Transgenic crops and their resulting foods in the United States are extensively researched and reviewed by three federal government agencies:

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• The U.S. Foodand Drug Administration (FDA)

USDA has primary responsibility for determining if a new product is safe to grow, while EPA reviews the product for potential impact on the environment. FDA is concerned with protecting the consumer and has final authority to declare if a product is safe to eat. These three agencies have recently developed a comprehensive web site that explains in detail the regulatory processes. Click here to navigate to this website.

Considerations about food from transgenic crops have raised a host of questions about effects on the environment, economic impacts, and ethics. However, perhaps the most fundamental question about such food is whether it is safe and wholesome to eat. Before field testing any new transgenic crop, companies and research institutions must register with USDA for field testing permission. Researchers must ensure that pollen and plant parts of the tested plants are not released into the environment during this period. Transgenic crops must also pass EPA scrutiny, which has the authority to regulate all new pesticides and transgenic crops. The EPA is concerned with potential impacts on nontarget species and endangered or threatened species. Finally, any foods derived from transgenic crops must pass FDA inspection. Current law requires that foods from genetically engineered crops must be labeled as such if their nutritional content or composition differs significantly from their conventional counterparts or if they pose any health risks. Both the National Academy of Sciences and the FDA have determined that, in general, foods derived from genetically engineered crops are as safe as or safer than foods derived from conventionally breed crops. The main concern is remaining vigilant for potential allergens.