HZPC's statement on the NGT study
HZPC welcomes the conclusions of the Commission study on Novel Genomic Techniques. Based on the findings of this study an urgent action from Commission and Member States is needed to allow for a differentiated approach to products derived from innovative plant breeding methods. The study underlines that plants resulting from Novel Genomic Techniques (NGTs) have the potential to contribute to a more sustainable food system.
Legislation doesn't keep pace
Gerard Backx, CEO HZPC: "As HZPC has always advocated, this study acknowledges that those new techniques create plant-breeding-solutions for a more sustainable production of food as it allows breeders to introduce improved disease resistances and other important traits over a short period of time. According to this study, the over 20 years old legislation for Genetic Modified Organisms should not be used to regulate those new genomic techniques as the legislation is not in line with the scientific progress made. In case the EU policy makers will adopt this vision, the EU will be more in line with the vision in many other parts of the world."
Importance for potatoes
Today the EU legislation is withholding the plant breeders to use those new genomic techniques, which has negative environmental consequences. Especially for a crop as potatoes, this is very important. "With the classic technoglogies, plant breeders can only make slow genetic progress in this crop. However, the demand for a quicker genetic gain is high", says Gerard Backx. Potato is the third food crop in the world and are grown over all continents and under all circumstances. Besides, it produces the most food with the lowest water input.