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When surveys create fear
New Breeding Technologies

When surveys create fear

Surveys on technologies such as genetic engineering often focus on risks and spread panic instead of promoting a balanced discussion of the pros and cons. A striking example is the environmental indicator of the Federal Statistical Office. Social scientist Angela Bearth is highly critical of the survey. The public debate on new technologies such as genetic engineering or 5G mobile communications is often conducted emotionally. Current surveys encourage this by stirring up fears instead of enabling an objective consideration of risks and benefits. One example of this is the environmental indicator, a survey conducted by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) on the subject of hazards. Using simplistic questions, it generates distorted perceptions. In an article on the progressive Agrarwende.ch platform of the Eco-Progressive Network association, social scientist Angela Bearth addresses the issue.

More agrobiodiversity thanks to genome editing
New Breeding Technologies

More agrobiodiversity thanks to genome editing

It is often wrongly claimed that new breeding technologies such as genome editing restrict diversity in the seed market. A new study shows that the opposite is the case. Genome editing promotes agrobiodiversity.

Genetic engineering has long been on Swiss plates
New Breeding Technologies

Genetic engineering has long been on Swiss plates

As a consumer, you often don't know: products advertised as GMO-free have long contained genetic engineering. This is a thorn in the side of opponents of genetic engineering. But it is easier to keep quiet about the ‘scandal’ – because something we have been eating for a long time no longer scares us.

Migros and the opportunities of genome editing
New Breeding Technologies

Migros and the opportunities of genome editing

The demand for new breeding technologies is growing. Experts see an urgent need for action in order to utilise technological progress without jeopardising safety. Companies such as Migros also recognise the importance of these developments and are addressing the opportunities and challenges they bring. Meanwhile, contrary to scientific findings, opponents are continuing to tell the same horror stories as they did 30 years ago.

Green biotech: safety concerns no longer hold water
New Breeding Technologies

Green biotech: safety concerns no longer hold water

At the end of October, swiss-food.ch hosted a film screening and panel discussion in Zurich on the subject of genome editing entitled “Between Protest and Potential”. The well-attended event dealt with the emotional debates in recent decades surrounding genetic engineering. The event showed that the situation has changed fundamentally.

With false narratives against genetic engineering
New Breeding Technologies

With false narratives against genetic engineering

To denigrate green genetic engineering, narratives that do not stand up to scrutiny keep popping up in the public debate. The aim in each case is political. Recently, the false claims are intended to prevent the regulation of new breeding methods such as Crispr Cas from being technology-friendly.

Popular Apple Varieties in Danger
New Breeding Technologies

Popular Apple Varieties in Danger

The science magazine "Einstein" of Swiss Television has addressed the new breeding methods. The report clearly shows that there is no way around these new methods if Switzerland wants to continue cultivating popular apple varieties such as Gala, Braeburn, and Golden Delicious.

Genome editing: Organic farming shuts itself off from progress
New Breeding Technologies Media

Genome editing: Organic farming shuts itself off from progress

In future, the EU wants to treat genome-edited plants in the same way as conventionally bred ones. As the "NZZ am Sonntag" writes, this is like a small revolution. Until now, the commercial use of gene scissors has been impossible due to an extremely restrictive genetic engineering law.

Precision breeding – England allows cultivation of gene-edited crops
New Breeding Technologies Media

Precision breeding – England allows cultivation of gene-edited crops

A regulatory change in England allows the commercial use of new breeding technologies. Until now, these technologies had been regulated in accordance with the same restrictive rules as in the EU. As a result of the new law, English farmers are now allowed to grow crops that have been bred using genome editing. This gives England’s farmers a new tool in the fight against climate change and for more sustainable agriculture.

Genome research for sustainable crop protection
New Breeding Technologies Media

Genome research for sustainable crop protection

A research consortium of industry and public researchers in England has published a genome database of the most common insect pests in the United Kingdom. The open-source database has been set up to help with the development of targeted and environmentally friendly pesticides.

The great benefits of biotechnology in agriculture
New Breeding Technologies Research

The great benefits of biotechnology in agriculture

Bioengineered crops have been cultivated in many parts of the world for around 25 years. Several publications bear witness to the great benefits of biotechnology in agriculture. The cultivation of the plants has a positive effect on the environment, the climate and yields for farmers.

Nobel prize laureate Nüsslein-Volhard: “Genetic engineering offers major opportunities for environmental protection”
New Breeding Technologies Media

Nobel prize laureate Nüsslein-Volhard: “Genetic engineering offers major opportunities for environmental protection”

Genetically modified plants are not cultivated in Europe, an approach criticized by Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard as anti-scientific and ideology-driven.

Drought-tolerant wheat from Argentina
New Breeding Technologies Research

Drought-tolerant wheat from Argentina

Heat waves are posing a major challenge to cultivation around the world. Water shortages and droughts are resulting in heavy crop losses for the agricultural industry. Because droughts will be more frequent in the future, the search for plant varieties that consume less water is a top priority. One drought-tolerant wheat variety from Argentina is showing great potential.

Green genetic engineering: A rethink is required
New Breeding Technologies Media

Green genetic engineering: A rethink is required

There are now more skeptics than ever before when it comes to biotechnological plant breeding methods, despite 30 years of research having produced a clear data basis. Conventional genetic engineering or the more modern CRISPR/Cas method present no increased risks compared to traditional breeding methods, such as cross-breeding.

Genome Editing: Standards are being relaxed all over the world
New Breeding Technologies Knowledge

Genome Editing: Standards are being relaxed all over the world

Great Britain has already decided on its first steps, Switzerland has too: The handling of simple genome-edited plants is being made easier.

New Breeding Technologies (NBT)
New Breeding Technologies Knowledge

New Breeding Technologies (NBT)

Swiss agriculture is under pressure. Due to the changing climatic conditions and increasing weather extremes, the cultivation of many crops has become more demanding. Nevertheless, consumers, processors and trade expect regional and high-quality products at affordable prices.

Arguments for new breeding technologies
New Breeding Technologies Politics

Arguments for new breeding technologies

Plant breeding is complex. Accordingly, there are many questions in the discussion surrounding new breeding methods. swiss-food.ch has compiled the most important questions and answers on new breeding technologies.

Genetically modified plants contribute to the fight against global warming
New Breeding Technologies Research

Genetically modified plants contribute to the fight against global warming

The large-scale cultivation of genetically modified crops would counteract global warming. American and German researchers come to this conclusion in a study.

New breeding methods – here to stay
New Breeding Technologies Knowledge

New breeding methods – here to stay

The Swiss Parliament has decided to update the genetic engineering moratorium that has been in place since 2005. The step was overdue. On the occasion of a webinar organized by swiss-food.ch, experts from science and agriculture spoke about the benefits of new biotechnological breeding methods. It became clear: the risks are low, the opportunities are great.

Ten applications of new breeding technologies for Switzerland
New Breeding Technologies Knowledge

Ten applications of new breeding technologies for Switzerland

The summer of 2021 has shown how damaging prolonged rain can be for crops. With climate change, the likelihood of extreme weather events will increase. Farmers therefore need improved plant varieties that can withstand heat but also a lot of moisture.

Nobel laureate endorses genetic scissors in plant breeding
New Breeding Technologies Media

Nobel laureate endorses genetic scissors in plant breeding

In an opinion piece in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Nobel laureate Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard argues the case for using the CRISPR/Cas9 genetic scissors in plant breeding, even in organic farming. In her view, genome editing brings numerous benefits, especially when it comes to nature conservation and species protection.

Does the world even need genome-edited plants?
New Breeding Technologies Research

Does the world even need genome-edited plants?

This question is often raised by opponents of modern breeding methods. As is almost always the case: The market provides an answer. And it looks pretty clear.

Climate change requires precision breeding
New Breeding Technologies Knowledge

Climate change requires precision breeding

Central Europe is becoming hotter and drier due to climate change. We need robust new crop varieties to protect harvests against invasive pests. Innovative methods, such as precision breeding using gene editing, can help growers keep pace with climate change.

Optimising nature
New Breeding Technologies Research

Optimising nature

The romanticized conception of “natural” is deceptive. Very little of what we eat today developed naturally. “For 12,000 years, people have selected plants based on their characteristics, in an effort to make them edible and more productive,” says Bruno Studer, professor of Molecular Plant Breeding at ETH Zurich. Agriculture has developed through artificial selection.

Openness to gene editing if it offers concrete benefits
New Breeding Technologies Knowledge

Openness to gene editing if it offers concrete benefits

The public is very open to the use of innovative technologies in agriculture. This also applies to targeted plant breeding using modern methods like gene editing.

Using CRISPR/Cas9 to fight potato blight
New Breeding Technologies Research

Using CRISPR/Cas9 to fight potato blight

The Nobel Prize-winning CRISPR/Cas method now makes it possible to breed resistant varieties and may reduce the use of pesticides in agriculture.

Genetically modified maize – a success story, even in skeptical Europe
New Breeding Technologies Research

Genetically modified maize – a success story, even in skeptical Europe

Europeans are still resisting the cultivation of genetically modified crops – but this doesn’t mean they want to forgo the benefits of these products.

Animal feed: Domestic rapeseed instead of imported soy
New Breeding Technologies Research

Animal feed: Domestic rapeseed instead of imported soy

The protein-rich press residues of rapeseed would be ideally suited as feed for livestock with the help of "genome editing". Instead of imported soy, domestic rapeseed could be fed to animals.