Biopharming – Unknown Risks

Environmental groups, members of the food industry and farmers who grow traditional crops have joined together to urge the USDA to strictly regulate a burgeoning industry – biopharming, the practice of growing engineered crops to produce pharmaceutical drugs. The concern is that the modified crops could contaminate nearby soil and food and crossbreed with other plants. The groups contend that adequate testing has not been conducted to determine risks to human health or crops.

Early last week, Anheuser-Busch had threatened to boycott Missouri’s commercially grown rice crop when it learned that Ventria Biosciences planned to grow 200 acres of genetically engineered rice in the state. Missouri is the sixth largest rice-producing state. An agreement was reached between the two companies when Ventria agreed to move its facilities further from the southeast counties of the state where the majority of commercial rice farming takes place.

This is not the first obstacle Ventria has encountered in its attempts to develop the genetically modified crops. Last year, California regulators denied the company’s application to grow rice that was altered with synthetic human genes. Sacramento farmers had complained to the USDA that they feared that their international customers would boycott commercially grown rice because of contamination fears. In the meantime, Ventria announced plans to move its headquarters from Sacramento to Northwest Missouri State University, where it will become the anchor tenant of a new center for plant-made pharmaceuticals.

The USDA regulates genetically modified crops, but state governments are allowed to review safety procedures and suggest stricter regulation of the companies before a permit is issued. Since 1995, more than 300 biopharming permits have been issued for plantings of not more than an acre. Ventria’s 200-acre operation would be the largest to date, if approved. No human drug made from genetically engineered crops has been approved for commercial use.