b'THIS IS HOW ITS DONE!SWITZERLAND SETS EXAMPLE FOR THE REST OF EUROPE.BY: MARCEL BRUINSM ost in the seed sector will agree that modern tech-nologies should be given a chance. A recently formed Swiss association "Varieties for Tomorrow" (Sorten fr morgen or Les varits de demain), founded on 11 November 2021 couldnt agree more. It enjoys very broad support from producers, trade, and consumer organizations. Supporters of the new association include the main Swiss supermarkets Coop, Denner and Migros, growers organizations Blueberry Schweiz AG, the Swiss Fruit Association (SOV), the Swiss Potato Producers (VSKP), the Association of Swiss Vegetable Producers (VSGP), and SWISSCOFEL, the association of the Swiss fruit, vegetable and potato trade. Members also include label organisa-tion IP-Suisse, the Swiss Consumer Forum (KF), seed company Delley Samen und Pflanzen AG and the agricultural cooperative Fenaco. Thanks to this strong backing, the association aims to contribute both expertise and practical relevance to the political debate on genetic engineering. European Seed sat down with Michael Feitknecht, Head of the Department Crop Production at Fenaco and Dr. Christian Ochsenbein, General manager at DSP Ltd. to get their take on the importance of the new association.NOT SATISFIEDAsked why it was necessary to start this association, Ochsenbein indicates that there is an increasing dissatisfaction with the cur-rent law. The GMO moratorium doesnt represent a final solu-tion. The government promised to discuss a final solution and the regulation of new breeding technologies already in 2018. But nothing happened, says Ochsenbein. Instead, the government decided to extend the moratorium for the fourth time and also to include genome editing and all the other newly developed meth-ods that interact with DNA, including newly developed mutation breeding methods. Feitknecht explains that there is currently a debate in Switzerland about the extension of the genetic engineering moratorium, which has been in place since 2005. Genetic engi-neering has developed enormously since the introduction of the moratorium. Our association advocates a differentiated approach and openness to new breeding methods in the molecular biolog-ical field. Modern technologies should be given a chance. We are committed to strong plant breeding in Switzerland, he adds.Ochsenbein states several organisations within the agricul-ture and food sector felt that this regulation created a lot ofMichael Feitknechtquestions and incertitude in the implementation. Also, there is EUROPEAN-SEED.COMIEUROPEAN SEED I 37'