Steven Holt: “this amendment is modeled after the Food Biotechnology Information Act, the legislation that I introduced in the 106th…”

“this amendment is modeled after the Food Biotechnology Information Act, the legislation that I introduced in the 106th Congress and again this year. The point of the bill and this amendment is to give consumers the best information possible so they can make informed choices about the food they eat. There is much uncertainty and much misinformation about biotechnology and food engineering. Certainly we need to be careful with biotechnology, as we need to be careful with all new and emerging technologies. With a tool this powerful, there are possibilities of damage and misuse. But as a scientist, I believe the use of biotechnology can provide greater yields of nutritionally enhanced foods with less land used and reduced use of pesticides and herbicides. That is to say, biotechnology can be a real benefit to the consumer and the environment. Biotechnology applications are already reviewed and controlled by the Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, and other agencies. My amendment deals with public information. I think the government has a responsibility to provide clear, science-based, evidence-based public information that helps consumers, policymakers, and others make informed choices about foods. I applaud the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Combest) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm) for including part of my legislation, the Food Biotechnology Information Act in this bill.”