The federal government and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) plan to change regulatory guidelines of genetically engineered organisms and those produced through gene editing. Concerns about this have been growing, particularly since last fall.
The concern over genetically modified foods and seeds has been evident for several years. Gene-editing, or genome editing, is a group of technologies used by scientists to change an organism’s DNA and is the latest chapter in an ongoing controversy.
Last November, more than 105 organizations across Canada came together to protest the deregulation of safety assessments for gene-edited and genetically engineered plants, seeds, and organisms. The groups ranged from community cooperatives, to the Quakers, through to the Canadian Labour Congress, organic associations, and food and policy groups. They noted serious concerns in a letter to the federal Minister of Health and the Minister of Agriculture:
“Proposed new regulatory guidance from Health Canada and the CFIA would shift some safety assessments away from government regulators to product developers themselves, with no government checks. Companies would be permitted to introduce many new genetically modified organisms (GMOs) without any independent science, and with no independent government science reviews. Companies would be allowed to release these GMOs into the environment and sell them without notifying the government and without publicly disclosing which seeds are genetically engineered.”
In other words, the CFIA could allow the fox to guard the hen house. This is not a good situation; no matter the issue. Self-regulation by corporations on environmental and health issues is a conflict-of-interest, to say the least.
The proposed changes to the regulatory framework are now advancing, and the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN) and its partners continue to call on people in Canada to voice their concerns. A huge issue, particularly for organic farmers, is that gene-edited or genetically modified seeds (GM) would be exempt from regulation and so there would be no transparency or ability to identify these seeds.
The issues are complex, and are explained more in this opinion piece, Health Canada Proposes Blind Trust in the Safety of GMOs.
The Canada Organic Trade Association and the Organic Federation of Canada are petitioning the federal government to ensure mandatory regulation of all genetically engineered seeds.
As the groups state in a recent release, “Organic farming prohibits the use of genetic engineering: Unregulated, unreported gene edited seeds on the market would put organic food and farming at risk.”
The issues are also clearly explained in an extensive report published by CBAN, Logos Environmental, and Friends of the Earth titled, Gene Editing in Food and Farming: Risks and Unexpected Consequences.
The details of the proposed changes, taken from this backgrounder, are listed below.
- The proposals would not change the regulations themselves, but would make significant changes to the “regulatory guidance” that is used to interpret and implement existing regulations.
- The proposals would exempt most genetically engineered products that have no foreign DNA from regulation. Most or all of these products will be developed using the new genetic engineering techniques of genome editing, commonly called gene editing. The changes are not a blanket exemption for genome edited products per se, but the outcome will be a broad exemption.
- The proposals would change government risk assessments for the safety of foods from genetically engineered plants as well as the environmental safety of genetically engineered seeds (including trees). These changes will be followed by changes to risk assessment for foods from genetically engineered animals and the environmental safety of genetically engineered animals and other GM organisms. The current proposed changes are just the beginning.
It really is incumbent on all of us who are concerned about our environment and our food sources to inform ourselves, if we haven’t already. We need to learn about the potential impact of these regulatory changes and of gene-editing and genetically modified organisms more generally.
For those who need a primer, a refresher, or a starter course, a webinar hosted by NFUniversity, called Gene Editing – the Science Explained is a great resource. Presented by Dr. Richarda Steinbrecher, this webinar provides clear explanations of the science of gene editing, how it works, and how it is similar, yet different, to the already controversial technology of genetic engineering.
While gene editing is being touted as producing remarkable results quickly, there is a strong contingency of organizations here in Canada calling for more regulation, and not less.
We have to ask ourselves in situations like this: what’s the rush to usher in technologies that could do more damage than good to the environment and food supply for current and future generations?
Support rabble today!
We’re so glad you stopped by! Thanks for consuming rabble content this year.
rabble.ca is 100% reader and donor funded, so as an avid reader of our content, we hope you will consider gifting rabble with a donation during our summer fundraiser today.
Whether it be a one-time donation or a small monthly contribution, your support is critical to keep rabble writers producing the work you’ve come to rely on as a part of a healthy media diet.
Become a rabble rouser — donate to rabble.ca today.
Nick Seebruch, editor
