Gene edited seed must be regulated
Re: Dec. 8 editorial, Gene-edited crops rules needed soon.
Western Producer editorial staff’s interpretation of National Farmers Union commentary on Canada’s proposed approach to regulations for gene editing on page 10 of the Dec. 8 issue is a bit hard to follow, but in a convoluted way they seem to support our key point.
What the NFU and other groups are calling for is actual scientific assessment of all new gene edited varieties and mandatory public listing of all gene edited varieties put on the market so that farmers have real choice.
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Buyers for sensitive markets already have access to technology that allows them to detect gene editing, even when the variety does not contain foreign DNA. Canada’s reputation could be seriously harmed if European, organic or other sensitive markets discover undisclosed gene edited varieties in our shipments.
It is in farmers’ interests to have the tools that allow them to knowingly choose whether or not to buy seed that is a product of gene editing. We are calling on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to act in farmers’ interests and in the public interest by ensuring the regulation of gene edited seed is mandatory, transparent and scientific.
Cathy Holtslander,
National Farmers Union director of research and policy
