b'GIANT VIEWSDR. LUDGER WENO SCIENCE PLEASE, WERE GERMANSparty congress in past decades votedmodern plant breeding technologies, with overwhelming majority in favour of amentioning plant fortifiers (mostly ban on all modern breeding technologies,homeopathic remedies) and low risks as demanded strict labelling and called forwell as population breeding and crowd phasing out application and export of pes- breeding as alternatives.ticides. Instead, the party endorses organicIn parts, the document is contradic-agriculture. Many influential members oftory, e.g., when it states, authorization of the Green party even are followers of theplant protection products must be trans-magic practices of biodynamic agricultureparent and legally secure, based on scien-devised by esotericist Rudolf Steiner. tific criteria, adding only a few lines later we are taking glyphosate off the market THANKS, BUT NO THANKS! by the end of 2023. This is clearly moving To be fair, the party also has a few vocalaway from science.supporters of science opposing theseThe agreement bears Green signa-views. Rumour has it that three of the newture also in declarations such as (we) ministers, including the new minister forcreate transparency about breeding food and agriculture, Cem zdemir, rec- methods and strengthen risk and detec-Dr. Ludger We ognize the potential and value of moderntion research. The Greens demand breeding technologies, given the threatsdetection methods for genome edited A griculture and plant breedingto agriculture from climate change. crops and labelling as they regard all has had a hard time in GermanyHowever, thanks to the partys grass- modern breeding technologies developed since decades. After years of pro- root organization, they dont have much ofin the last 50 years as dangerous tinker-tests and sabotage against farmers anda say. The party sent hardliners from theing with genomes.research institutions breeding GMO vari- pro-organic faction to the coalition nego-eties, the country opted out of plantingtiations and made sure that key positionsPOSTPONING THE INEVITABLEsuch crops in 2015. in the new ministries were filled withIt looks as if the debate has been post-With the EUs farm-to-fork strategyanti-GMO hardliners as well. poned to not stand in the way of forming and the upcoming decision about how toOne of them, Martin Husling, athe coalition. However, should the EU regulate modern breeding technologiesmember of the European Parliament,Commission come up with a position in such as genome editing, the new Germanparallel to the negotiations, was thefavour of less regulation of modern breed-government will have to take a clearmastermind behind a concerted efforting technologies the conflict will imme-stance visvis the EU Commission. Thisof the Green Group and various NGOsdiately make waves. At present there are will be very difficult, and the outcome isto flood the Commissions public consul- no signs that the Green party will give an hard to predict. tation process on genome editing withinch as it would have too much to lose: prefabricated negative comments frommembers as well as supporters from the NEW COALITION non-verified mail accounts. And the newmany NGOs and lobby organizations of The new coalition now in power wasenvironmental minister also is an outspo- the organic industry. The only way out is forged from three parties that have veryken opponent of modern breeding. to try to negotiate a German Sonderweg, different positions on agriculture. Theallowing for a national ban or to postpone liberal democrats (FDP) support plantBREATHING GREEN a decision by demanding more research protection and breeding with up-to-dateMainly thanks to the FDP, the coalitionand studies and a detection technology technologies and substances, while theagreement does not specifically mentionthat will never come. social democrats (SPD) in the past werehot topics like genome editing regula-strictly opposed to genetic engineering intion, patents on seeds, pesticide taxes,Editors Note: Dr. Ludger We is sci-agriculture. The party however is prag- export bans for pesticides or import banence journalist and author, writing matic, and its base is not particularlyfor genome-edited crops. But indirectly itfor the past decades mostly on science, interested in the topic.features these topics and acknowledgesgene- and biotechnology. He stud-many Green positions on plant breed- ied Molecular Biology at the Bremen GOING GREEN ing and agriculture. As an example, theUniversity in Germany.In contrast, No to GMO is at the heartparties agreed on the goal of 30 per centUnfortunately, at the moment of of the Greens party base and support oforganic agriculture by 2030. Meanwhile,going to press of this issue, the voting organic agriculture is part of the partysthis has been detailed by zdemir asresults of the most recent GM vote (20 history from the very beginning.meaning not only production but alsoJanuary 2022) of the EU Commission While the party base meanwhile rec- supermarket product share. The agree- were not yet known. These results will ognizes the value of the technology inment also stresses the importance ofprovide a good indication on the direc-modern medicine, a scepticism towardspushing alternatives to chemical-syn- tion the new German government will tinkering with genes prevails. Everythetic plant protection products andbe taking with regards to biotechnology.10IEUROPEAN SEEDIEUROPEAN-SEED.COM'