Source: John Innes Centre – 15 December 2021

Researchers at the John Innes Centre have applied to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) for consent to conduct a field trial of genetically modified (GM) wheat.

The small-scale field trial is planned to take place within confined GM trial facilities at our field station in Bawburgh, between March and August in each year from 2022 to 2024.

The wheat trial follows research at the John Innes Centre that identified a gene, TaVIT2 which encodes for an iron transporter in wheat. This knowledge was then used to develop a wheat line in which more iron is transported into the endosperm, the part of the grain from which white flour is milled.

Source: Seed Quest – 15 December 2021

As modern biotechnology rapidly moves forward, ISAAA continues to share the latest cutting-edge biotechnologies to its network of stakeholders and beneficiaries with its most recent publication about new breeding innovations and their impact on global challenges.

Breaking Barriers with Breeding: A Primer on New Breeding Innovations for Food Security (ISAAA Brief 56) is ISAAA’s most recent addition to its Briefs series. It highlights the most available tools used in genome editing and their impact on global food security.

The primer explores new breeding innovations for plants and animals, the regulations related to them, their prospects in Africa and Southeast Asia, their potential contributions to food security, and how to effectively communicate the benefits of these innovations to different stakeholders.

Source: SA Government, Media Release – 02 December 2021

South Australia’s farmers are reaping the rewards of being able to grow GM canola with local crops currently the most valuable in the country – fetching more than $900 per tonne according to a November 2021 market report.

The latest Bayer GM Canola Market Report shows South Australian GM Canola priced at $915 per tonne compared with $840 per tonne in Victoria and $830 per tonne in the traditionally strong Western Australian market.

Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development David Basham said the strong pricing for South Australian GM canola demonstrates the importance of giving our farmers the choice on what they want to grow.

“After a 16-year Labor moratorium on Genetically Modified food crops on mainland South Australia, our farmers are reaping the benefits in our first harvest of GM Canola and safflower,” Minister Basham said.

“More than 23,000 hectares of GM canola were planted around the state this season and the latest Bayer GM Canola Market Report indicates South Australian prices are currently the best in the country at more than $900 per tonne.

“Despite the doomsday predictions of some of our political opponents, GM canola has been a real boon for South Australian farmers with not only the highest returns in Australia but with less inputs.

“This is a credit to South Australia’s world-class grains industry but it unfortunately further highlights the economic opportunities our state has missed out on by living under an archaic moratorium…