b'GIANT VIEWSWHEN IT COMES TO GENE EDITING,YOU AINT SEEN NOTHING YETFROM A FARMERS POINT point of view, gene editing tech- edit different traits directly into the nology can be a game-changer in agriculture. The use ofmost elite material from its various gene editing in canola is particularly significant, as it is abreeding partners. major crop in Canada.In addition, with gene editing we With the introduction of gene-edited canola varietiescan edit complex or multiple traits at that have traits like pod shatter resistance, farmers canthe same time, which offers greater increase their yields and reduce crop losses, which canflexibility and choice for customers. translate to higher profits. Gene editing can reduce theThis is a real paradigm shift in trait need for chemical pesticides and fertilizers, which can bedevelopment. Rory Riggs,costly and harmful to the environment as well as beingCibus proposed merger with CEO, Cibus increasingly limited globally.Calyxt is also an important step in Efforts are being made to promote understandingthat direction as it brings together among the public of the safety of gene editing technol- some of the core technologies in gene ogy and its potential benefits, while also ensuring thatediting to accelerate these efforts in appropriate regulatory frameworks are in place to managetwo key applications in our indus-its use. We must communicate clearly what gene editingtrythe first being the creation of technology is and what it is not, and to distinguish it fromproductivity traits, which address the other technologies like GM.sustainability of farming by increasing Organizations like Cibus are taking a leadership rolecrop yields and reducing inputs such in establishing quality assurance standards for gene edit- as fungicides, herbicides, pesticides, ing technology. The fact that this technology can pro- and fertilizers. The second is renew-duce complex traits that are indistinguishable from thoseable low-carbon ingredients; gene Jim Radtke, that occur in nature is a core point to emphasize whenediting is a key tool in the develop-Senior VP Productdiscussing gene editing with regulators. As stewards ofment of sustainable products that can Development,these technologies, our mission is to ensure that therereplace fossil fuel-based ingredients. Cibusare processes that lead to proper standards for each traitThis is shaping up to be an impor-developed. tant year for the regulations cover-Gene editing technology is about to show us someing gene editing, with the European truly amazing things that people cant yet imagine. PeopleCommission and many other coun-generally dont like the word industrialization, but itstries reviewing their laws for regulat-really the only word to accurately describe the scale anding certain new genomic techniques. speed of change that is possible and is going to happenThe U.K. is on course to introduce with these new technologies.new laws broadly consistent with Those technologies are accelerating breeding to mean- those from a growing list of important ingfully address in real time the challenges to farmingtrading nations (the United States, productivity caused by the changing environment, andCanada, Argentina, Brazil and Japan) its going to happen without that problematic acronymto view the traits from new gene GMO being involved. Thats key, both from a publicediting technologies similarly to traits relations and time-to-market standpoint. from conventional breeding.The new gene editing technologies are going to beLike the song says, you aint seen extensions of the breeding programs of the major seednothing yet when it comes to the companies. They provide an important tool in accelerat- plant breeding of the future. Were all ing seed innovation to meet our food supply challenges.lucky to be alive at a time like now to An important example is something Cibus calls the Traitsee a new era of plant breeding and Machinea proprietary optimized end-to-end semi- farming ushered in. automatic gene editing process which enables Cibus to 56GERMINATION.CAMARCH 2023'