To the editor:

Your Dec. 30 editorial, “Plant a seed,” was off base.

The ability to develop host crops from which we can derive pharmaceuticals is an important milestone for humanity and for agriculture. Plant-derived pharmaceuticals may ultimately prove less costly to develop and be safer because they rely on plant instead of animal hosts. These high-valued crops also could be a boon to farmers who choose to grow them, and I support their right to do so. That’s why I’ve been following the federal government’s efforts to update its rules and regulations to keep pace with this advancing technology.

Nearly two years ago, USDA proposed new rules and regulations for crops that produce pharmaceuticals and industrial compounds. I sought input from a broad range of individuals in the agriculture industry about what USDA’s regulations should cover based on the types of crops we have in Kansas, as well as our climate and growing and harvesting practices. My comments to USDA were that, with the level of oversight we recommended, these crops could be grown successfully in Kansas.

Kansas agriculture is at the forefront of this emerging opportunity. We are taking appropriate action by helping shape the federal regulations that will allow our farmers to grow pharmaceutical crops without jeopardizing the integrity of our food crops and our sixth-place ranking among the states in agricultural exports.

Adrian Polansky,

Kansas secretary of agriculture,

Topeka