The commercialization of plant biotechnology products in the United States offers evidence that biotechnology will deliver solutions to our world's growing food needs. Global pressures are driving the need for genetically modified plants. The U.S. regulatory process is a model of coordination of the review of new plant biotechnology products within an existing regulatory framework. The concept of substantial equivalence -- judging plant biotechnology products to determine their nutritional, compositional and safety equivalence to foods developed through traditional plant breeding -- has been critical in the United States to the successful commercialization of products of biotechnology. This concept has been the key to the implementation of workable, effective guidelines for assessing food safety. Media and consumer acceptance have been gained through the cooperative efforts of business, government, and trade and health organizations. Similar cooperation on a global scale will help biotechnology fulfill its long-term promise of providing safe, abundant food and a healthy environment worldwide.