The US Department of Agriculture (USDA; Washington, DC) has announced the appointment of an advisory committee on agricultural biotechnology. Although some will see this as a response to growing concern over the regulation of biotech crops, the creation of the panel was approved two years ago. Members were selected by Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman from a list generated by an internal committee, and the advisory committee will function to “offer advice to the Secretary of Agriculture on agricultural biotechnology issues,” according to a USDA spokesman. The first meeting will take place March 29–30 in Washington, and its 38 members—including representatives from the biotechnology industry, academia, and organic farming—will establish procedural guidelines, select subcommittees, and determine an agenda for the group's two-year appointment. “It is my hope that this group, which brings together people with a wide range of perspectives and experiences, will engage in the kind of thoughtful and civil debate on biotechnology that our country now needs,” says Glickman.