Welcome to the Council for Biotechnology Information
The Council for Biotechnology Information communicates science-based information about the benefits and safety of agricultural biotechnology and its contributions to a sustainable food chain. Its members are the leading agricultural biotechnology companies.
Thanks to plant biotechnology, Canadian farmers are growing more food per arable acre with a softer environmental footprint. The promise of drought-tolerant crops in the next five years will help farmers cope with climate variability. With increased global demands for food, feed, fibre and fuel, farmers now have broader options to sell some of their high-yielding crops for alternative uses such as bioplastics or biofuels. This earth-friendly technology has been adopted quickly in Canada and is now viewed as part of the EverGreen Revolution around the world.
Regulating Plant Biotech in Canada
(NC)—Canadians who are confused about plant biotechnology in Canada are not alone.
Innovations in science such as drought-and pest-resistant crops are not only helping farmers here, they are having a significant impact on feeding the hungry around the world.
But who watches these innovations to ensure new crops are safe to humans, animals and the environment? According to Trish Jordan, chair of the Council for Biotechnology Information, in Canada it is a shared responsibility.
“The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is responsible for regulating the safety of crops that have been enhanced through plant biotechnology,” she explained. “Health Canada is responsible for ensuring that all GM foods are as safe and nutritious for humans as food already on the marketplace.”
Before a food is available to the marketplace, it goes through a stringent safety process. After scientists develop new products in confined greenhouses, they undergo a field trial evaluation. These crops are isolated from neighboring plants, and are strictly regulated for environmental safety and confinement. Read entire article »