Time to Redefine Organic Agriculture: Can’t GM Crops Be Certified as Organics?

Husaini, Amjad M.; Sohail, Muhammad Aamir

doi:10.3389/fpls.2018.00423

Cited by 14 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…While the merging of biotech and organic seeds is not yet viable due to its impacts on ecology and plant genetics, combining farming methods (temporal coexistence) has been mentioned in several studies on agricultural sustainability [6,15,30]. Furthermore, even if the applicability of coexistence has been broadly explored in previous studies [4][5][6][7], there has still been limited research focusing on farmer perspectives regarding this issue.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Farmer Decision-Making on the Concept of Coexistence: A Comparative Analysis between Organic and Biotech Farmers in the Philippines

2021

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Farmer perspectives are relevant for understanding agricultural issues and formulating policies. In this study, we conducted a cross-sectional survey on 70 Filipino farmers (i.e., 35 organic and 35 biotech) to understand farmers’ perspectives regarding coexisting farming methods. Internal response variables were tested to verify the type of decision-making processes being undertaken by biotech and organic farmers. Our results showed that a non-linear decision-making process, similar to the Stimulus–Organism–Response Model, was present for both farmer groups. The study also found that biotech farmers were more influenced by internal factors (e.g., consumer resources) than organic farmers, who rely more on external influences (e.g., culture and social interactions), in connection to their coexistence perspective. The presence of “maverick executives” within the organic farmers gives traction to the notion that coexistence can help empower farmers in choosing what farming method is most suitable to their needs. Our data can also provide insights to policymakers in terms of surveying farmer perspectives to balance farmer needs, primarily in yield and income security, with the national agricultural agenda centered on environmental conservation. Thus, farmer perspectives should be considered alongside ongoing studies and debates on coexistence.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Farmer Decision-Making on the Concept of Coexistence: A Comparative Analysis between Organic and Biotech Farmers in the Philippines

2021

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“…that NBTs fall under the scope of European GMO legislation and are thus included here. However, part of the European scientific community disputes this (see for example [6,7]). This paper aims to answer the question of whether the assumptions of economic theory apply to the organic seed sector, i.e., whether the market can deliver 100% organic seed and sufficient organic varieties.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…* The pronouncement of the European Court of Justice in July 2018 clarifiesthat NBTs fall under the scope of European GMO legislation and are thus included here. However, part of the European scientific community disputes this (see for example[6,7]).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Can the Market Deliver 100% Organic Seed and Varieties in Europe?

et al. 2021

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This paper considers European organic seed as a market in the sense of economic theory and explores factors impacting seed supply and demand. Under the organic regulation, farmers have to use seed multiplied in organic farming or apply for a derogation. We evaluated the functioning of the organic seed market, based on case studies of seed supply chains for arable, vegetable and forage crops; a farmer survey; and a status-quo analysis of the organic seed sector from the European LIVESEED project. The organic seed market is characterised by small size, great diversity of crops grown, unsolved technical problems for some crops and limited capacity of breeding varieties adapted to organic farming conditions. Demand vastly outstrips supply for most crops, but strong regional and sector differences were observed. A lack of information about availability and price for organic seed is likely to act as barrier to investment. Full enforcement of the regulation to use only organic seed might have unforeseen consequences, such as a reduction of agrobiodiversity in organic farming, rather than supporting an increase in supply. We conclude that the market alone is not likely to deliver 100% organic seed and government intervention is justified.

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“…Might modern biotechnology be compatible with organic agriculture? The question has received renewed interest, building on earlier studies considering the utility of GM for the organic sector, such as Ronald and Adamchak (2008), Ceccarelli (2014), and Husaini and Sohail (2018). These scholars suggest that GM seed, if cultivated using organic management practices, could reap the benefits of increased yields-without increased use of inputs-by breeding for traits such as disease resistance, drought tolerance, and enhanced productivity.…”

Section: Gene Editing and Organics?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Tensions at the boundary: Rearticulating ‘organic’ plant breeding in the age of gene editing

Nawaz¹,

Klassen

Lyon

2020

Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene

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A host of technologies is rapidly entering agriculture. These new technologies-particularly gene editingrepresent multifaceted shifts beyond "genetic modification" (GM), and are outpacing both public understanding and the capacity of regulatory regimes. This paper employs the case of the organic sectors in Canada and the United States, strongholds of GM resistance, to examine conversations about gene-editing technologies unfolding within the organic community, and elucidate their implications for the sector. We employ the concept of "boundary work" to illuminate how key actors and institutions delineate the concept of organic breeding in the face of emerging technologies. We draw upon semi-structured interviews with organic sector representatives, a review of documents published by organic organizations, and data from participant observation. We find that the organic community is reaffirming and deepening boundaries in response to arguments made by proponents of gene editing. Both internal and external pressures on the sector are facilitating a dampening effect on conversations about the boundaries between gene editing and organic agriculture, as the sector is compelled to present a united voice against the affront of new genetic technologies. The sector is also redrawing existing boundaries, as the advent of gene editing has forced conversations about the compatibility of both new and established breeding methods with organic. The resulting questions about what distinguishes acceptable levels of human intervention in plant genomes are highlighting some differences within the diverse organic community. We also argue that debates about gene editing and organic breeding may be "bounding out" important actors from deliberation processes, and note initial attempts to reckon with this exclusion.

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Time to Redefine Organic Agriculture: Can’t GM Crops Be Certified as Organics?

Cited by 14 publications

References 27 publications

Farmer Decision-Making on the Concept of Coexistence: A Comparative Analysis between Organic and Biotech Farmers in the Philippines

Farmer Decision-Making on the Concept of Coexistence: A Comparative Analysis between Organic and Biotech Farmers in the Philippines

Can the Market Deliver 100% Organic Seed and Varieties in Europe?

Tensions at the boundary: Rearticulating ‘organic’ plant breeding in the age of gene editing

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