Agrifood Brief: CAP super-trilogue – what’s on the menu?

The EU’s agrifood sector is following the outcomes of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) super trilogue with bated breath, although the road ahead is still uphill.

In this highly unusual Agrifood brief, we’re called to carry out an extremely arduous task: talking about something that it is happening as we write.

Many expectations rest on this ‘super trilogue’, the brainchild of the Portuguese presidency, which is gathering all three of the main Parliament’s rapporteurs on the CAP dossier and the Portuguese presidency around the same table.

The hope is to settle some of the remaining sticking points with a view of reaching the sorely sought-after agreement by May.

This timeline is crucial and the clock is ticking, as Portuguese agricultural minister Maria do Ceu Antunes reminded journalists at a press conference after the EU Agrifish Council on Tuesday (23 March).

The super meeting will close approximately at 7 pm on Friday (26 March) and a press conference has been convened at 7.30, shortly after the publication of these lines.

During the week, the EU’s agricultural Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski offered an optimistic look at the state of negotiations, reiterating that the working atmosphere between negotiators seemed “very good”.

“And I am confident that we will be able to present a final deal in May with a very good outcome for the CAP,” he said.

But despite the optimism shown by some quarters on the eve of the super trilogue, a number of sticking points remain, putting into question whether negotiators will be able to wrap up the CAP.

Negotiators are still wide apart on a number of cornerstone issues as crunch time on CAP talks rapidly approaches. Which ones? It is enough to look at the menu of the meeting to have a handle on this.

As a starter, one of the main bones of contention has been put on the agenda: the new delivery model.

As is no secret, the Commission’s proposal to shifting the CAP to make payments correlated with performance. This is based on nine objectives that need to be pursued by member states together with a set of common output and result indicators.

The assessment of farmers’ performance proposed by the Commission is considered cumbersome by the Parliament as it could lead to unnecessary burdens on national administration.

During the negotiations, MEPs tried to keep performance and compliance as two different, but complementary, key goals in a bid to ease the red tape on performance monitoring.

The Portuguese presidency has proposed a 2-year performance framework to meet the requests of MEPs, with the suspension of payments that can only be done every second year following the performance review, although performance is monitored every year.

The main course to be sampled by the negotiators is a mixed bag, featuring discussions on horizontal regulation and strategic plans.

The tricky definition of active/genuine farmer was the house speciality, a crucial step towards better and fairer distribution of direct payments.

This definition is one of the most controversial pending issues for promoting efficient spending in the next CAP, as it defines access to funding.

The problem arose since in the past money often did not go to those who actually farm the land, but rather to (usually wealthy) land-owners.

The same goes with other definitions, such as what makes a young farmer, a small farmer or a new farmer.

For dessert, negotiators were treated to the exception crisis measure and other outstanding points in the Common Market Organisation (CMO) file, washed down with all the wine issues, including digital labelling, the authorisation of American grapes and the duration of the authorisation scheme for vine plantings until 2045.

Time will tell to see how well this heavy meal went down with negotiators. It seems unlikely, however, they have managed to eat up the feast that was on the table.

(G.F and N.F)

Stories of the week

EU official: Imposing animal welfare standards on imports would be WTO compliant
It would be wise to impose the equivalent standards of animal welfare on meat imports coming into the EU, according to a top EU official, who said this would be compliant with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules, provided it was based on “ethical grounds”. Natasha Foote has the story.

Organic food ‘healthier’ says agri Commissioner as EU launches new organic plan
Organic food is “healthier” than its chemically produced counterparts, EU Agricultural Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski told journalists at an event to mark the launch of the EU’s long-awaited organic action plan on Thursday (25 March). Natasha Foote has more.

New report reiterates there is no East-West divide in food quality
A new study on food quality has found detectable differences between European products but said they were not correlated with geography, lending weight to the idea that there is no East-West divide in food quality discrimination in Europe. Read more.

RED II: EU Commission can’t see the wood for the trees, analysts warn
The revision of the Renewable Energy Directive II (RED II) as part of the new Green Deal should recalibrate the legislative initiatives which have so far failed to decarbonise Europe’s transport sector, stakeholders have said. Sarantis Michalopoulos has the story.

French mosques fear slaughter policy change is ban on halal chicken
Several major French mosques have expressed concern that a proposed ban on the slaughter of poultry without first stunning the animals would effectively lead to a ban on halal chicken, while the agriculture ministry says this concern is unfounded. EURACTIV France reports.

French dairy farmers sour after milk origin labelling scrapped
A decision by France’s top court to annul the obligation to label the origin of milk has provoked outrage in France. Dairy farmers and politicians are particularly sour about the move, calling it an “unacceptable step backwards.” EURACTIV France reports.

Don’t miss: EURACTIV’s Special Report on ‘Sustainable farming ambitions: between the CAP and the Green Deal’, where the EURACTIV network takes a closer look at the relationship between the Green Deal and the CAP across seven different member states as the EU approaches a crucial moment in the final talks on the CAP reform.

Organic food ‘healthier’ says agri Commissioner as EU launches new organic plan

Organic food is “healthier” than its chemically produced counterparts, EU Agricultural Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski told journalists at an event to mark the launch of the EU’s long-awaited organic action plan on Thursday (25 March).

The Commissioner said that though all food on the European market is safe and subject to “strict control of the highest safety standards,” organic production is on balance the healthier option.

“Our consumers can be sure that the food which we have in our market produced in Europe, also the imported [food], is controlled and is safe. But of course, the organic products, the methods of production, they should guarantee higher standards of health,” he said, adding that, in an ideal world, he would like to see all agriculture in Europe farmed organically.

“Products produced without chemical intervention are healthier,” he continued, stressing that this is especially the case with locally produced food.

Organic agriculture has a lower environmental impact than conventional production and there is a growing demand for organic food both in Europe and globally as more people seek out healthy food, Wojciechowski said as he presented the long-awaited EU plan.

The plan aims at incentivising both the production and consumption of organic produce across the bloc in line with the ambitious target included in the EU’s flagship Farm to Fork food policy to see 25% of agricultural land farmed organically by 2030.

“I’m convinced that with this plan, we will increase the area of organic farming and organic food production to the benefit of human health, the environment, the climate and animal welfare,” Wojciechowski said.

The action plan aims to provide a clear road map to achieving this target, although it does not feature new legislative initiatives from the Commission’s side.

Using a push-pull approach, the plan outlines a three-pronged approach to meeting the goal. Both demand and production should be increased and the contribution of organic farming to sustainability improved.

The plan’s stated aim is to “encourage a marked increase of the share of organic farming in the EU, through encouraging farmers to convert to organic farming and to expand the accessibility of organic food to close the gap between a business-as-usual growth curve and the ‘extra effort’ necessary to reach a 25% target by 2030.”

This involves measures such as promoting the EU organics logo, increasing the share of organic food in public procurement, such as in school and public canteens, and investments in research and innovation.

Jan Plagge, president of EU organics association IFOAM Organics Europe, welcomed the plan, which, alongside the F2F strategy, will mark a “new era for the transformation of our food systems towards organic and agroecology”.

“The Commission has put forward concrete steps to boost organic demand,” he said, citing the €49 million budget for organic within the promotion policies framework and the integration of organic products into the minimum mandatory criteria for sustainable public procurement.

Furthermore, Plagge greeted as “timely steps forward” the move to allocate at least 30% of the Horizon Europe funding for agriculture, forestry, and rural areas to topics relevant for the organic sector, as well as carrying out a study on the real price of food and the role of taxation.

The EU umbrella organisation for the pesticides and biopesticides industries, CropLife Europe, also welcomed the action plan as an “important piece of the Farm to Fork equation.”

“Whilst there are important trade-offs to be considered through the increase of organic farming in the EU, we recognise the importance of stimulating sustainability through the increased diversity of agricultural practices. Our industry will continue innovating to support the needs of organic farmers,” a spokesperson told EURACTIV.

Europe has one of world’s largest shares of organic farmland, and was home to close to 14 million of the 70 million hectares of organically cultivated agricultural land worldwide in 2018.

Although they are far from dominating the sector, organically cultivated land made up around 8% of total EU agricultural land in 2018, compared to just over 1.5% of land cultivated organically worldwide.

[Edited by Gerardo Fortuna and Josie Le Blond]

Importer Laine Boswell Owes Her Career In Wine To Inspirational Women

Speaking about influences on her career in the wine industry, wine importer Laine Boswell points to the two women who had the strongest effect: a great aunt who lived in Paris and a classmate who hired Boswell to work for her family’s business after graduation. Based in Seattle and Switzerland, Laine Boswell Selections specializes in importing wine from notable but off-the-beaten-track regions around the world to the United States. She works with small, family-owned producers who grow native varieties and make wines utilizing organic or biodynamic practices. A graduate of the master’s degree program in Wine Science and Management through the OIV (Organisation International de la Vigne et du Vin),Boswell has deep connections in Europe and is passionate about telling the story of these family wineries. 

     Boswell seeks out wineries helmed by second or third generation family members who are looking to the future while remaining committed to the values of their parents and grandparents. She believes in the “slow and steady” method to building strong and long-lasting relationships with all of her partners on both sides of the Atlantic. She has two part time people working with her in the US, one who manages state-side logistics when Boswell is in Europe and another who works as a sales manager and coordinator. 

     Boswell is currently working with twelve brands from Switzerland, France, Spain, Italy, and Oregon, and is looking to add three to four new winery partners and two to three new distribution partners in the coming year. LBS imports approximately 140,000 bottles annually, and the wines are available in eight states, mostly on the coasts. 

As we continue to shine a light on women in wine during Women’s Month, we spoke with Laine Boswell about her mentors and her journey into wine, the difficult task of running a small import business during Covid-19, and how she and her husband worked together to create two new wine brands for the American Market. 

World Wine Guys: What was your journey towards working in the wine industry and starting your own import company?

Laine Boswell: While studying in France during college and then living and teaching there for a couple of years afterward, I spent most of my free time visiting European wine regions, learning more about wine, and, of course, tasting a lot. I had an influential great aunt who was an expat living in Paris and very involved in the French food scene. She helped me to cultivate an already significant love of the table and all that it represented. Being able to connect with people and learn more about their lives, culture and passions over a long meal with a great glass or multiple glasses of wine became one of my greatest pleasures. I knew after spending this time in Europe during my most formative years that being able to share the stories and traditions of amazing family vignerons through their wines was what I wanted to do. As soon as I returned to the U.S., I set out to find a job in the wine industry. As an eager and passionate young woman in her mid- twenties with little work experience, I was met with quite a few raised eyebrows, but I was eventually able to land a job working at a winery in Washington State as the marketing and communications manager. From there, I met many people in the northwest wine industry and subsequently jumped into a sales position in Seattle with a cool distribution company that worked mainly with European imports. I continued to take wine education classes, read a lot, and, of course, tasted as much as possible. I learned about the master’s degree program in Wine Science and Management through the OIV and immediately applied. I was accepted and became one of twenty students from twelve different countries to enroll that year. We spent the next two years studying at affiliated French universities as well as traveling to over 22 countries around the world to study wine. It is still, to this day, the single most influential career and personal experience of my life, not only because of what I learned, but also because of the remarkable network of people in the wine industry around the world that I met and continue to interact with today.

WWG: How easy or difficult is it to set up your own wine importation company?

LB: The initial process of setting up my import company was more about paperwork than anything else. I had moved to Italy after the O.I.V. master’s program to learn more about Italian wines and identify a few key producers I wanted to represent. I spent about two years primarily building relationships across the country while also working on various wine events, developing my business plan, and submitting all the necessary paperwork to obtain a U.S. import license. The paperwork was tedious, but the process of relationship building and homing in on how I wanted to set my venture apart as a female-owned importing company was pure joy. I loved the crafting of it and likened it to piecing together a patchwork quilt of the best wines that represented colorful people and untold stories. Once I had the framework laid out, the challenge of finding and cultivating customers in the U.S. then began.

WWG: How did you and your husband come up with the idea for your new brands, Avalanche and Alpine Roots? 

LB: My husband, Olivier Roten, is the third generation to manage his family’s vineyard land and winery, which is located in the Valais, Switzerland’s largest grape-growing region in the heart of the Alps.

We met through the O.I.V. master’s program, although we completed the degree at different times. We were introduced at a friend’s winery in Oregon while he and his class were visiting the Willamette Valley. As an O.I.V. alumnae and NW native, I helped to meet and greet visiting students and organize certain logistics and presentations for their local classes. It was more or less love at first sight or, rather, first discussion. I was based in my hometown of Seattle at that time and facing some crucial decisions for my business, and he was returning to Switzerland and officially taking over his family’s winery, but we managed to find ways to cross the ocean to see each other. 

     Not long after we decided to marry, we began to dream up ways we could work together, while still keeping focused on our respective businesses. We decided to create a label that honored both our love story as well as the roots and heart of Swiss wine from the Alps.

We started with two of our favorite Swiss varieties; Pinot Noir and Fendant, which is also called Chasselas. They both are particularly celebrated in my husband’s native Valais region, which also boasts the Matterhorn peak and Edelweiss, the Swiss national flower. We based the label on an old Swiss postage stamp and had it hand-drawn and re-crafted by my talented designer cousin (@castandcompany). The Avalanche wines represent the style of wines that we like to drink on a regular basis as well as the essence of my husband’s Alpine roots and what we love together in life. It says it all on our back label: Travel, Climb Mountains, Be Inspired, Drink Good Wine, Drink Swiss Wine. Fall in Love. 

     We also wanted people to identify with those most important, classic elements of Swiss culture and tradition, which include wine, perhaps more than anything else. Most recently we have also created an exclusive retail line of my husband’s wines called Alpine Roots. These wines include a few of our absolute favorite indigenous Swiss varieties, such as Petite Arvine and Humagne Rouge. On this label we chose a hand-drawn sketch of the Alpine valley where my husband’s vineyard lands are located. Look for those in the U.S. market now.

WWG: Can you tell us about a female mentor who had an impact on your career?

LB: Without a doubt, the most influential woman along my journey and career path is Raquel Perez Cuevas, who is a fourth-generation owner of Bodegas Ontañon based in Rioja, Spain. Alongside her sisters and brother she manages the family winery and the extensive vineyard lands they own on the high-elevation slopes of the Rioja Oriental region. Raquel trusted me to bring her family’s wines to the American market for the first time over 11 years ago and then to manage their U.S. presence. Not only did she believe in me and my abilities in the very early stages of creating my company, but she taught me by example important qualities that have helped me to meet the challenges of a sometimes ruthless, male-dominated professional world and to maintain my focus on the importance of personal relationships. She manages her team and varied business clients around the world with integrity, empathy and respect, and most importantly with an authentic, direct, fair and incredibly intelligent professional manner. She has earned respect in return and has helped her family to build the largest single holding of vineyard land in Spain. The care, passion and effort she puts into everything she does is immediately recognizable in the quality of wines the family produces.

WWG: What were the effects of Covid-19 and wine tariffs on your brand-new business?

LB: Both have had substantial effects. The wine tariffs have made it extremely difficult for companies (especially small- to medium-sized ones) to import wines from France, Spain and Germany in any quantity that makes shipping costs reasonable, as we are responsible for paying the 25% increase in cost (that the tariffs have added) up front, before the wine lands at port. This cost increase is crippling for a sector of the industry that already works on slim margins, and the money is taken out of the company many, many months before there is any return. The tariffs are detrimental to our industry and especially to smaller importing businesses like mine trying to bring hidden gems from less well-known European wine-growing regions to the U.S. for reasonable and fair prices. This is the basis of my business, and it feels as though an arm has been cut off when Covid also continues to threaten our existence on so many levels, especially with the near absence of restaurant sales for more than a year. We have faith that the new United States Trade Representative will soon be officially appointed and will swiftly reverse these tariffs that have nothing to do with the wine industry.

WWG: What would you like to tell wine drinkers about Swiss wine?

LB: Go try Swiss wines! The Swiss have a history of grape growing for wine production that dates back to Roman times. Swiss wines are beautiful, refined and diverse. At the moment less than two percent of Swiss wine is exported, but that is slowly changing as the new generation of vignerons are more curious and motivated to explore the export market. Most of the vineyard land in Switzerland is planted on steep slopes, whether above Lake Geneva or in the foothills of the Alps, which means that all vineyard work, including harvest, is done by hand. Given its vast span of mountainous terrain, Switzerland boasts the highest altitude vineyard (1150 meters) in all of Europe and in certain of its wine-growing regions, like the Valais where I spend a fair amount of time, the Alpine influence is notable in the character of the wines. They are fresh, pure, delineated, elegant and tend to have a notable backbone of acidity. 

     The Swiss, like the French, classify their wines by AOC (appellation d’origine contrôlée),which defines wines by their geographical area, characterized by particular growing conditions called terroir.While the Swiss cultivate over 200 different grape varieties, the most popular wines are made from Pinot Noir and Chasselas) and together represent approximately 60% of their production. Wine is a major part of Swiss culture and is widely celebrated, particularly in the main wine-growing regions like Valais, Vaud, Grison and Ticino. Many families still take great pride in tending their own small parcels of vineyard land which have been handed down and split up between family members over the generations.

What does “organic” really mean when we talk about organic food?

Organic food is no longer a niche market.

Sales of organic food products in the European Union have more than doubled over the last decade – from €16.3 billion in 2008 to €37.4 billion in 2018 – and demand continues to grow.

However, many Europeans are still unsure of what “organic” really means. Is it natural? Free of pesticides? Locally grown?

Well not exactly. Here are some of the conditions food products must meet in order to be considered organic in the EU:

No synthetic fertilisers

Natural fertilisers, such as compost and seaweed derivatives, are essential to maintaining fertile and healthy soil. So organic food must be grown with these products, rather than synthetic fertilisers that are used in conventional farming, and which tend to be made of harsher chemical ingredients including nitrogen compounds, phosphorus, and potassium.

“Organic farming improves soil structures and quality and enhances biodiversity. Studies have shown that organic farming present 30% more of biodiversity in the fields”, explains Elena Panichi, Head of Unit at DG Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI).

No synthetic pesticides

Farmers need to fight weeds and pests. Organic farmers are only allowed to use naturally-derived pesticides, made from plants, animals, microorganisms, or minerals.

“These chemicals are of a natural origin. For instance, essential oils, plant extracts, that are listed in the relevant regulation, and are authorised, following a process that implies a scientific committee to assess the effect on the environment“, says Panichi.

Organic farms also have techniques such as crop rotation, or planting different crops on the same plot of land, to help to prevent soil-borne diseases.

Natural predators, such as ladybugs, can also be an effective method of pest control.

However, it is important to remember that just because something is “natural”, it doesn’t automatically make it harmless to either people or the environment.

No GMOs

To be certified as “organic”, food cannot contain products made from genetically modified crops.

This rule is the same for organic meat and other livestock products. Besides, the animals are to be raised on 100% organic feed.

Antibiotics as a last resort

The animals we eat, or whose products we consume, need to be kept disease-free. Many conventional farmers routinely use antibiotics for disease prevention. These can end up making their way into the food chain.

Excessive antibiotics are not good for people or animals because they can help create superbugs. Antimicrobial resistance is a global concern. Every year, around 33, 000 people die in the EU, due to infections from antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

On organic farms, the use of antibiotics is severely restricted. Farmers control disease by limiting the number of animals they raise and using methods such as a healthy diet for their livestock. They are only allowed to use antibiotics when absolutely necessary for an animal’s health, in order to avoid suffering, and when natural remedies such as phytotherapeutic and homoeopathic medicines are not effective.

“If in conventional [farming], sometimes antibiotics are given as preventive tools, in organics, antibiotics can be given as a last resort if there are no other methods to intervene. Normally, the higher animal welfare standards applied in organics already keep animals in a healthier status that prevent the use of antibiotics”, explains Panichi.

However, studies have shown that antibiotic use on farms is on the decline. Sales of animal antibiotics in the EU have fallen by more than 34% between 2011 and 2018.

Better animal welfare

Organic farmers must provide the environmental conditions necessary for animals to express their natural behaviour, such as adequate outdoor space. This is not compulsory in conventional farming.

There are additional rules such as the prohibition on caging or mutilation unless absolutely necessary for health reasons.

What “organic” doesn’t mean

Locally grown

Europeans are the second largest consumers of organic in the world. Local supply can’t meet demand yet, so a large number of organic products are imported.

China, Ukraine, Dominican Republic and Ecuador are the main EU trade partners for organic food imports.

“Green” packaging

Words like “natural”, “green” or “eco” on labels and packaging do not necessarily mean a product is organic.

Healthy

There’s a wide range of organic product on supermarket shelves, from burgers to pizzas, from cheese to wine. The health implications of consuming excess fats, salt or sugar don’t disappear just because a food product is organic. Too much fat, salt and sugar is still bad for you, whether it is organic or not.

How can you be sure that the “organic” food you’re buying is actually organic?

The most reliable way to know if a product is organic is if it has this official EU logo.

The white leaf on a green background means that EU rules on production, processing, handling and distribution, have been followed and that the product contains at least 95% organic ingredients. This logo can only be used on products that have been certified by an authorised control agency or body.

Some countries have also created their own organic logos. They are optional and complementary to the EU’s leaf. This is the French one, for instance.

New rules coming in 2022

EU rules on organic production will change soon. In 2022, Europe will have legislation with stricter controls.

Panichi believes it will bring a “substantial improvement” to the organic sector.

“We have to bear in mind that the new organic legislation is not a revolution, but it’s an evolution of the organic legislation that started in the past years and has been kept evolving together with the sector”.

The new legislation will harmonise rules for non-EU and EU producers. It will also simplify procedures for small farms in order to attract new producers, thanks to a new system of group validation.

The list of organic foods is expected to grow, with the addition of products such as salt and cork. The possibility of certifying insects as organic is also expected in the rules.

What is the future of organics?

“Surfaces in Europe are increasing or as well as all over the world, and they are increasing at a fast pace,” says Panichi.

As part of its Farm To Fork strategy, the EU has committed to increasing organic production, with the goal of 25% of all agricultural land being used for organic farming by 2030. In 2019, it was only around 8%.

By 2030, Europe also aims to reduce the use of harmful chemicals and hazardous pesticides by 50%.

Buying organic food is still too expensive for many. One of Farm To Fork’s main goals is to make healthy, sustainable food more accessible and affordable to all Europeans. A French from 2019 shows that a basket of eight organic fruits and eight organic vegetables is, on average, twice as expensive as a basket of non-organic products.

Note: The requirements listed in this article are just some of the conditions necessary for a product to be considered organic. If you want to know more about what is needed to obtain the green logo, please check the EU regulation.

Ethics report brings EU closer to decision on gene editing in agriculture

Using genome editing technologies in plants could help the EU ensure food security and reduce the impact of current agriculture practice on the climate, according to new report by the European Group on Ethics in science and new technologies (EGE).

Allowing gene editing for precision breeding would help the EU achieve goals stated in its Farm to Fork strategy, of reducing use of fertilisers by 30 per cent and turning 25% of agricultural land over to organic farming by 2030.

“There is a need to ensure food security, provide renewable resources for fuel, feed and fibre, safeguard the retention of biodiversity and protect the environment,” the report says. “Current forms of agriculture contribute significantly to the anthropogenic climate crisis.”

The ethicists also call for broader and more inclusive societal debate on genome editing, for better monitoring of regulatory and scientific developments in the field, and moves to establish a system of global governance of gene editing technologies.

EGE looked at the impact of gene editing in humans, animals and plants, concluding that in agriculture, the EU should speed up its adoption for plant breeding, to keep up with international competition and support food production.

Gene editing of plants is comparable to current breeding techniques that use radiation or chemicals to genetically manipulate seeds, or to what can be achieved by the natural, but laborious process of crossing different cultivars.

According to the Euroseeds association, the regulation of genome editing that is comparable to conventional methods should be proportional to the risk – and light in touch.

Petra Jorasch, manager of plant breeding innovation advocacy at Euroseeds, said without improvements in plant breeding, Farm to Fork will reduce agricultural productivity. “If you take [pesticides and fertilisers] from farmers, you need some kind of innovation to compensate,” she said.

Catching up with the rest of the world

Precision breeding of plants through gene editing cannot be used in the EU following a 2018 ruling by the European Court of Justice, which found these techniques are subject to the 2001 EU directive banning genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Post Brexit, the UK is currently considering whether to allow gene editing in crops, and has launched an industry consultation. The UK government view is that organisms produced by gene editing or other genetic technologies, should not be regulated as GMOs if they could have been produced by existing breeding methods.

Argentina changed its laws to allow genome editing in crops back in 2015. Other countries in South America soon followed, while the US, Canada, Australia and Japan seem to be following a similar direction. The debate is ongoing in Russia, China, India and South Africa, but the EU remains the only major region in the world where genome edited crops are regulated as GMOs.

“For the moment Europe is lagging behind,” said Oana Dima, science policy manager at EU-SAGE, a group of scientists from 134 European plant science institutes and societies advocating for the use of genome editing for more sustainable agriculture and food production. “We should follow Africa and how they are dealing with genome editing, they are facing more severe challenges than we do,” Dima said.

The EGE report is part of a broader study the European Commission is carrying out at the request of member states, to assess if novel genomic techniques can be used safely for agriculture, industrial and pharmaceutical applications. The Commission is expected to publish its conclusions in April.

The Commission is planning to allocate €5 million from the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme, for projects aimed at understanding the benefits and risks of genome editing technologies in agriculture over the next two years.

Public perceptions

According to Jorasch, 25 years of activism against genetically modified organisms have skewed public perceptions of any form of genetic engineering and its potential use in agriculture, while the EU’s restrictive regulation on GMOs has made it difficult to get products on the market. “There is a huge gap between perception and scientific fact,” she said.  

While genome editing is not a silver bullet, the technology can contribute to the goals of the Farm to Fork strategy, said Dima. “We should look at all the tools that we have at hand and give farmers and the consumers the freedom of choice.”

JUDGES CHOSE POPULAR SUGAR ALTERNATIVE – VITAFIBER – AS A FINALIST AS WORLD’S TOP INNOVATIVE FOOD INGREDIENT FOR 2021

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