b'protection products the problem of pests and diseasesis the technologies that can be used in very different doesnt go away, so you need to look for alternatives. ways and can achieve very different kinds of prod-Advocates for advanced breeding technologies inucts. But our existing EU rules for genetically modified the countries have encouraged the public to look toorganisms only look at the technology used.breeding as a solution. Even if the product created doesnt have any Were not saying plant breeding or new breedinggenetic modification when its commercialized, using a technologies are the silver bullet that will resolve allprocess that can create GMOs means it will be consid-issues, he continues. But it is a set of tools you canered a GMO itself. As it stands, new breeding tech-use to speed up [crop] improvements. niques are to be classified the same way a GMO is in the EU.Status: Canada Weve started the discussion that says we need to Health Canada leads the country in creating policieslook more at the product that results from the technol-for new technologies and as of press time, citizensogy, von Essen adds. There is growing consensus are awaiting guidance from the agency. Experts canthat the old rules dont work for these technologies.draw on past experiences to infer what Health CanadaThe EU Commission has initiated the preparation ofmight soon announce. a new legislative proposal that reflects this realization. Weve been having conversations in Canada forIts unknown when theyll reach a final decision.quite some time, even before new breeding techniques became a big thing, says Jennifer Hubert, Crop Life Canada director of plant biotechnology. Canada has a product-based approach thats pretty unique in the world.Regardless of the technology used to create some- Were not saying plant breeding or new breeding thing, its the final product that is scrutinized. That means any technologyeven conventional breeding technologies are the silver bullet that will resolve all issues. can be regulated like a GMO product. But it is a set of tools you can use to speed up [crop] We have seen, although rare, conventional breed-ing products go through the same system as a GMOimprovements. would, Hubert says. Theyre going to be looking Garlich von Essenmore at the product than the technology but with that comes challenges as theres a lot of ambiguity. How do you draw the line on how you define something?A recent survey in the country showed that even breeding regulations for tactics commonly used today are still unclear for breeders. The seed industry is seek- Status: U.S.ing more clarity for not only NBTs, but all ag products. Three agencies in the U.S. are tasked with creating Ultimately we determined the old rules were notregulatory processes for new breeding technologies. working and we need clarified rules to better deter- These include the Environmental Protection Agency mine what type of product requires an assessment,(EPA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the she says. Health Canada has a draft guidance theyFood and Drug Administration (FDA).issued in March and they held a public consultationUSDA was the first out of the gate and they final-period. ized their regulations that, among other things, exempt Now its just a waiting game for final the finalcertain categories of modified plants because they assessment to be released. could be produced through conventional breeding techniques, says Fan-Li Chou, American Seed Trade Status: EU Association vice president of scientific affairs and Determining how to define and regulate productspolicy. Now were waiting for the EPA and FDA to do created through new breeding technologies is no easysimilar updates and revisions to their policy guidelines.task. In the EU, it has, so far, boiled down to whetherEPA released a proposal this past year that in principle or not these products are considered GMO. aligns with USDAs approachit just awaits finalization. Almost everyone is realizing now that its not asFDA has yet to announce its plans to address this issue.simple as that, says Garlich von Essen, secretary gen- Were looking for all three agencies to have con-eral at Euroseeds. What were actually talking aboutsistency among them, Chou adds.SW94/ SEEDWORLD.COMDECEMBER 2021'