AgNet Weekly: Dr. Margaret Worthington on New EPA Regulations for Gene Editing

Sabrina Halvorson AgNet Weekly

Fruit and vegetable plant breeders who use gene editing are now facing more regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA recently increased oversight of some gene-edited crops and added to the workload and waiting time for those breeders. Dr. Margaret Worthington is an Associate Professor of Horticulture at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and she believes the new requirements will be a bigger problem for researchers in horticulture than for those in row crops, which have more funding for research and research teams. Dr. Worthington joins us on the phone for this week’s AgNet Weekly.

Each week we highlight essential legislative and policy conversations affecting agriculture nationwide. Host Sabrina Halvorson is a 30-year media veteran known nationally for her award-winning, balanced, and accurate reporting. For more than 10 years, she has specialized in agriculture news focused on political issues. While most agriculture news podcasts focus primarily on Midwest crops, we uniquely understand specialty crops, their regions, and their related industries. AgNet Weekly also traverses the legislative issues of the livestock industry and other matters related to California and Southeast agriculture.

June 15, 2024: IFPA Washington Conference, Ag Labor, Packaging – AgNet Weekly with Sabrina Halvorson

The International Fresh Produce Association recently held its Washington Conference, a chance for members and allies to learn more about policy issues and to talk with their elected officials about the issues that are important to the industry. To get an update, we’re talking with Rebeckah Adcock, Vice President of Government Relations for the International Fresh Produce Association.
  1. June 15, 2024: IFPA Washington Conference, Ag Labor, Packaging
  2. June 8, 2024: Jacqui Fatka of CoBank on Trade Issues
  3. May 18, 2024: Anti Animal Ag Measure in Sonoma County
  4. May 11, 2024: Representative Mann on Canceled NASS Reports
  5. April 27, 2024: AFBF's Courtney Briggs on EPA PFAS Rule
  6. April 13, 2024: Representative Austin Scott on Farm Bill, Trade, Labor, and more
  7. April 6, 2024: Jacqueline Heard, Founder and CEO, Enko
  8. March 30, 2024: Policy for Prescribed Fires
  9. March 23, 2024: Policy Expert Fran Miller
  10. March 16, 2024 – Representative John Duarte (R-CA)

Sabrina Halvorson
National Correspondent / AgNet Media, Inc.

Sabrina Halvorson is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and public speaker who specializes in agriculture. She primarily reports on legislative issues and hosts The AgNet Weekly podcast. Sabrina is a native of California’s agriculture-rich Central Valley.