For over 25 years, ASTM Committee E48 on Biotechnology has been center stage for the fundamental development of high quality voluntary consensus standards for industrial biotechnology and agricultural biomass/renewable energy. Approximately 100 members from around the globe facilitate international harmonization of standards and methods and a coordinated framework for the expansion of biotechnologies within different industrial sectors. Seven technical subcommittees maintain jurisdiction over 60 standards, published in Volume 11.06 of the Annual Book of ASTM Standards. Biannual meetings, held June and December, focus on information sharing and standards development, respectively. Committee E48 governs directives for biosafety, biological systems characterization, environmental issues, biomass conversion, equipment qualification, manufacturing process control, and biotechnology standard terminology.