Farm organizations are on opposite sides in response to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s announcement about how it will treat new crop varieties that involve gene editing technology.
The National Farmers Union, organic farming organizations and a political activist group are strongly opposed, especially to the lack of government involvement and labeling requirements.
The Alberta Wheat and Barley Commission issued a news release embracing the CFIA;s policy and said it will improve farmers’ ability to remain competitive.
Jenn Pfenning, president of the Ontario branch of the National Farmers Union, said companies will be able to market varieties that involve gene editing without informing customers and that is a huge challenge for organic farmers such as her family farm that must comply with an organic-farming standard that bans both genetically-modified crops and gene editing.
Genetically-modified crops, which must be identified as such, involve moving a gene from outside into a plant, such as a gene from bacteria inserted into corn, soybeans and some other crops so they can grow despite being sprayed with a pesticide.
Gene editing cannot bring in foreign genes, but can manipulate existing genes, such as silencing ones that are not wanted.
The opponents to the CFIA decision said it will “allow product developers to assess the safety of their own genetically modified (GM or genetically engineered) seeds and foods without government oversight.
(Note that the opponents seem to be deliberately merging GMO technology with gene editing, although they are quite different.)
“This is a shocking abdication of responsibility by our regulators. The government has fully turned GM food safety over to companies using confidential, privately-owned science,” said Lucy Sharratt, coordinator of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN).
“Canadians should be aware that the government will no longer be assessing the safety of many new genetically modified foods and seeds.
This decision asks Canadian farmers and consumers to trust unseen corporate science. We need independent science, not corporate self-regulation,” she said.
“Allowing undisclosed GM seeds into Canadian agriculture will challenge and ultimately destroy the systems that farmers and many food companies have set up to deliver non-GM choices to consumers,” said Pfenning.
“Essentially, these changes will give biotechnology companies free rein over our food system. This decision needs to be reversed, or over time, it will eliminate our ability to offer reliable non-GM food choices, including organic food.”
“This decision runs directly counter to the minister’s commitment to find a solution that ensures organic farmers can continue to farm organically,” said Garry Johnson, president of the farmer led organization SaskOrganics.
“Not ensuring full disclosure of all GM seeds through a mandatory public registry, will make it challenging for organic farmers to meet the requirements of the Canadian Organic Standards.”
But the Alberta Wheat Commission’s president, Greg Sears, said “the publication of CFIA's new guidance will enable innovation that allows Alberta farmers to access better plant varieties that are resilient to pests and stress to keep up with increasing global demands for food production.
“Many of our global trading partners have already adopted similar science-based policies this will allow Alberta’s farmers to remain competitive on his world stage.”
