On December 15, 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced an extension of the public comment period on its proposal to exempt five types of genetic modifications under the APHIS biotechnology regulations. APHIS proposed these exemptions based on findings that the genetic modifications could otherwise be achieved through conventional breeding methods.
 
Developers and other stakeholders will now have until January 12, 2024, to comment on these exemptions or to provide information on other modifications that could be achieved through conventional breeding methods.