| GM no-till agriculture is not “regenerative” or climate-friendly – new report A widespread narrative holds that tillage (ploughing) can increase greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by disturbing the soil and releasing stored carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere, as well as increasing nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. GMO proponents often claim that GM herbicide-tolerant corn and soy have enabled uptake of no-till or minimum-till farming, saving soil from erosion, increasing carbon sequestration in soil, reducing GHG emissions, and thus contributing positively to “regenerative” farming. But a new report from Friends of the Earth (FoE), Rethinking No-Till, refutes the widely held assumption that no-till automatically equals “regenerative”. Indeed, the report shows that not only does GMO-based no-till fail to solve the climate crisis, but it is part of the problem. The report also finds that most no-till systems are so heavily dependent on toxic herbicides to manage weeds that a staggering one-third of the US’s total annual pesticide use can be attributed to no- and minimum-till GM corn and soy production alone. The FoE report comes hot on the heels of a peer-reviewed study published in Nature Food, showing that GM crops have led to increased tillage and greenhouse gas emissions in US corn and soy. GMWatch Should the EU weaken regulation on new generation GMOs? – podcast interview To better understand the reasons for and against the deregulation of new GMOs (new genomic techniques, NGTs), Euronews Tech Talks spoke with two experts from different sides of the debate: Michael Antoniou, Professor of molecular genetics and toxicology at King’s College London; and Nathalie Verbruggen, Professor of plant physiology and molecular genetics at the Université Libre de Bruxelles. In his interview, Prof Antoniou debunks several myths that are being spread about the properties and potential of new GMOs, including that new GM techniques are precise and that new GM crops can provide solutions to climate change. Euronews EU: Compromise negotiations begin on new GMOs deregulation Representatives of the Council of the EU, European Commission and European Parliament have begun meetings (trilogues) to try to hash out a compromise on the controversial new GMOs (new genomic techniques, NGTs) deregulation file. Patents are a sticking point. While Parliament proposes a total ban on NGT patents, member countries are not convinced. Also, industry groups are at odds on whether new GM plants should be subject to traceability and labelling requirements. Last week Euroseeds, an industry group, published its view that these requirements would be costly, difficult to enforce, and possibly damage trade and competitiveness of EU NGT products. But the European Non-GMO Industry Association counters that traceability practices are well established and that consumers have a right to know if products they consume are NGTs. Politico (subscription only, no link in header) India: New gene-edited rice varieties: Biotech hype trumps farmers’ and climate needs India's rice research institute ICAR has released two gene-edited rice varieties, which the government claims will improve crop resilience and sustainability. According to a government press release, the new varieties promise a 19 percent increase in yield, a 20 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and savings of 7,500 million cubic metres of irrigation water. However, researcher and activist Dr Narasimha Reddy Donthi writes, "the perception of the scientists is at variance with that of the farmers. Farmers are not complaining about low yields, but about high costs of cultivation and unremunerative market prices" – problems that gene-edited rice won't solve. He adds, "Indian farmers have had bitter experiences with different varieties released by ICAR institutions in general, and with genetically modified Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton seed varieties released by private seed companies in particular." He says the government's announcement of the release of the rice varieties is "about hyping biotechnology – not enhancing rice production, farmer income or ensuring public safety". South First GM-Free Coalition condemns release of gene-edited rice The Coalition for a GM-Free India has criticised the government for releasing two gene-edited rice varieties, alleging that the move was on account of pressure from corporate lobbies. "It is shocking that the Government of India is doing unlawful things under pressure from corporate lobbies. There is an enormous body of scientific literature pointing to the lack of safety of gene editing techniques," the Coalition said in a statement. The group warned these gene-edited rice varieties put India's diverse rice gene pool at risk and argued that gene editing is genetic modification under India's statutory definition of genetic engineering. The Coalition objected to the government's deregulation of SDN-1 and SDN-2 gene editing techniques, claiming varieties were released "without any safety testing" under what it called a "smokescreen of higher yield/drought resistance". It further criticised the government for "compromising" farmers' seed sovereignty by introducing technologies covered by intellectual property rights. They demanded immediate transparency regarding IPRs on the released varieties. Rediff Activists call for withdrawal of gene-edited rice varieties The Coalition for a GM-Free India has demanded that the central government withdraw the permission given for the release of two gene-edited rice varieties. Asking the government to share details of the safety testing done on these varieties, it said that there was a lack of public information on the exact process undertaken to develop these two varieties of gene-edited rice. “These crops should not be released without sufficient independent testing and must be subject to public scrutiny,” it said. “There is enough scientific evidence to suggest that gene editing technology is not precise and causes unpredictable genetic errors both at the targeted site and off-site,” the Coalition pointed out. The Hindu Businessline India: De-regulated techniques of SDN-1 and SDN-2 gene editing involve foreign genetic material The Coalition for a GM-Free India accused the Government of India of being devious, unscientific, and irresponsible in releasing two gene-edited rice varieties. They write that contrary to the research institute ICAR's claims, "de-regulated techniques of SDN-1 [gene disruption] and SDN-2 [gene modification] gene editing... involve foreign genetic material being used and unintentionally implanted in the host organism... Since SDN-1 and SDN-2 gene editing has been de-regulated, there is no biosafety testing mandated at the moment in India to even check for the inclusion of such foreign genetic material." The Coalition draws attention to several studies showing the dangers of gene editing. News Meter We hope you’ve found this newsletter interesting. It was made possible by GMWatch supporters. To become one, please support our work with a one-off or regular donation. Thank you! __________________________________________________________ Website: http://www.gmwatch.org
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