Its first attempt to develop genetically engineered grass ended disastrously for the Scotts Miracle-Gro Company. The grass escaped into the wild from test plots in Oregon in 2003, dooming the chances that the government would approve the product for commercial use.
Yet Scotts is once again developing genetically modified grass that would need less mowing, be a deeper green and be resistant to damage from the popular weedkiller Roundup. But this time the grass will not need federal approval before it can be field-tested and marketed.
Scotts and several other companies are developing genetically modified crops using techniques that either are outside the jurisdiction of the Agriculture Department or use new methods — like “genome editing” — that were not envisioned when the regulations were created.
The department has said, for example, that it has no authority over a new herbicide-resistant canola, a corn that would create less pollution from livestock waste, switch grass tailored for biofuel production, and even an ornamental plant that glows in the dark.
The trend alarms critics of biotech crops, who say genetic modification can have unintended effects, regardless of the process.
“They are using a technical loophole so that what are clearly genetically engineered crops and organisms are escaping regulation,” said Michael Hansen, a senior scientist at Consumers Union. He said the grass “can have all sorts of ecological impact and no one is required to look at it.”
Even some people who say the crops are safe and the regulations overly burdensome have expressed concern that because some crops can be left unregulated, the whole oversight process is confusing and illogical, in some cases doing more harm than good.
Read more: Scientists Alter Crops With Techniques Outside Regulators’ Scope
The Latest on: Genetically modified crops
via Google News
The Latest on: Genetically modified crops
- Scotland’s rejection of gene-edited crops ‘risks farmers losing out’on May 28, 2022 at 10:53 am
The technology would help to develop new crop varieties which are more resistant to drought, disease and pests, but the SNP remains opposed ...
- Chinese interest in US ag assets could pose security risks, federal report sayson May 26, 2022 at 2:00 am
China’s push to achieve self-sufficiency, which has incentivized the nation to purchase, and even steal, agricultural assets in other countries, could present risks to the economic and national ...
- In depth: China advances further into genetically modified farmingon May 25, 2022 at 11:30 pm
It has been over a decade since China first granted approval for the commercial production of insect-resistant cotton and disease-resistant papaya. But while many of the world's top crop-producing ...
- In Depth: How China Finally Embraced Genetically Modified Farmingon May 25, 2022 at 5:03 am
It’s been over a decade since China first granted approval for the commercial production of insect-resistant cotton and disease-resistant papaya. But while many of the worlds’ top crop producing ...
- UK uses Brexit freedom to speed up the development of 'gene-edited' crops and livestockon May 24, 2022 at 6:19 pm
Shoppers will be unable to tell if they are eating 'gene-edited' foods as part of new government plans to speed up the development of crops and livestock with altered DNA. The new Genetic ...
- Gene-edited crops are a Brexit bounty that benefits us all, says TIM NEWARKon May 24, 2022 at 5:45 pm
UK food and energy security must be the number one priority for Prime Minister Boris Johnson and this bill is a clear benefit of Brexit as the EU has banned genetically modified crops for decades.
- How gene-edited crops could solve the food crisison May 23, 2022 at 11:15 am
With the Ukraine conflict creating a global shortage, altering a plant’s DNA might increase crop yields – but the public may need convincing ...
- Scientists create tomatoes genetically edited to bolster vitamin D levelson May 23, 2022 at 7:37 am
The tomatoes contain as much provitamin D3 as two eggs, with UK outdoor field trials starting next month ...
- Norms eased for genetically modified crop researchon May 21, 2022 at 12:11 am
The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has issued guidelines easing norms for research into genetically modified (GM) crops and circumventing challenges of using foreign genes to change crops profile.
- GMO Crops Market foresee Share, By Product scrutiny, Application, End-Use, Regional Outlook, Competitive Strategies predict up to 2025on May 18, 2022 at 8:11 am
The major driving factor of global Genetically Modified Crops (GMO) market are increase in agriculture productivity and decrease in need for harmful pesticide. In addition, increasing investment in ...
via Bing News