Gene editing should be allowed in organic crop cultivation to boost yields and promote more sustainable farming practices, according to an international research team led by scientists at the University of Bayreuth.

A team of researchers led by Prof. Dr. Kai Purnhagen, Chair of Food Law at the University of Bayreuth, argues this position should be reconsidered, according to a press release. They propose a dual-standard approach: one EU-wide organic label for “organic without NGTs” and another for “organic with NGTs.” This system would preserve transparency and consumer choice while enabling organic farming to benefit from targeted innovation. The researchers note that NGTs can help achieve traits aligned with organic principles, such as enhancing genetic diversity in crop breeding. By creating new gene variants where gene functions are well understood, NGTs could expand the breeding toolkit available for sustainable organic production.

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