24 I EUROPEAN SEED I EUROPEAN-SEED.COM T he debate on plant breeding innovation, the resulting plant varieties and products and whether to regulate these products under current or new regulations or not is not limited to the European continent, but also taking place in many other countries. European Seed sat down with Bernice Slutsky, Senior Vice President of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA), and also Chairperson of the ISF Working Group Plant Breeding Innovation, to get her take on the topic and on some of the recent policy developments in the US. EUROPEAN SEED (ES): BERNICE, OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF DEBATE ON PLANT BREEDING INNOVATION. IN YOUR VIEW, WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF THE LATEST METHODS IN GENERAL AND MORE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE SEED TRADE? BERNICE SLUTSKY (BS): Over the last few decades, plant scientists have gained an increased understanding of plant genetics through the capa- bility to sequence plant genomes and the ability to link a specific gene(s) to a specific plant charac- teristic. The major significance of the more recent innovations in plant breeding methods, such as gene editing, is that these methods now enable breeders to efficiently utilize all of this genetic information and knowledge to improve a plant’s phenotype more precisely. Gene editing methods can be used to very precisely target a change to a specific gene(s) in a plant’s genome to create the desired plant charac- teristic. They can also be used to identify a gene in a plant’s wild relative and to efficiently recreate that gene and the desired characteristic in an exist- ing, high-performing commercial variety. Because these new methods are efficient and economical, they are accessible to public and commercial plant breeders, small and large, and can be used across all agriculturally important crops, including field, vegetables and specialty crops. To plant breeders and the seed industry, these methods provide tre- mendous promise with very few, if any, downsides. ES: WHAT WILL BE THE IMPACT FOR THE GLOBAL AND US SEED TRADE OF REGULATING THESE NEW TECHNIQUES IN THE SAME WAY AS GMO’S? BS: As we know, there is currently a patchwork of national GMO regulations. As an example, the prob- WHY IT MATTERS The latest plant breeding methods enable breeders to efficiently utilize all of the genetic information and knowledge to improve a plant’s phenotype more precisely. And because these new methods are efficient and economical, they are accessible to public and commercial plant breeders, small and large, and can be used across all agriculturally important crops, including field, vegetables and specialty crops. Among countries that have made decisions on how to interpret current GMO regulations with respect to gene editing, there is more commonality in these policies than divergence. ASTA considers it extremely important to tell the positive story of plant breeding and the role that innovation has played in bringing a wide range of new varieties to farmers and ultimately to the consumer. lem of asynchronous approvals has had an impact on agriculture commodity trade. Definitions for ‘GMO’, ‘biotechnology’, ‘genetic engineering’ and ‘bioengineering’ are not consistent across coun- tries. The regulatory burden of these global GMO regulations has meant that only the largest devel- opers are able to afford bringing a GMO variety to market and has limited the use of GMO technology to high value crops such as corn and soybeans. Ultimately, if the same regulatory system is used for products of gene editing, it will negatively affect research collaborations, hinder the move- ment of seed globally, cause commodity trade dis- ruption and effectively limit the use of this valuable plant breeding tool. A CLOSER LOOK AT THE PLANT BREEDING INNOVATION DEBATE IN THE USA. BY: MARCEL BRUINS Giving consumers more healthy and safe food options for their families “These methods enable breeders to efficiently utilize all of the genetic information and knowledge to improve a plant’s phenotype more precisely.” ES: AT THE MOMENT WE ARE SEEING A DIVERGENCE BETWEEN COUNTRIES IN HOW THEY REGULATE THESE NEW TECHNIQUES. WHAT ARE THE PITFALLS OF SUCH AN APPROACH, AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE? BS: In fact, most countries have not yet made deci- sions on how they will regulate products developed using these new techniques. More specifically, most countries have not yet determined if or how current domestic GMO regulations would apply to these newer products. For those countries that have made decisions on how to interpret current GMO regulations with respect to gene editing, there is more commonality in these policies than