The Food and Drug Administration says that a new analysis indicating genome editing in cattle can have unintended consequences underscores the importance of its regulatory approach to animal biotechnology. 

USDA’s Sid Abel and Doug McKalip just briefed me on the new regulatory framework that is shaping up for the oversight of plants modified by what they are now calling “plant breeding innovations.” 

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue today issued a statement making it clear that USDA does not regulate, or have any plans to regulate, plants produced through new breeding tools such as genome editing, as long as they are not plant pests or developed using plant pests.