International Seed Federation members are calling for harmonised regulations on new breeding technologies such as genome editing to accelerate impactful innovation.

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“It is critical that regulations applicable to plant breeding innovation are risk proportionate, science-based, and adaptable to reflect evolving scientific knowledge as well as the application of that knowledge,” an ISF spokesperson told AgTechNavigator.

The group believes that consistent regulatory policies will “motivate continued research and incentivise plant breeders to continue developing the best plant varieties using all the tools available to them for the benefit of farmers and society at large”.

Via technologies such as CRISPR and genome editing, plant breeders are creating a new population of plants for breeding, the ISF said. In 10-20 years, this new technology will significantly speed up the breeding processes and expand product portfolios to meet needs related to climate change and food security. It will “produce more crops on less land and using less water and fertilisers”. This will include drought-resistant fruits and vegetables and consumer friendly products like non-browning lettuce and pit-less cherries and fruits, which also help reduce food waste.

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