Organic agriculture’s approach to food production is built on a concept of health. This session will explore if this concept is a valid way of assessing different approaches to plant breeding. It will ask if, alongside issues of corporate control and risk, health and the integrity of any organism – plant, animal, man or the soil ecosystem – are effective guides to appropriate technologies in organic agriculture. Participants can expect discussion and Q&A around the conceptual bases of organic plant breeding and of new genetic engineering techniques and how these are applied in a rapidly changing world.
The organic sector faces many challenges around new GMO techniques, their deregulation & claims they can further goals of sustainability & health. This active discussion deserves a wider audience.
The session chaired by Eric Gall of IFOAM EU will feature Urs Niggli, Director of Fibl; Gebhard Rossmanith, Chief Executive Officer of Bingenheimer Saatgut AG; Lawrence Woodward, Director of Beyond GM/A Bigger Conversation; and Martin Sommer, Policy Coordinator, GMOs, Patents and Seeds, at IFOAM EU.