(Summary)
Steve Savage, agriculture scientist specializing in plant pathology, recently came out in support of the deregulation of the genetically modified Arctic Apples, which are modified to resist bruising and browning. He notes that because apples are not grown from seed, “but rather propagated by grafting and other clonal means,” cross-contamination with other varieties of apple is a “non-issue.” If the US Department of Agriculture decides to deregulate the GM apple, which will be “marked explicitly as an improvement via genetic engineering,” consumers will get to choose whether they are interested, Savage writes. This will be a “key test” of whether the country’s regulatory system and commercial channels will “stick with a science-based approach or yield to activist political and brand pressure tactics.”
Read the full, original story here: “My Comment To The USDA In Support Of Deregulation Of The Arctic Apple”
