b'in Sound Agricultures caseand more economical produc- genetic engineering, wouldthe development of disruptive involve epigenetics, which istion practices. With GM crops,distract from the core issuestechnologies to produce step-different from CRISPR andthey could apply glyphosatethe organic market is facingchange improvements in crop gene editing. Sound uses pro- as a post-emergence sprayright now.yield for food and feed crops.prietary algorithms to analyzeover their entire field plantedOn the other hand, someWhile some consumers genomic data to identify andto a herbicide-resistant varietyorganic growers do see NBTsmay oppose the use of the silence the genes expressionof soybeans and kill the weedsas a potential boon to theirterm organic for genetically levels as a way to guide cropswithout harming their crop.industry and are calling forengineered food, its impor-to reveal desired traits.For the organic health foodrevised rules that would allowtant to note that organic doesWe can do that in a wayproducers, GM crops repre- growers to benefit from cropnot always constitute natural that is a lot faster than tradi- sented all that was wrong andimprovements created using since there is a long list of tional breeding and even fasterevil with industrial globaliza- gene editing. Klaas Martens,products that are approved than CRISPR itself. We taketion and multinational seeda prominent voice in thefor use in organic farming. a broad view of what thesecompanies. Identifying theirorganic movement and aThere are often higher levels new technologies are. It is theorganic products as non-GMthird-generation grain andof fungal toxins on organic integration of these technolo- became a powerful marketinglivestock farmer, operates acorn. Today, anti-GMO activity giesgene editing, epigenetictool they can use to defini- 1,600-acre farm in New Yorksis perpetuated, in the public computational sciencesthattively set their products apartFinger Lakes region. He alsoeye, by individuals who may will change the way breedingand above all others. owns a feed and seed busi- be well-meaning but unaware is done over the next couple ofThere is a new ongo- ness. Martens says he wouldof the stringent safety regula-years.ing debate as to what plantbe receptive to using CRISPRtions that genetically modified Bayer says a new traitbreeding technologiesgene editing technology tofoods are actually required to can be developed within aconstitute genetic modifica- grow versions of naturallypass, or by individuals who few months. In some of theirtion. The transgenic GM cropsoccurring crops that restorestand to benefit financially recent work, a new trait hasintroduced more than 20soil health.from non-GMO labeling, been developed in a matteryears ago remain verbotenIf it could be used in aPeoples concludes. of weeks. He believes that byfor organic food production.way that enhances the naturalThere are indications using epigenetics and NBTs,If the pro-organic Cornucopiasystem, and mimicked it, then Ithat a compromise may be researchers together withInstitute and other organicwould want to use it, Martensbeginning to gain traction, plant breeders will advancefood industry proponentssays. But it would definitelyat least as a topic of con-increases in plant productiv- have their way, all forms ofhave to be case by case. versation within the USDA. ity comparable to the inflec- gene editing and NBTs wouldThe farmers who areIn testimony presented to tion points resulting from thebe classified as GM and joinopposed to an absolute banthe U.S. House Agriculture invention of double-crossthe list of practices prohibitedof biotechnology for organicSubcommittee in July 2019, hybrids in the 1930s and thefor the production of foodproduction underscore theUSDA Undersecretary Greg Green Revolution. products eligible to be certi- belief held by many thatIbach indicated NBTs could fied USDA Organic.USDA Certified Organic cropsmake important contributions NBTs Are Not Welcome InWe strongly oppose anycan help farming becometo improved crops, organic as EU, Organic Products efforts to revisit the issue ofmore sustainable as a risingwell as conventional. When the first transgenicany type of genetic engineer- global population demandsAs the National Organic glyphosate-resistant soy- ing in organic certification,more food. Standards Board set the beans were deregulated in theand we will work to ensureIn my view, the use ofrules originally, GMOs are United States in 1996, farmersthat all genetic engineeringgenetic engineering tech- not eligible to be in the and organic food producersremains an excluded method,nologies is the most powerfulorganic program. However, both embraced the geneti- says Organic Farmersand honest organic tool weweve seen new technology, cally modified GM crops albeitAssociation President Davidhave, says Oliver Peoples,including gene-editing, that for totally opposite pur- Colson. Any suggestion thatpresident and CEO of Yield10accomplishes things in shorter poses. For farmers, GM cropswe should explore gene- Bioscience, an agricultural bio- periods of time than a natural opened a path to convenientediting or any other type ofscience company focusing onbreeding process can. I think FEBRUARY 2020SEEDWORLD.COM /49'