USDA Requires Biotech Crop Permits

Biotech companies will have to obtain a federal permit before growing experimental plants engineered for industrial purposes such as making paper, detergent and minerals, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said.

Until now, companies have not been required to get government permission before launching U.S. field tests of gene-spliced plants that are designed to produce industrial components or chemicals.

The change is designed to help protect food crops from accidental contamination, the USDA said.