ORACBA RISK FORUM
May 13, 2008
10:00 – 11:30 am
WAOB Conference Rm. 4433, So. Agriculture Building Agricultural Nanotechnology: Upstream Assessment of Risk and Oversight
Prof. Jennifer Kuzma,
Humphrey Institute, University of Minnesota
Recently, nanotechnology and regulatory policy have been receiving more attention in public and academic circles. However, oversight issues associated with nanotechnology applications for agricultural and food systems remain largely unexplored. Agrifood nanotechnology is at a critical stage of development in which informed analysis can help shape funding priorities, risk assessment, and oversight activities. In this talk, I will present the approach and results of two projects that were designed to help society and policy makers anticipate and prepare for challenges posed by convergent applications of agrifood nanotechnology:1) an analysis of agrifood nanotechnology R&D projects, including a taxonomy of types of technologies, endpoints in the farm to table continuum, and qualitative risk-benefit rankings, and 2) a case-study approach for more in-depth study of the risk, regulatory, and societal issues that may be associated with select products resulting from R&D. The goals of both projects were to identify data, risk assessment, regulatory policy, and engagement needs for overseeing these products so they can be addressed prior to market entry. Our approach, termed Upstream Oversight Assessment (UOA), has potential as a key element of anticipatory governance.
Government employees, please bring your government ID. If you are not a government employee, please call (202-720-8022 or 202-720-8024) or e-mail Jennifer Callahan (jcallahan@oce.usda.gov) to register. You will need to bring a picture ID to enter the building. Enter the USDA South Building at Wing 1, the Independence Avenue entrance by the Metro station. Room 4433 is on the 4 th floor of the 4 th Wing in a limited access section of the building. Someone will meet you at the locked doors to let you into the seminar room.
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