IGTC has approved new advocacy resources dedicated to the need to manage and reducing the potential for Low Level Presence (LLP) of safety-assessed GM events in the supply chain that occur when there are gaps in timing of product approvals between exporting and importing countries. In a joint collaborative effort across the grain trade, there will be a re-emphasis of key messages and the IGTC’s “hierarchy of policy options” which are:

1. Synchronisation of approvals of new biotechnology products
2. Mutual recognition of biotechnology safety approvals
3. LLP management approaches including process controls and a policy model recommending a threshold of 5% for the presence of a safety-approved biotech product

The aim is for individual members of the IGTC constituency to share the communication with governments and policy-makers, including a specific effort with the Agriculture Ministers of the Western Hemisphere Agricultural Group (sometimes known as “Ag5”) that was launched yesterday, 2 September, and saw a joint letter being sent to the Agriculture Ministers of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and USA.

For more information contact the IGTC Secretariat.