Pandora's Box

Pandora's Box

Think the debate over genetically engineered crops couldn’t possibly get any hotter? Think again. With a highly unusual public forum planned this week by the partially formed House Agriculture Committee to “review the biotechnology product regulatory approval process” things are likely to become very heated in deed. Preempting the USDA’s expected announcement next week on whether unrestricted biotech alfalfa planting will be allowed this public forum will undoubtedly draw the attention of environmentalists and others opposed to biotechnology creating a “pressure cooker” that could result in even more restrictions on biotech plantings and endanger the future approval for any biotech products. New House Agriculture Committee Chair Rep. Frank Lucas, for reasons known apparently only to himself, chose to hold this public forum despite the fact that a formal congressional hearing is not possible at this time because the committee is not yet fully organized with all members named. Lucas may very well be putting himself and his fellow committee members in the middle of a biotech restrictions battle that makes opening Pandora’s Box look tame.

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