REGULATIONS FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS...

The agricultural industry in Asia is a primary market for the growing number of biotechnology-derived products and genetically modified organisms which are useful in agriculture. Faced with growing populations, limited resources and the promise of better and sustainable yields using biotechnology, agricultural producers are welcoming this new technology. On the other hand, there has been some concern about the safety of agricultural products derived from biotechnology. To address public concern, many ASEAN countries have developed individual biosafety guidelines to regulate the use of such agricultural products.The ASEAN Workshop on Regulations for Agricultural Products Derived from Biotechnology served as a forum for the exchange of ideas and knowledge among ASEAN countries, international regulatory agencies and agri-industry representatives involved in agriculture biotechnology. Eminent agribiotechnologists and regulators from Europe, the USA, the Peoples' Republic of China, Taiwan, Canada, Australia, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Information Systems for Biotechnology (ISB), International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA), Monsanto, Novartis, AgrEvo, Rhone-Poulenc and Nestlé presented papers on various aspects of biotechnology regulation. In addition, each ASEAN country presented country papers outlining the status of existing regulations on GMOs.