Biotech firms plan new guidelines

U.S. biotech crop companies unveiled a plan for new industry standards at a time when the sector faces unfavorable court rulings and concerns that lax government oversight is allowing contamination of crops used in food and animal feed.

Leaders of the Biotechnology Industry Organization and executives at Monsanto Co. and DuPont Co., two biotech crop giants, said they hoped the plan, which includes third-party auditing, would help agricultural players around the world feel confident that biotech crop development was subject to stringent safety standards.

Genetically modified food crops such as corn and soybeans have emerged over the last decade as a popular tool used by farmers to fight weeds and insects. But many groups and governments fear the crops can harm humans and animals and cause environmental problems.