GM rice planting safety becomes a focus of controversy

A few days ago, it was reported that GM rice had been taken to the people's table and the topic of safety of genetically modified products was once again pushed to the cusp. In fact, since the transgenic rice “Huhui 1” and “Bt Shanyou 63” developed by Huazhong Agricultural University at the end of last year obtained the Ministry of Agriculture's genetically modified rice safety certificate, the topic of safety of genetically modified and genetically modified products has not stopped.

"The reason why GM has become a hot topic for people to talk about is not because there are problems with genetically modified technology, but because GM products carry risks themselves." Li Zhenzhen, a researcher at the Institute of Science, Technology, Policy and Management, Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that there is currently no security for GM products. In conclusion, how to effectively control risks and make this technology better serve economic development has become the focus of everyone's attention.

R&D application is effective

Transgenic technology is a gene that has known functional traits such as high yield, stress resistance, pest resistance, and improved nutrient quality. It is transferred to target organisms through modern scientific and technological means, enabling recipient organisms to add new functions based on their original genetic properties. Characteristics, access to new varieties, production of new products.

Relevant data show that since the large-scale crop cultivation started in 1996, the transgenic crops have maintained a rapid growth momentum. By 2009, the cultivated area of ​​genetically modified crops in 25 countries has exceeded 134 million hectares. At present, the country with the largest area of ​​global genetically modified crops is the United States, followed by Brazil and Argentina. Seventy-seven percent of world soybean production, 48% of cotton production comes from GM crops, and the proportion of genetically modified corn and rapeseed exceeds 25% and 20%, respectively.

"In recent years, China has made tremendous achievements in the development of genetically modified technologies and products." Li Zhenzhen told reporters that the research, development, and application of genetically modified technologies in China have been at the forefront of the world.

China is a country with a large population. Solving the food problem for a population of 1.3 billion is a top priority. Breaking through the constraints of arable land, water, and other resources, reducing environmental pollution, and ensuring national food security and the effective supply of agricultural products are, in the final analysis, dependent on technological innovation and application.

In 2006, major science and technology projects for the cultivation of new varieties of GMOs were included in the Outline of the National Medium and Long-Term Scientific and Technological Development Plan (2006-2020). In July 2008, the State Council approved the launch of a major project for the breeding of new varieties of genetically modified organisms. In June 2009, the State Council issued "Several Policies to Promote the Accelerated Development of the Biological Industry", proposing that "accelerating the cultivation of the bio-industries should become a pillar industry in the high-tech field and a strategic emerging industry in the country." In 2010, the Central Document No. 1 proposed that “continue to implement major science and technology projects for the cultivation of new varieties of genetically modified organisms, pay close attention to the development of functional genes and new biological varieties with important application value and independent intellectual property rights, and advance new genetically modified genes based on scientific assessment and legal management. Variety industrialization."

At present, the Ministry of Agriculture, together with the Ministry of Science and Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, and other 10 new varieties of genetically modified organisms, have cultivated major special leading group members, and determined according to the overall national deployment and the guidelines for “accelerating research, promoting application, standardizing management, and scientific development”. The overall thinking of “strengthening independent innovation, highlighting strategic priorities, innovating management mechanisms, and fostering bio-industries” adheres to the orientation of products and industries, and the cohesion between the upstream, middle and lower reaches, multi-discipline and multi-discipline collaboration, product R&D, and safety evaluation. The classification promotes the basic principles of industrialization step by step, speeds up the implementation of major new species breeding of genetically modified organisms, strives to obtain a group of genes with important application value and independent intellectual property rights, and cultivates a batch of plants with resistance to stress, pests and diseases, high quality, high yield, and high efficiency. The new varieties of genetically modified organisms provide strong scientific and technological support for the sustainable development of agriculture in China.

A double-edged sword

“Although global scale cultivation of genetically modified crops has maintained rapid growth in recent years, these transgenic crops are mostly used as raw materials instead of staple foods. There is currently no country in the world that approves staple foods that can be genetically modified.” Li Zhenzhen believes that the Ministry of Agriculture is in Central China. Agricultural University issued a rigorous certificate of safety for genetically modified rice.

On August 17, 2009, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Huahui No. 1 and Bt Shanyou 63, which were developed by Huazhong Agricultural University, issued the GM rice safety certificate, which is valid for 5 years and is planted in Hubei province. After this matter was announced by the media, it caused controversy. Zheng Fengtian, a professor at Renmin University of China, described it as "a thrilling leaping cold that scares the world." Zheng Fengtian said that neither the demonization of genetically modified products nor leave it alone should be cautious in the industrialization of genetically modified crop products.

Confronted with many doubts, the Ministry of Agriculture responded in the “Question and Answer on Agricultural Genetic Technology and Biosafety Issues” issued by the Ministry of Agriculture. The issuance of certificates is “through rigorous experimental research, intermediate tests, environmental releases, production tests, and applications for production and application safety. The five-year multi-year safety assessment of the certificate is based on the decision made by the National Committee on the Safety of Agricultural Genetically Modified Organisms."

However, Li Zhenzhen believes that "the composition of the personnel of the National Agriculture Genetically Modified Organism Safety Committee is debatable." It is understood that the composition of the committee’s personnel and other information has not been publicized and that there is very little authoritative information known to the outside world.