With the opinion on the European Commission's proposed regulation on new genomic techniques (NGTs) and on plant reproductive material (PRM), led by Erik Konczer (HU/PES) and adopted during the April plenary session, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) warns of serious risks for the future of European agriculture and puts forward its recommendations. EU regions and cities regard the non-patentability of natural plants and genes – and thus guaranteed access to all genetic resources for varietal innovation purposes – as an essential pillar of any proposal to regulate NGTs. The opinion also calls for better traceability and labelling of NGTs in order to ensure that consumers have freedom of choice and to protect farmers in the event of accidental contamination of their crops by patented seeds. In the opinion, local and regional leaders warn that the current NGT proposal will exacerbate market concentration in the seed sector, lower seed genetic diversity and reduce the availability of organic seed. They therefore call for the organic sector to be supported so that it can coexist with the NGT crops without additional burdens or costs. European Committee of the Regions

 

 

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has overlooked extremely powerful and risky applications of new genetic engineering (NGTs) on plants, writes Testbiotech. This is particularly worrying as EFSA is responsible for correctly informing the EU institutions about the risks associated with NGT plants. If their reports are not correct or misguiding, it can have consequences for legislation and the future safety of health and the environment. Several publications show that CRISPR/Cas gene scissors are a highly effective tool for knocking out genes coding for so-called micro-RNAs (miRNA). The miRNA molecules regulate various complex functions in regard to, e.g. growth, development and stress responses. Just a few changes in the genes producing miRNAs can cause profound in-depth changes in plant metabolism, involving regulatory networks of hundreds of genes. Nevertheless, EFSA has failed to consider any of these applications in its opinions on NGT plants. Testbiotech via GMWatch

 

 

A first European field trial with "new genomic techniques" (NGT) rice is supposed to be started in Italy this year, reports Testbiotech. The plants are supposedly resistant to the rice blast fungus Pyricularia oryzae, which can lead to crop failure. Some other European countries such as Belgium, the UK, Sweden and Switzerland are also planning to release NGT plants, or are already doing so. The gene combination of the NGT rice is different from those as obtained by conventional breeding: three genes in the plants were genetically engineered all sited on the same chromosome, with two of them very closely to each other. Therefore, it seems to be hardly possible to achieve such a gene combination with conventional breeding. The targeted genes have a variety of functions, and include the elimination of a gene function capable of increasing resistance to other plant diseases. At the same time, it is also unclear whether the interactions between the NGT plants and its associated soil organisms will change. As the example shows, NGT plants need to be thoroughly tested for environmental risks before they can be used in agriculture. Testbiotech via GMWatch

 

 

Environmental group Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to ban the use of GMOs in the country so as to ensure the preservation of local and natural seed varieties in the country. HOMEF called on the federal government to increase support for farmers through timely provision of needed infrastructure, access to credit, and access to land, especially for women. It said the government through the Ministry of Agriculture, should provide support and promote agreocology by ensuring access to organic fertilisers and pesticides and quality seeds. It also called on the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to collaborate with organisations like the HOMEF and Be the Help Foundation to organise more training on production of organic pesticides and fertilisers and on how to improve productivity using agroecological principles. NatureNews

 

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