One-size-fits-all GM regulation is stifling research

By: Steven H. Strauss

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<h1>One-size-fits-all GM regulation is stifling research</h1>
<h4>By: Steven H. Strauss</h4>
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<p>An increasing amount of genetic engineering in agriculture closely resembles the conventional crop breeding that has been done for thousands of years, and unnecessarily stringent regulation of this type of gene research is limiting its usefulness, argues Steven Strauss of Oregon State University, United States in this article.<BR><BR>Strauss says that the level of government regulation should be dramatically reduced when genetic engineering is based on “native or homologous” genes, or those commonly found within related plant species.<BR><BR>Regulations that distinguish between different types of genetically modified (GM) plants may decrease some public condemnation of agricultural genetic engineering, he says. And it might promote GM crop development by small companies and public sector investigators.<BR><BR><a href="/sci.cfm?redir=http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/300/5616/61?ijkey=lcuRRbrQtLtuU&keytype=ref&siteid=sci" target="_blank" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/tracking/external/'+this.href);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Link to <em>Science</em> article</A><BR><BR>Reference: <em>Science</em> 300, 61 (2003)</p>

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<p>This article was originally published on <a href="https://www.scidev.net" target="_blank">SciDev.Net</a>. Read the <a href="https://www.scidev.net/global/opinions/onesizefitsall-gm-regulation-is-stifling-resear/" target="_blank">original article</a>.</p>
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An increasing amount of genetic engineering in agriculture closely resembles the conventional crop breeding that has been done for thousands of years, and unnecessarily stringent regulation of this type of gene research is limiting its usefulness, argues Steven Strauss of Oregon State University, United States in this article.

Strauss says that the level of government regulation should be dramatically reduced when genetic engineering is based on “native or homologous” genes, or those commonly found within related plant species.

Regulations that distinguish between different types of genetically modified (GM) plants may decrease some public condemnation of agricultural genetic engineering, he says. And it might promote GM crop development by small companies and public sector investigators.

Link to Science article

Reference: Science 300, 61 (2003)