BIO 2003 to Highlight Advances in Agricultural Biotechnology

• Contact: Lisa Dry
  (202) 962-9231

  Deb Carstoiu
  (202) 962-9219

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 1, 2003) — The Biotechnology Industry Organization’s (BIO) annual convention, BIO 2003, to be held in Washington, D.C. June 22-25, will bring together international food and agriculture experts to discuss advances and issues in agricultural biotechnology.

BIO 2003 is the world’s largest biotechnology gathering and will feature 25 tracks of programming, including sessions on policy, business development, science and regulatory affairs. The convention will also host a two-day HealthFest on the National Mall; forums on bioethics, global health and patient advocacy; a two-day NIH Director’s Lecture Series; 345,000 square feet of exhibit space; a series of receptions at Washington landmarks; and a BIO TV Studio and media center, complete with two press conference rooms. For complete information and media registration visit www.bio.org/events/2003/. Reporters are urged to register online as soon as possible.

A sample of key food and agriculture speakers includes Dr. Bobby Acord, administrator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; Roger Beachy, president of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center; Dr. Lester Crawford, deputy commissioner at the Food and Drug Administration; Stephen Johnson, assistant administrator for Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances at the Environmental Protection Agency; Dr. Stuart L. Pimm, Doris Duke Chair of Conservation Ecology, Nicholas School of Environment and Earth Studies at Duke University; and Dr. Florence Wambugu, chief executive officer of A Harvest Biotech Foundation International.

Key agricultural biotechnology topics that will be highlighted at BIO 2003 include:

• The role of agricultural biotechnology in developing countries.

• The U.S. regulatory framework for agricultural biotechnology and animal biotechnology.

• New technologies that may affect the food industry and consumers, including healthier foods and nutriceuticals, better processing food ingredients and new flavors and fragrances.

• Roundtable discussion on science-based regulatory policies in the United States for agricultural biotechnology.

• Techniques for growing therapeutic proteins in plants improved through biotechnology.

Food and agriculture experts that will lead industry discussions at BIO 2003 include:

• Regulators from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agriculture Research Service (ARS) and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) and Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN); and the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

• Corporate leaders from the food and agriculture and biotechnology industries including Dow AgroSciences, DuPont Agriculture and Nutrition, Monsanto, Nestle USA, PlantGenix, Inc., ProLinia, Inc., and the Scotts Company.

• Academics from leading institutions such as Duke University, Harvard University, Iowa State University, University of Pennsylvania and Vanderbilt University.

• Scientists from top research institutes including the National Cancer Institute and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center.

• International representatives from A Harvest Biotech Foundation International, the Kenya Industrial Property Institute and the National African Farmers Union.
  
  BIO represents more than 1,000 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations in all 50 U.S. states and 33 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of health-care, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products.
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