International Trade: Concerns Over Biotechnology Challenge U.S. AgriculturalExports

摘要

Agricultural biotechnology exports have already encountered disruptions ininternational markets and are likely to face further challenges. U.S. producers of corn and soybeans, in particular, have become increasingly concerned over the potential adverse effects of regulatory measures that have been adopted or are being considered by the European Union (EU) and other countries that could limit exports. In 1996, crop varieties developed using modern biotechnology techniques, such as genetic engineering, were introduced for commercial production. These crops lowered pest management costs and enhanced yields, and by the end of the decade they had been planted on nearly 100 million acres worldwide. U.S. farmers readily embraced this technology, making the United States by far the largest producer of biotech crops. We recently briefed your staff on the issues affecting trade in agricultural biotechnology products. Specifically, we (1) summarized developments in key international organizations and among major U.S. trading partners that are likely to affect agricultural biotech trade; (2) identified the principal U.S. commodities most affected by foreign restrictions on biotechnology exports; and (3) described challenges U.S. biotech exporters face in maintaining access to foreign markets.