On 29 April 2021, the European Commission published a study into new genomic techniques (NGT’s) and the consequences of the European Court of Justice’s July 2018 judgement, which essentially made it impossible to continue development of the new techniques within the EU. The report concludes that the Nobel prize-awarded CRISPR technique is an important tool for the future of sustainable food systems, and that current GMO legislation must be modernised. The next step is a study of how the new legislation should be designed.
Sweden’s Starch Producers organization (Sveriges Stärkelseproducenter förening u.p.a.) expressed a very positive view about this conclusion from the European Commission’s study, and of the fresh optimism that it will now potentially be possible to use the CRISPR technique. The EU Commission’s position means Sweden’s Starch Producers will now be able to commercialise the efforts it has made in this field within the EU.
In 2020, together with researchers and SLU Holding, Sveriges Stärkelseproducenter formed the start-up company SolEdits AB. The company’s business concept is to expand use of CRISPR to develop new potato varieties, and to make the technique available to all interested parties in the potato business.
Says Hans Berggren, CEO of Sweden’s Starch Producers: “We have invested considerable resources in the CRISPR technique because we see the opportunity to develop future climate-smart food products. The judgement issued by the EU court in July 2018 was a setback for us, but we have continued to believe in a future where it would also be possible to use these techniques within the EU. The report from the EU Commission is important, and we’re very optimistic about this development.”
Sweden’s Starch Producers began its drive to use the CRISPR technique to develop new, climate-smart varieties of seed potatoes in 2014. The new varieties are now being cultivated for the second year and preparations are being made to move on to commercialisation of new starch products.
“We won’t merely be offering our customers new, climate-smart products – we’ll also be reinforcing our competitiveness and increasing profitability for ourselves, our business partners and our customers, who will gain access to a starch that increases the value of their products”, says Hans Berggren.
Source: Sveriges Stärkelseproducenter förening u.p.a. via Leckeby. Original release here
Photo: Courtesy Soledits
Contact:
Hans Berggren, CEO of Sveriges Stärkelseproducenter, förening u.p.a.
hans.berggren@lyckeby.com
+46 (0) 730 40 42 01
