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Key Biotech Websites
This document contains a collection of national/international web sites with information on biotechnology. The information includes news, articles, publications, educational resources, government regulations of products derived from biotechnology, and links to additional sites. The list represents a select group of the numerous biotech web sites currently available.
Academic / Collaborative Biotech Sites
Colorado State University - Transgenic Crops: An Introduction and Resource Guide
Plant Breeding and genetics researchers and professors at Colorado State University
have authored a website in Spanish offering information about transgenic crops.
The site, "Transgenic Crops: An Introduction and Resource Guide", is located at:
The website describes how transgenic plants are made and includes animated demonstrations of the process. It also includes an explanation of how genetically modified crops are evaluated and regulated, describes crops that are currently available or planned for the future, a discussion of risks and concerns associated with these crops and links to both pro and con websites.
Georgetown University
Center for Food and Nutrition Policy (CFNP). Their mission encompasses teaching,
research and outreach. The website is organized into these major sections. CFNP
is an independent, nonprofit center affiliated with Virginia Tech.
Michigan State
University - The Agricultural Biotechnology Support Project
The ABSP was a USAID-funded program based at Michigan State University and managed by
the Institute of International Agriculture at Michigan State University from 1991-2003
Arizona State University
Biotech Project
BioREACH (Biotechnology Resource for Educational Advancement of Curriculum in High
Schools. Site contains background information and biotechnology-related links, and
other resources for teachers and students, including lesson plans.
University of Maryland
Center for Biosystems Research. CBR's economic development activities emphasize
collaborative research, licensing, and provision of technical expertise to Maryland
and U.S. companies in agricultural biotechnology.
University of Nebraska
Site contains lesson plans for teachers, basic biotechnology information for consumers,
a frequently asked questions section answered by NU biotechnology experts, and a
unique and comprehensive database of safety information on genetically engineered
crops in North America.
Virtual Center of Biotechnology
for the Americas
Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico.
International Government Web Sites
Agricultural Biotechnology Center, Hungary
The Agricultural Biotechnology Center (ABC) was founded by the Ministry of Agriculture
in 1989 based upon the realization that biotechnology and its application are the
key factors in the future competitiveness of the Hungarian agriculture. Today, the
institute is supervised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Regional Development.
Biotechnology Australia
Biotechnology Australia, a multi-departmental Government agency, was established
in 1999. They are responsible for managing the National Biotechnology Strategy and
for coordinating non-regulatory biotechnology issues for the Australian Government.
They also provide balanced and factual information on biotechnology to the Australian
community, including through our Biotechnology Online school resource.
Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Science Branch, Office of Biotechnology
The CFIA regulates biotechnology-derived products, including novel plants, livestock
feeds, fertilizers, and veterinary biologics. Through the Agency's safety assessment
process, new agricultural products are evaluated for efficacy and for safety for
animals, the environment and human handling.
Entransfood
European network safety assessment of genetically modified food crops.
The EU Commission
This website contains the EU policy on GMOs which is centralized at EU level for
the EU Member States. Information on biotechnology, food and feed safety, labeling,
adventitious presence, questions, etc. are detailed at this site.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - home site with links to other FDA centers
FDA Center for Food Safety & Applied
Nutrition
Review the Food and Drug Administration's proposed rules for mandatory notification
and guidance for voluntary labeling of food products derived through agricultural
biotechnology released January 17, 2001 at: http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/biolabgu.html
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Review EPA's Plant Incorporated Protectant Rules released in January 2001. This final Rule formalized EPA's existing processes for regulating biotech crops and plants that produce their own pesticides or "plant-incorporated protectants" (PIPs) at: http://www.epa.gov/scipoly/new.htm
GMO Compass
This website project is financially supported by the European Union within the European
Commission's Sixth Framework Programme. GMO Compass is the work of independent science
journalists and contains information about genetically modified organisms in food.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
USDA'S Agricultural Biotechnology Website
Agricultural Research Service (principle research agency of USDA)
The Biotechnology Information Resource
The Biotechnology Information Resource (BIC) WWW site from the National Agricultural
Library of The U. S. Department of Agriculture - ARS - provides access to services,
publications, and sources of Information on agricultural biotechnology
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
USDA, FDA and EPA
Searchable database with information on biotech crop plants intended for food or
feed that have completed all recommended or required food reviews. Also contains
information on role of US Regulatory Agencies.
Non- U. S. Government/Advisory Committees
Canadian Biotechnology Advisory
Committee (CBAC).
Provides information to the federal government on ethical, social, regulatory, economic,
scientific, environmental and health aspects of biotechnology. Consists of news,
publications and GM crop database.
Canadian Food Inspection Agency-Plant Health and Production Division
This site contains information in the areas of plant biosafety, resistance management
strategies, plant molecular farming, the regulation of plants with novel traits
in Canada, as well as the guidelines for the environmental release of these plants.
Embrapa Recursos Genéticos
e Biotecnologia (Cenargen)
Embrapa Genetic Resources Center. This website is in Portugese.
Entransfood
European network safety assessment of genetically modified food crops.
European Commission
Science, Research and Development (Biotechnology). This extensive website contains
publications, newsletter, news on ongoing projects and educational tools.
Sao Paulo State Foundation for Research Support
Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (Fapesp)- (Xyllela fastidiosa
sequencing)
Sao Paulo State Foundation for Research Support
Ministry of Health and Welfare,
Japan (MHW)
This site contains general information on safety of GM foods.
Ministry of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)
Policy information on agriculture which includes biotechnology.
Organizations
African Biotechnology Stakeholders
Forum (ABSF)
The ABSF outreach website contains information on agricultural
biotech issues across Africa, news, educational materials (and links), and other
resources.
AGBIOS
This Website offers basic information about plants with novel traits. It also provides
other general agricultural biotechnology related information as well as links to
related world-wide-web resources on this topic.
The first edition of Essential Biosafety, a CD-ROM with comprehensive information on the safety of biotech crops has been developed by AGBIOS (Agriculture & Biotechnology Strategies, Inc.) with distribution facilitated by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA). Essential Biosafety will be a valuable resource for scientists, regulators, and others interested in the environmental and food safety of biotech crops. Essential Biosafety provides a wealth of science-based information on the safety of biotech crops from a variety of respected experts in a number of scientific disciplines.
American Soybean Association
This website contains: E-Newsletters; Soy Information; Export Reports; Price &
Statistics; Soy Product Suppliers; Technical Information and Links
AusBiotech
AusBiotech, formerly the Australian Biotechnology Association, is the national body
of companies and individuals dedicated to the development and prosperity of the
Australian biotechnology industry.
BIO - Biotechnology Industry Organization
BIO hosts the largest biotechnology event in the world. The website provides information
on biotech research, ethics, regulatory policies and maintains a calendar of upcoming
events in the industry.
Canola Council of Canada
Some of the information available includes: News & Events; Nutrition & Education;
Image Library; Council Publications; and Canola Production
CAST
- Council for Agricultural Science and Technology
Biotech section of CAST web site.
Consultative Group on International
Agricultural Research (CGIAR)
An organization active in more than 100 countries, CGIAR provides publications,
meeting notices and research.
FAO – Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Site contains information on biotech issues, publications, and biotech products.
FASS - Federation of Animal Science
Societies
FASS is a federated society for animal agriculture. Publications from several journals
are available as well as a schedule of upcoming meetings, student programs and newsletters.
Member societies of this federation include the American Dairy Science Association,
the American Society of Animal Science and the Poultry Science Association. This
federation promotes animal agriculture and has a committee on biotechnology, who
has the responsibility of communicating with the regulatory agencies and with Congress
concerning animal biotech issues.
Africa Harvest Biotech Foundation International
Africa Harvest makes use of the foremost and safest practices in biotechnology in order
to produce substainable, disease-free crops which are of high nutritional value.
Their aim is to make a constant and lasting impact on sustainable food security
as well as environmental safety in Africa and the developing world.
IFIC - International Food and Information
Council Foundation
IFIC Information
on Food Biotechnology
International Centre for Genetic
Engineering and Biotechnology, Trieste, Italy
An international organization dedicated to advanced research and training in molecular
biology and biotechnology, with special regard to the needs of the developing world.
International Food Policy Research
Institute
IFPRI directly supports developing-country policymakers, nongovernmental organizations
(NGOs), and civil society in their efforts to help the poor. In addition, the Institute's
published research indirectly affects policy changes through opinion leaders, donors,
advisers, and media who influence national and international decisionmaking.
ISAAA - International Service
for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications
On ISAAA homepage, go to the section called "Global Knowledge Center" for more information
on Ag Biotechnology applications for developing countries. A link to a new section
"CropBiotech Net" has information on biotechnology projects in countries including
Asia, South America, and Africa.
NABC -
National Agricultural Biotechnology Center
A not-for-profit organization - a consortium of agricultural research and teaching
universities in the United States and Canada
National Corn Growers Association
Some of the information contained in this website includes: Biotechnology; Ethanol;
Trade; Research & Business Development; Sister Organizations
NCFAP – National Center for
Food and Agricultural Policy
Five key reports on Ag Biotechnology released since 1999, with 3 new reports released
in January of 2001, by L. P. Gianessi and Janet Carpenter.
OECD - Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development
The OECD groups 30 member countries in a unique forum to discuss, develop and refine
economic and social policies.
Other Biotech Web Sites
Biotechnology Good To Grow
Extensive information available on Biotechnology – great resource for the classroom.
Council for Biotechnology Information
(CBI)
Site founded by a consortium of biotech companies. Member companies include Aventis,
BASF, Bayer, Dow, Dupont, Monsanto, and Syngenta and two trade association members,
the American Crop Protection Association (ACPA) and the Biotechnology Industry Organization
(BIO).
European Initiative for Biotechnology
Education (EIBE)
The European Initiative for Biotechnology Education (EIBE) seeks to promote skills,
enhance understanding and facilitate public debate throughout Europe. Founded in
1991, EIBE has become an active European multidisciplinary network of experts in
biotechnology education drawn from 20 centres in 17 European countries. The main
activity of the Group has been to generate teaching materials for 16 -19 year olds.
EIBE Units are collections of activities including a variety of experimental protocols,
practical activities, role-plays, information and debates.
Monsanto
The Monsanto website provides information on its products, all of the company's
sites (both national and international), the New Monsanto Pledge, product safety,
product benefits, and environmental information. This site also contains a biotechnology
knowledge center, science information for teachers, and links to other useful sites.
National 4H Council
Site contains educational material developed for elementary and high school teachers
and other educators. Entitled, "Field of Genes, Making Sense of Biotechnology in
Agriculture".
National Health Museum
(program written and donated to the museum by Genentech)
A national educational program that provides information for high school biology
and life science teachers. This site covers information on a number of topics including
biotechnology, genetics, biochemistry, and the human genome.
