Acting on a request from ESCOP to identify action steps to address recommendations presented in the Agricultural Biotechnology Task Force Report, Task Force members considered 18 recommendations relevant to research. These recommendations were scored based on 1) Importance and 2) Likelihood of having an impact. Combining similar responses, a list of seven action items emerged:

1. We should encourage research that extends existing methods to the case of food biotechnology. This might be done through dialogue with CSREES.

2. We should encourage CSREES to include in future RFPs 1. world trading systems; and 2. expanded trade-benefits, vis-à- vis biotechnology.

3. We should have dialogue with CSREES to obtain an assessment of their biotechnology risk assessment grants portfolio.

4. We should move to identify public sector research opportunities for unique contributions through biotechnology, vis-à-vis the private sector. This might be a commissioned study conducted by a few experts.

5. We should host a meeting of Washington DC-based science attaches on biotechnology-related topics, to find common ground.

6. We should encourage congressional hearings on the benefits of international biotechnology regulatory harmonization, and alternative approaches to product labeling, including the perspectives of agricultural producers and consumers.

7. We should encourage dialogue within the scientific community on controversial topics related to agricultural biotechnology. Might this be done through NABC?

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