Low Level Presence in Seed: A Science Based Approach to Expedited Environmental Risk Assessment

Abstract: The widespread adoption of genetically engineered (GE) plants means that there is increasing likelihood of incidences of seed trade disruption due to the low level presence (LLP) of GE events that have been approved in the country of origin, and that are present in seed shipments to importing countries that have yet to approve these events. LLP situations are the consequence of two realities: (1) at the country level, there are disparate approaches to the regulation of GE crops and, particularly, the time it takes from submission of a regulatory dossier to a risk management decision by the appropriate competent authority; and (2) a zero tolerance of unapproved GE events in imported seed is currently the regulatory norm in many countries throughout the world. There are opportunities to mitigate the seed trade disruptions that can arise from asynchronous decision-making about GE events. One of these – to address the potential adverse environmental impacts that might arise from an LLP in seed situation using a consistent and scientifically defensible approach to environmental risk assessment – was the subject of a workshop held in Buenos Aires, Argentina on December 18-19, 2013.

Download the conference proceedings here.

Suggested Citation: CERA. (2014). Low-Level Presence in Seed: A Science Based Approach to Expedited Environmental Risk Assessment – Workshop Proceedings. Center for Environmental Risk Assessment (CERA), Washington, D.C.