EU researchers and farmers call upon Members of Parliament to embrace innovations and advance regulation of new genomic techniques in new video

Alexandria, Va. [October 7, 2024] – As the European Parliament prepares its hearings for the incoming College of Commissioners, food security remains a top priority. The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) released a new video featuring experts from across the agricultural supply chain on the transformative potential of new genomic techniques (NGTs).  Members of the EU Parliament (MEPs) need to act, embracing NGTs for the good of European farmers, global food systems, and the planet.

The video underscores how NGTs such as CRISPR are a boost to plant breeding by enabling efficient, more precise development of crops with desirable characteristics such as drought tolerance and disease resistance. These innovations are crucial, considering the increasing demand for sustainable, climate-resilient crops. Key insights from the video include:

• Efficiency and precision: Experts emphasize that genomic techniques allow targeted, budget-friendly modifications that can introduce characteristics in crops within 5 to 7 years, compared to conventional breeding methods, which can take decades.

• Food security and climate resilience: As farmers face increasing challenges from extreme weather and demands for more sustainable farming practice, NGTs enable improved plant varieties to adapt quickly to the realities of climate change, ensuring stable crop yields and contributing to global food security.

• Barriers to access: Many EU farmers want improved varieties enabled by NGTs and are unable to access them due to current EU regulations.

The featured experts include Patricija Gran, Researcher at Wageningen University Plant Research; Gary Rudgers, Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs at J.R. Simplot Company; Ying Shao, CEO of Plantik Biosciences; Dr. Leena Tripathi, Director of the Eastern Africa Hub at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Thor Gunnar Kofoed, Farmer and Vice-President of the Danish Agriculture & Food Council; and Tiberiu Dan Stan, Farmer and Vice-President of the Romanian Corn Producers Association.

In light of the EU’s ongoing discussions around the use of NGTs, the video serves as a timely resource for policymakers, researchers, and farmers in Europe to embrace the adoption of these innovative technologies, which are essential for both the United States and Europe’s agricultural sustainability and food production.

Andy LaVigne, President & CEO of ASTA, has emphasized the need to support evolving innovation in plant breeding on both sides of the Atlantic as a solution to today’s agricultural challenges: “With climate change intensifying and the need for sustainable farming practices growing worldwide, plant breeding innovation offers a way forward. These genomic techniques provide us with the tools to not only ensure food security but also to develop improved varieties that are more resilient to environmental pressures. It is crucial that these technologies are fully utilized for the benefit of both farmers and consumers.”

Watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/nBzyK5s7eP8

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About the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA)

Founded in 1883, the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) is one of the oldest trade organizations in the United States. Its membership consists of nearly 700 companies involved in seed production and distribution, plant breeding, and related industries in North America. As an authority on plant germplasm, ASTA advocates science and policy issues of industry-wide importance.

ASTA’s mission is to be an effective voice of action in all matters concerning the development, marketing and movement of seed, associated products and services throughout the world. ASTA promotes the development of better seed to produce better crops for a better quality of life.