In recent years the increased development of genetically modified foods and agricultural biotechnology has sparked public interest. AgBiosafety is a Web site created by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, dedicated to addressing current issues in crop biotechnology and food safety.
Our goals are to:
Offer a comprehensive, up to date source of information on the current issues in biotechnology and food safety.
Provide consumers, educators and policy makers with an easily accessible source of data and facts related to crop biotechnology.
Provide topical articles on current issues in biotechnology and food safety.
Provide educational resources and curricula on crop biotechnology for both consumers and educators.
How to use this site
Agbiosafety has three distinct sections developed for use by educators, consumers and policy makers. The first section, Education Center provides education materials on crop biotechnology and food safety. Educators can download lesson plans, curricula and interactive instructional modules for use in their classrooms. The Education Center also contains summary information on the basic concepts on biotechnology and food safety.
The second section, Questions Answered addresses frequently asked questions in crop biotechnology and food safety. Frequently asked questions are answered by experts in the field of crop biotechnology and food safety. The Question Answered section also contains in-depth topical synopses on current issues in biotechnology and food safety.
Finally, our database of safety information on biotech crops provides complete descriptions for each of the bioengineered crops that have received regulatory approval in the United States, Canada, and elsewhere. For each product there is detailed information on how it was produced and what concerns were addressed during the risk assessments for environmental and food safety. There is also a range of product-specific background information, linkages to regulatory decision summaries, and information on which countries have granted product approval. This database, developed and maintained by AGBIOS, is the single most comprehensive source of this kind of information in existence.
Acknowledgements
This Web site has been financially supported through a competitive grant awarded by the Council for Biotechnology Information to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and AGBIOS to establish an independent, comprehensive repository of information to the public on the safety of crops and foods derived using modern biotechnology.
Faculty and staff from the University of Nebraska and AGBIOS will collaborate on the three-year initiative, developing biotechnology safety information and educational modules.
Members of the project from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln are:
Dr. Leon G. Higley (Principal Investigator) - University of Nebraska Department of Entomology
Dr. Blair D. Siegfried - University of Nebraska Department of Entomology
Dr. John E. Foster - University of Nebraska Department of Entomology
Dr. Steve Taylor - University of Nebraska Department of Food Science and Technology.
Dr. Ron J. Roeber - University of Nebraska Department of Communication and Information Technology
Dr. Donald J. Lee - University of Nebraska Department of Agronomy
Members of the project from AGBIOS (Agriculture & Biotechnology Strategies Inc.) are:
Drs. Donald J. MacKenzie and Morven A. McLean. AGBIOS, located near Ottawa, Canada, specializes in providing regulatory and scientific expertise for the development and analysis of biotechnology related public policy.
Web coordinator for AgBiosafety
Mr. Doug Golick - University of Nebraska-Department of Entomology
