GMO in PolandGMO in Poland

Challenges, Opportunities and RegulationsChallenges, Opportunities and Regulations

Janusz ZimnyBiotechnology and CytogeneticsPlant Breeding and Acclimatization InstituteRadzików, PolandCommittee of Biotechnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences

Janusz ZimnyBiotechnology and CytogeneticsPlant Breeding and Acclimatization InstituteRadzików, PolandCommittee of Biotechnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences

WHAT IS THE USE OF CROP PLANTS

WHAT IS THE USE OF CROP PLANTS

For millenia plants have been used by humansnot only for :

food, fuel, fiber

For millenia plants have been used by humansnot only for :

food, fuel, fiber

but also as source of :medicines, dyes, athesives, lubricants and other industrial compounds

but also as source of :medicines, dyes, athesives, lubricants and other industrial compounds

CROP EVOLUTION AND HUMAN CIVILIZATION

CROP EVOLUTION AND HUMAN CIVILIZATION

• Humans Have Always Guided the Evolution of Crops!

• A small samples of wild plants were chosen and domesticated

• 10,000 years of Selection

• All crops we grow today were once wild plants. But no crop would survive in the wild any more

• Crops, strains and genes have moved around the globe

• Humans Have Always Guided the Evolution of Crops!

• A small samples of wild plants were chosen and domesticated

• 10,000 years of Selection

• All crops we grow today were once

Teosinte Hybrids Modern CornTeosinte Hybrids Modern Corn

wild plants. But no crop would survive in the wild any more

• Crops, strains and genes have moved around the globe

TheThe futurefuture

The major focus The major focus for the futurefor the future must be on sustainable must be on sustainable agriculture, which means that production per unit agriculture, which means that production per unit area area is is restricted to an amount that does not damage soilsrestricted to an amount that does not damage soils, , eliminate eliminate water supplies, cause extinction of wild relatives of crops or water supplies, cause extinction of wild relatives of crops or extinction of potential new extinction of potential new food food species, or lead to permanent species, or lead to permanent pollution pollution

PROGRESS IN AGRICULTUREPROGRESS IN AGRICULTURECrop YieldsCrop Yields

Plant Breeding• yield physiology• disease resistance• insect resistance• stress tolerance

Agronomical Technologies • fertilizers• pesticides• cultivation techniques

Plant Breeding• yield physiology• disease resistance• insect resistance• stress tolerance

Agronomical Technologies • fertilizers• pesticides• cultivation techniques

ANNUAL GROWTH IN CEREAL YIELDSANNUAL GROWTH IN CEREAL YIELDS

Developingcountries

World Developedcountries

0

1

2

3

%pe

r yea

r1967–82 1982–94 1995–2020

(FAO)

BIOTECHNOLOGY IN CROP IMPROVEMENT

BIOTECHNOLOGY IN CROP IMPROVEMENT

DNA technologies:

genetic transformationmolecular markers

Cell cultures:

doubled haploidssomaclonal variationsomatic hybridsembryo rescue

DNA technologies:

genetic transformationmolecular markers

Cell cultures:

doubled haploidssomaclonal variationsomatic hybridsembryo rescue

GENETICALLY MODIFIED PLANTS HAVE MANY APPLICATIONS

GENETICALLY MODIFIED PLANTS HAVE MANY APPLICATIONS

Scientificresearch tools in gene function studies Scientificresearch tools in gene function studies

PracticalImprovement of crop plantsPracticalImprovement of crop plants

• Higher yields• More nutritious food• Pharmaceutical proteins• Clean up environment• Industrial products• Value-added products

• Higher yields• More nutritious food• Pharmaceutical proteins• Clean up environment• Industrial products• Value-added products

BENEFITS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

BENEFITS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

Summary of likely commercial farm level impact of using Summary of likely commercial farm level impact of using GM technology (per hectare)GM technology (per hectare)

Herbicide tolerant oilseed rapeHerbicide tolerant oilseed rape Herbicide tolerant Herbicide tolerant sugar beetsugar beet

Yield Yield +15% to +20% with Roundup +15% to +20% with Roundup Ready (RR), +25% to +30% with Ready (RR), +25% to +30% with InvigorInvigor

+15% to +30%+15% to +30%

Variable costs of Variable costs of productionproduction

+8% to +11% with RR, +16% to +8% to +11% with RR, +16% to +28% with +28% with InvigorInvigor

No change to No change to --5%5%

Gross margin Gross margin profitabilityprofitability

+55% to +82% with RR; +39% to +55% to +82% with RR; +39% to +88% with +88% with InvigorInvigor

+32% to +62%+32% to +62%

Other impactsOther impacts Improved quality: reduced impurity Improved quality: reduced impurity levels (both traits) and higher oil levels (both traits) and higher oil content (content (InvigorInvigor). Increased ). Increased management flexibility, scope for management flexibility, scope for using low/no tillageusing low/no tillage

Increased Increased management management flexibility and flexibility and better weed better weed controlcontrol

Graham Brookes, Andrzej Anioł. The farm level impact of using GM agronomic traits in Polish arable crops.2005.

Summary of likely commercial farm level impact of using Summary of likely commercial farm level impact of using GM technology (per hectare)GM technology (per hectare)

Herbicide tolerant maizeHerbicide tolerant maize Insect resistant Insect resistant (grain) maize(grain) maize

Yield Yield No expected impact: possibly small No expected impact: possibly small improvement improvement

+3% to +6%+3% to +6%

Variable costs of Variable costs of productionproduction

Grain maize: Grain maize: --7% to 7% to --9% with RR, 9% with RR, +2% to +9%; forage maize: +2% to +9%; forage maize: --7% to 7% to --14% with RR, zero to +8% with 14% with RR, zero to +8% with Liberty Link (LL) Liberty Link (LL)

+7% to +11%+7% to +11%

Gross margin Gross margin profitabilityprofitability

+23% to +51% with RR; +23% to +51% with RR; --31% to 31% to +15% with LL+15% with LL

--6% to +14%6% to +14%

Other impactsOther impacts Increased management flexibility Increased management flexibility and better weed controland better weed control

Increased Increased management management flexibility, reduced flexibility, reduced production risk, production risk, lower levels of lower levels of mycotoxinsmycotoxins

Graham Brookes, Andrzej Anioł. The farm level impact of using GM agronomic traits in Polish arable crops.2005.

GMO SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AND REGULATIONS

GMO SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AND REGULATIONS

• GMO law

• Cultivation

• Field separation

• Transport and handling procedures

• Product labeling

• Research

• GMO law

• Cultivation

• Field separation

• Transport and handling procedures

• Product labeling

• Research

GMO SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AND REGULATIONS

GMO SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AND REGULATIONS

• Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety • to the Convention on Biological Diversity

• regulates the international trade of GMOs with those countries that haveratified the CPB. Regulations about information and approval proceduresshould ensure especially for developing countries that GM crops are not imported and grown without the knowledge of the national authorities. Like in other national and international regulations on biotechnology, thePrecautionary Principle is applied in the Protocol.

• The US, Canada, Australia and a number of other countries have not signed or ratified the CPB.

• Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety • to the Convention on Biological Diversity

• regulates the international trade of GMOs with those countries that haveratified the CPB. Regulations about information and approval proceduresshould ensure especially for developing countries that GM crops are not imported and grown without the knowledge of the national authorities. Like in other national and international regulations on biotechnology, thePrecautionary Principle is applied in the Protocol.

• The US, Canada, Australia and a number of other countries have not signed or ratified the CPB.

GMO LAW in EUGMO LAW in EU• Contained Use Directive 98/81/EC • Deliberate Release Directive 2001/18

exclusively cover the use of GMO

• Novel Food/Novel Feed Regulation 1829/2003 • Traceability and Labeling Regulation 1830/2003

cover both GMO and food/feed produced fromGMO

GMO LAW in PolandGMO LAW in Poland

• GMO Act is in force since 2001, together with implementing decrees, but at the moment undergoes second revision. According to proposed changes, it will still be possible formally to release GMOs into the environment and place GM products on the market.

GMO LAW in PolandGMO LAW in Poland

• Acts regulating GMO issues in Poland provide for a detailed and complex control of the GMO production and processing

• The control involves inter alia: risk assessment, quantitative and qualitative control of food, feed and other products.

• Consummers’ rights are also respected

GMO control laboratoryGMO control laboratory

GMO LAW in PolandGMO LAW in Poland

• However, the government issued its „framework position” concerning GMOs. According to this position, the government is against the deliberate release of GMOs into the environment, the introduction of GM products other than food and feed into the market and placing of GM food on the market, unless it is imported from outside or from EU and not being processed on Polish territory. The proposed changes also introduce new restrictions to the release of GMO in to environment.

GMO LAW in PolandGMO LAW in Poland

• According to the last revision of Seed Act,sowing material of GM varieties is not to be allowed for commercial use on the territory of the Republic of Poland.Genetically modified varieties are not to be registered in the national variety registry.

• Last revision of Feed Act introduced 2 years of vacatio legis for import and use of GM feed components.

Is GMO the Sole Answer to Global Food Problems?

• The curently proposed revision of the GMO Act introduces further restrictions to growing GM plants in Poland.

• The curently proposed revision of the GMO Act introduces further restrictions to growing GM plants in Poland.

EUROPEAN CORN BOREROstrinia nubilalis

EUROPEAN CORN BOREROstrinia nubilalis

Iowa State University Ames, Iowahttp://www.ent.iastate.edu/pest/cornborer/images/

Effect of feeding of European corn borerEffect of feeding of European corn boreron conventional maize plantson conventional maize plants

R. Warzecha

BT and conventional corn on field underBT and conventional corn on field under European European corn borer infestationcorn borer infestation

R. Warzecha

GM GM corncorn aprovedaproved for for thethe placingplacing on on thethe market market inin EUEU

corncorn KIndKInd ofofmodificationmodification

utilizationutilization

15071507 IR, HTIR, HT FoodFood, , feedfeed

Bt11Bt11 IRIR FoodFood, , feedfeed

Bt176Bt176 IRIR FoodFood, , feedfeed, import, , import, processingprocessing, , cultivationcultivation

GA21GA21 HTHT FoodFood, , feedfeed

GA21 x MON810GA21 x MON810 IR, HTIR, HT FoodFood, , feedfeed

MON810MON810 IRIR FoodFood, , feedfeed, import, , import, processingprocessing, , cultivationcultivation

MON863MON863 IRIR FoodFood, , feedfeed

MON863 x MON810 MON863 x MON810 IRIR FoodFood, , feedfeed

MON863 x NK 603MON863 x NK 603 IR, HTIR, HT FoodFood, , feedfeed

NK603 x MON 810NK603 x MON 810 IR, HTIR, HT FoodFood, , feedfeed

T25T25 HTHT FoodFood, , feedfeed, import, , import, processingprocessing, , cultivationcultivationIR – odporność na owady, HT – tolerancja na herbicydy

Dane z tabeli str.40: Organizmy Modyfikowane Genetycznie. Izba Gospodarcza Handlowców, Przetwórców Zbóż i Producentów Pasz, Warszawa, 13.06.2006 r.

EuropeEurope–– comertialcomertial BtBt corncorn -- 20062006

D

GB

F

NL

B

A

CZ

HR

DK

I SLO

PL

PE

RO

SK

HCH

BG

GR

~ 2000ha

RR SoyaRR Corn

1290 ha

~ 60,000

~ 4,800

~ 1000

EEuropeanuropean corn borer corn borer investationinvestation inin PolandPoland (2006) (2006)

According to mgr.inż P. Bereś, Instytute ofPlant Protection TSD Rzeszów

P. Bereś, T. Konefał 2006

western corn rootworm

First timeobserved

August 2005

Western corn rootworm

GM plants as a solution to many problems of contemporary

agriculture• Pest control• Diesease resistance• Yield increase• Abiotic stresses resistance• Improvement of crops’

nutritional values• other

• Pest control• Diesease resistance• Yield increase• Abiotic stresses resistance• Improvement of crops’

nutritional values• other

Is GMO the Sole Answer to Global Food Problems?

• No Single Solution is a Panacea or ‘Cure-All’

• One Tool in a Toolbox• World Hunger - Myriad Reasons• Can Only Work with Other

Traditional Approaches• We must weigh all options.

Choose the Most Effective Solution

• No Single Solution is a Panacea or ‘Cure-All’

• One Tool in a Toolbox• World Hunger - Myriad Reasons• Can Only Work with Other

Traditional Approaches• We must weigh all options.

Choose the Most Effective Solution