Are there agencies in the US government that regulate the introduction and use of transgenic materials?
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Federal Drug Adminisitration (FDA) all have regulations that impact agricultural biotechnology. Which agency or agencies are involved depends on the type of technology used. An introduction of new genetic material into a different species will likely involve additional restrictions and pre-market testing than does the use of more traditional methods such as selective breeding. Most of these regulations relate to genetically engineered materials where genes from one cell have been inserted to create a new variety. Field testing for new varieties produced by selective pollination are not usually required to demonstrate consumer safety. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have the roles of imposing safety regulations and/or performance standards for pesticides, herbicides and genetically engineered crops. An example is the insertion of genetic mate
