Proposal to Exempt Plants with Additional Modifications Developed Using Genetic Engineering That are Otherwise Achievable by Conventional Breeding

Contact: Richard Coker richard.s.coker@usda.gov The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is soliciting feedback on a proposal to add three modifications that plants could contain and be exempt from USDA's biotechnology regulations. These modifications are similar and functionally equivalent to modifications that could otherwise be achieved through conventional breeding. The three additional modifications that plants could contain and be exempt from USDA's biotechnology regulations are: the same or distinct loss of function mutations in the paternal and maternal alleles of a single gene resulting from repair of a targeted DNA break in the same location on two homologous chromosomes in the absence of a repair template; a contiguous deletion or any size generated using an externally provided repair template, on one or two homologous chromosomes; and a change resulting from repair of two targeted double strand breaks on a chromosome, or at the same location on two homologous chromosomes, when the repair results in a contiguous deletion of any size in the presence or absence of a repair template, or in a contiguous deletion of any size combined with an insertion of DNA in the absence of a repair template,. The Federal Register notice can be viewed now on the News page of the APHIS Biotechnology Regulatory Services website. Beginning Monday, members of the public will be able to submit comments through August 18, 2021, by going to www.regulations.gov and entering "APHIS-2020-0072" into the Search field. # USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America's food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov. Questions about APHIS programs and services? Contact Us STAY CONNECTED: SUBSCRIBER SERVICES: Manage Preferences  |  Unsubscribe  |  Help This email was sent to ooseims.archieves@blogger.com using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service · 4700 River Rd · Riverdale, MD 20737