In early December, the EU moved closer to making gene edited crops available to EU farmers. New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) were listed in the same category as genetically modified back in 2019. Gene-edited crops cannot be grown in the EU.

This is despite the major differences in the processes of genetic modification and gene editing. Gene-editing is often described as speeding up the natural breeding process and does not involve the insertion of a gene into a plant, like genetic modification.

Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon told the Food Vision Tillage Group meeting on Wednesday 10 December: “I was delighted to hear that provisional agreement was reached by the co-legislators (EU Parliament and Council) on the NGT last week, over two years since it was first proposed. Embracing NGTs will equip Irish farmers to compete in a rapidly changing world.”

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The Minister said NGTs “can genuinely strengthen the competitiveness and sustainability of our tillage sector” by delivering crop traits to improve resilience and help the environment.

Plant protection products

On the loss of plant protection products (PPPs) from the market he said: “I recognise the concerns raised by Irish and EU farmers about unfair competition from imports produced using GM crops and plant protection products (PPPs) no longer permitted in the EU, as well as the rapid withdrawal of PPPs without timely alternatives.”

He said the EU Commission is to avoid non-approvals of PPP active substances where no alternatives are available and added that proposals would be put forward to speed up the access to biopesticides in the EU market.

“A Commission proposal for an “omnibus” simplification regulation in the area of Food and Feed Safety is expected shortly. The Commission has indicated that this regulation will include proposals to accelerate access to the EU market for low-risk and biocontrol products and will simplify and clarify regulatory requirements on plant protection products and biocidal products.

“I am supportive of any proposal that will include practical and meaningful measures within the regulatory framework to ensure that the approval process is as efficient as possible,” he told the meeting.