Rice Producers of California
Biotechnology Position Paper

The mission of RPC is to represent and advocate for the interests of California rice producers, and promote the economic viability of rice farming in California. In the case of biotechnology — specifically, genetic engineering technologies that produce transgenic crop varieties — we recognize the potential future benefits that may arise for both consumers and rice farmers. RPC supports new genetic engineering innovations that meet with customer acceptance and benefit rice producers financially and otherwise.

At the present time, however, many Calrose markets are sensitive to the presence of rice varieties that have been genetically modified using recombinant DNA technology. This sensitivity exists for both federally deregulated varieties, and those that have not yet received approval. Many RPC members and their customers have expressed concern about these varieties.

Therefore, RPC opposes the unconfined release of genetically modified rice in the United States unless certain stringent conditions can be met. Unconfined releases include open-air field trials, seed scale-up, and commercialization.

Those conditions include:

• Widespread market acceptance,
• The establishment of achievable tolerance levels,
• The development of an effective segregation system,
• The availability of rapid, accurate and inexpensive detection technology,
• A positive cost-benefit throughout the rice value chain with particular emphasis on farmer income,
• Establishment of clear direction on legal liability in the event of negative economic impacts caused by release of GM rice, and
• Assurance that the reputation of the industry for high quality product and environmental stewardship is maintained.

These conditions are necessary for RPC members to continue to meet customers' needs for rice shipments with the required guarantees, and to ensure a net benefit to California rice farmers.

In addition, RPC supports a temporary ban on the outdoor growing of genetically modified rice intended for industrial, pharmaceutical or other human health applications, until such time as USDA, FDA, and EPA can develop the protocols necessary to insure zero-tolerance contamination of rice varieties grown for human food. This is necessary in order to preserve existing food grade markets at home and abroad.

RPC believes that regulations governing genetically modified products should be based on publicly available, peer-reviewed scientific assessments of their agronomic, environmental, and human health impacts.

RPC is committed to working with its customers and through domestic and international forums to assure established regulations and agreements support sound commercial practices for the marketing of genetically modified and non-genetically modified rice.