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USDA gives final approval for genetically modified rice in Kans
USDA gives final approval for genetically modified rice in Kansas WASHINGTON (AP)--The U.S. Department of Agriculture has given final approval to a plan to grow genetically modified rice in Kansas, despite opposition from the U.S. rice industry and food safety groups. Sacramento, Calif.-based Ventria Bioscience won permission May 16 to plant up to 3,200 acres of the rice, engineered to contain human proteins, near Junction City, Kan. Ventria president and CEO Scott Deeter said the company would try to grow the rice on about 250 acres this year, considering the late start this planting season. "We'll start planting this week," Deeter said. "It's still possible for us to get a good crop in Kansas this year." The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said it received 20,034 comments about Ventria's project, with just 29 comments in favor and 20,005 against. More than 18,000 of the negative comments were nearly identical letters submitted by two public interest groups, the USDA said. Ventria plans to harvest and refine proteins from the rice for use in pharmaceutical drugs to fight diarrhea and dehydration, which kill millions in developing nations each year. Kansas officials, including Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, support the plan as part of a grander scheme to expand the state's bioscience industry. "This is good news for our state and children across the country," Sebelius said in a statement. No commercial rice is grown in Kansas, but rice growers remain concerned about possible contamination of rice crops in other states from weather events like tornadoes or mishandling during the harvesting process. "The USA Rice Federation is disappointed with the APHIS decision, and hopes Ventria and regulators will carefully ensure that sound and enforced protocols will prevent contamination of the commercial rice supply--an event that would be devastating to the rice industry," USA Rice Chairman Al Montna said in a statement. The USDA concluded that Ventria's plan poses virtually no risk because the rice will be grown hundreds of miles from other rice farms and use dedicated processing equipment to avoid accidental mixing with other crops. Rice producers are still reeling from the effects of the accidental release last year of a strain of genetically modified rice, Liberty Link Rice 601, found in grain elevators in Arkansas and Missouri. The incident disrupted rice sales to foreign countries. Safety groups like the Center for Science in the Public Interest and the Center for Food Safety oppose the plan, saying there is no sure way to prevent modified rice from eventually mixing with edible rice. A 3 6/4/07 Date: 5/21/07
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