:  American Farm Bureau Federation, Corn Refiners Association, National Oilseed Processors Association, U.S. Grains Council and U.S. Soybean Export Council.