b'A look at seed industry developments around the globe.Australia allows field trialSTATUS AUSTRALIA Australia, including environ- Grain and Oil Crops Research Australias Office of the Genemental stress. The GM canolaInstitute of Hebei Academy of GM canola and ChinaTechnology Regulator (OGTR)grown in this field trial will notof Agriculture and Forestry approves GM maize and soyhas issued license DIR 205 tobe used in human food orSciences, Institute of Crop varieties. the Commonwealth Scientificanimal feed. Science, CAAS.and Industrial ResearchThe final Risk AssessmentOne of the maize varie-Organisation (CSIRO), allow- and Risk Management Planties that received approval is ing the field trial of canola(RARMP) concludes thatRongyu 8K (event ND207), genetically modified (GM) forthis limited and controlledwhich exhibits resistance to increased abiotic stress toler- release poses negligible risksAsian corn borer and army-ance. to the health and safety ofworm, and also yields 7.9% The GM canola may bepeople and the environment.more than its conventional grown at up to three sites inHowever, license conditionscounterpart. On the other New South Wales and Southhave been imposed tolimithand, herbicide tolerant Australia, with a maximumthe size, location, and durationsoybean Zhongliandou 6024 planting area of 1.5 hectares inof the release and to restrict(event Zhonghuang 6106) the first year and 2 hectares inspread and persistence of theexhibits 7.3% yield advantage.the subsequent years. The trialGMOs and their genetic mate-may run from May 2025 untilrial in the environment.December 2030. The purposeSTATUS EUROPEof the field trial is to assess theThe European Food Safety performance of GM canolaSTATUS CHINA Authority (EFSA) has con-lines under field conditions inChinas Ministry of Agriculturefirmed that Category 1 New and Rural Affairs announcedGenomic Techniques (NGT) the final approval of geneti- plants pose no additional Restoring the cally modified (GM) maize andhazards or risks compared to soy varieties that passed thethose produced through con-Native Landscape assessment of China Nationalventional breeding methods. Crop Variety RegistrationEuroseeds has praised EFSAs Committee (CNCVRC). Thisfindings, arguing that discrimi-is according to the reportnatory regulatory practices of the Global Agriculturaltargeting conventional-like Information Network of theNGT-derived plants and their USDA Foreign Agriculturalproducts are unjustified and Service released on Octobercontrary to scientific evidence.14, 2024. In its Scientific Opinion on A total of 30 GM varie- the ANSES analysis of Annex ties (27 corn, and 3 soy- I of the EC proposal pre-bean) were included in thesented to the EU Parliaments approved planting list inEnvironment Committee, suitable locations. TheseEFSA concluded that the varieties were initially pub- existing scientific literature lished for public comment inindicates that plants with the March 2024. The develop- types and numbers of genetic ers with approved varietiesmodifications outlined in the include the Maize ResearchCommissions proposal can Institute of Beijing Academynaturally occur through spon-of Agricultural and Forestrytaneous mutations or random Sciences, China Agriculturalmutagenesis. Thus, these 800-873-3321 University, Institute of Cropplants are deemed equivalent sales@ernstseed.com https://ernstseed.co/SW Science, Chinese Academyto those produced via conven-of Agricultural Sciences, andtional breeding. SW102/ SEEDWORLD.COMDECEMBER 2024'