Ethics body unimpressed by crop genome editing claims

Genome editing of crops continues to divide opion in Switzerland. Keystone / Martin Ruetschi

Switzerland should devote more energies to reducing the carbon footprint of agriculture than genome editing science, said an influential political ethics body.

The Federal Ethics Commission for Non-Human Biotechnology said techniques like CRISPR-Cas9, a genome-editing tool that alters the DNA of crops, would likely have a limited impact on alleviating the effects of climate change.

Genome editing has been used successfully around the world to engineer animals and crops that are resistant to disease.

Advocates of the science believe CRISPR could help cushion the problems of climate change with improved plant breeding methods and by producing greater crop yields.

But the ethics commission report, released on Monday, said efforts should instead focus on reducing greenhouse emissions and water usage of agriculture in Switzerland.

The commission called for a reduction in the number of farm animals and an increase in the amount of plant-based food.

An alliance of food retailers and farmers, called ‘Varieties for Tomorrow’, expressed its disappointment with the report, calling for regulatory approval for new plant breeding methods by 2024.

The Swiss Farmers’ Association said that the number of farm animals has declined by 20% in the last 40 years, including a 25% reduction in cattle.

Switzerland has imposed a moratorium on genetically modified organisms until 2025, but parliament is open to making some exemptions to the ban if they add value to agriculture, consumers or the environment.