On January 26, the People’s Republic of China published draft “Measures for the Management of Red Lines for Protection of Permanent Basic Farmland,” for public comment through February 26, 2024.
Industry experts expect a November 11, 2023, update to the Costa Rican biotechnology regulatory framework will facilitate utilization of innovative biotechnologies and reduce barriers to common applications of modern biotechnology.
On January 26, 2024, the European Commission approved two genetically engineered crops (1 maize and 1 rapeseed) for food and animal feed. The two authorizations were published in the European Union’s Official Journal on January 30, 2024, and they remain valid for 10 years.
On December 12, the Secretary of State (SOS) for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) Steve Barclay announced draft legislation to stop products from illegal deforestation from being sold in the United Kingdom (UK).
In January 2024, Nigeria approved the commercial release of four TELA maize varieties, which have been genetically engineered for improved insect-resistance and drought-tolerance. In addition to South Africa, Nigeria has become the second country in...
Attaché Report (GAIN)

China: MARA Finalizes GE Safety Assessment

On January 13, 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) published a finalized updated “Guideline for Safety Assessment of Genetically Modified Plants.”
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) proposed default greenhouse gas (GHG) emission values for biomass feedstock eligible for the feed-in tariff and feed-in premium (FIT/FIP) programs for power generation.
Aviation is responsible for more than two percent of all global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Most of this CO2 is emitted when fossil-fuel-derived jet fuel is combusted. Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is a key part of the aviation industry’s plan to reduce carbon emissions.
On December 6, 2022, the Council of the European Union and European Parliament concluded negotiations on the EU’s Deforestation-Free Supply Chain Regulation.
As an economic sector, agriculture contributes to just over 10 percent to Canada’s overall greenhouse gas emissions. Canada’s vision for agriculture to fight climate change is based on creating opportunities to improve carbon sequestration in agricultural lands, to stimulate the adoption of clean technologies on farms, and to support farmers in adopting greener on-farm practices to reduce GHG emissions.
Attaché Report (GAIN)

Turkey: Turkey Updates List of Approved Biotech Events

On December 30, 2022, the Turkish Government published a Biosafety Decision to reapprove the import of a genetically engineered (GE) stacked corn event, NK603 X MON 810, for feed. In a separate government action, the single event MON 810 was canceled due to a recent court decision. With these latest changes, the total number of approved GE events remains at 36.