GM Sugar Beet Heads For EU Renewal- Latest News
The sugar beet is been genetically modified to be resistant to Monsanto’s glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup. The GM trait is currently applied to white sugar beet that is grown for processing into sugar and it is not applied to red table beets.
Sugar beets are labor-intensive crops that require constant care. But now, thanks to genetic engineering, sugar beet farmers are able to apply safer and fewer chemicals less often to control weeds. Farmers are the ultimate environmentalists and stewards of the land.
Today, sugar beet farmers are able to use glyphosate, the mildest and safest product available, for weed control, which is a win-win for the health and safety of consumers and farmers. It’s also a huge win for the environment. Genetically engineered sugar beets require far fewer pesticides, which in turn, means less water, less fuel, and a smaller carbon footprint.
On 22 December 2016, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) received from the European Commission (DG SANTE) application EFSA-GMO-RX-006 by KWS SAAT SE and Monsanto Company for the renewal of authorisation of genetically modified (GM
) sugar beet H7-1 for food and feed produced from or food containing ingredients produced from this GM sugar beet for import and processing.But before sending the application to EFSA, the European Commission required confirmation whether the data submitted in the context of this renewal application were in line with the legal requirements laid down in the constitution.
Therefore, the European Commission authorized the crop for import and processing in 2007 for a period of 10 years.
And now, under the assumption that the DNA sequence of the event in sugar beet H7-1 considered for renewal is identical to the originally assessed event, the GMO Panel has concluded that there is no evidence in the context of this renewal application for new hazards, modified exposure or scientific uncertainties that would change the conclusions of the original risk assessment on sugar beet H7-1.
