Organizations Urge Public Participation in Consultation on New Genetic Techniques and Edited Wheat

Original article: Organizaciones instan a participar en consulta pública sobre nuevas técnicas genéticas y trigo editado

Warnings are issued regarding potential genetic contamination risks and the lack of labeling for crops that, under this new regulation, may be exempt from traditional controls.

Until March 13, the Public Consultation of the Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) No. 31.216/2025 is open, aiming to gather feedback on the proposed resolution regulating the use of New Genetic Techniques (NGT) in agriculture, including wheat edited through the CRISPR/Cas9 genetic editing tool.

The submitted project addresses the use of gene editing technologies like CRISPR/Cas9, grouped internationally under the concept of New Genomic Techniques (NGT-GM). In the SAG document, these tools are referred to as «New Breeding Techniques (NBT),» a term promoted by the biotechnology industry to describe genetic modification methods that, according to its proponents, differ from traditional genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

The public consultation seeks to collect comments from citizens regarding the proposed regulatory framework for these technologies, which could apply to crops vital to Chilean agriculture, such as wheat. According to SAG, the goal is to establish criteria to assess and potentially approve plant varieties developed through genetic editing.

Participation occurs through an online public form, where individuals can submit observations or proposals for modifications to the regulatory project. To ensure comments are considered in the regulatory evaluation, it is advised to specify in question 12 of the form («Write your query and/or comment») the specific numeral or section of the document each observation refers to, which facilitates its review by the authority.

Experts and organizations emphasize that public participation is crucial to ensure regulatory decisions regarding new agricultural technologies consider their environmental, productive, health, and socioeconomic impacts, as well as their potential effects on existing agricultural systems.

Risks and Uncertainties Associated with Genetic Editing in Crops

The Chilean Pesticide Action Network / Alliance for Better Quality of Life (RAP-Chile), the National Association of Rural and Indigenous Women (ANAMURI), and the Latin American Observatory of Environmental Conflicts (OLCA) expressed their concerns regarding the potential environmental release of genetically edited crops. Key issues raised include unforeseen effects of gene editing techniques, such as unwanted mutations or off-target changes in the genome, phenomena described in scientific literature.

María Elena Rozas, National Coordinator of the Chilean Pesticide Action Network, RAP-Chile, warned about the risk of genetic contamination between edited crops and conventional or traditional varieties, which could impact agricultural systems like organic or agroecological farming that rely on the genetic integrity of their seeds.

For instance, she pointed out that the use of Agrobacterium tumefaciens for genetic editing carries risks not only due to potential undesired effects, such as unexpected mutations but also because there is the possibility of the bacteria surviving in plant tissue, affecting the genetic stability of GMOs. In the UK, a GM edited wheat was approved for field trials in 2025, and to modify it, biotechnologists used Agrobacterium tumefaciens for the genetic editing. Currently, eight out of nine lines of edited wheat still contain fragments of the initial transgenic DNA.

María Elena Rozas stated that other concerning effects include increased use of herbicides and other highly dangerous pesticides, impacts on agricultural biodiversity, loss of traditional wheat varieties, and effects on the food heritage associated with crops preserved by peasant and indigenous communities.

Regarding regulatory matters, organizations indicated that crops developed through genetic editing could be exempt from requirements applied to GMOs, such as comprehensive risk assessments, traceability systems, or labeling, which—according to their arguments—would limit the rights of farmers and consumers to know the genetic origin of food.

Moreover, they warned that the introduction of these technologies into agriculture could reinforce production models based on extensive monocultures and dependence on patented seeds, with potential economic impacts for family farming.

Among the health risks mentioned by researchers and organizations is the possibility of horizontal gene transfer, including antibiotic resistance genes used in some biotechnological processes, a phenomenon being analyzed in the context of the growing global problem of antimicrobial resistance.

Call for Participation in the Consultation

In this context, RAP-Chile, ANAMURI, and OLCA called on citizens to participate in the public consultation before the process closes.

The organizations stressed that the discussion surrounding the regulation of genetically edited crops requires a broad and transparent debate due to its potential implications for biodiversity, public health, peasant agriculture, and food sovereignty.

They also highlighted that public participation in consultation processes allows for the incorporation of technical and social observations that could influence the final definition of the regulation.

* The official consultation document is available at this link.
* The form for submitting comments is available at this link.
* More information on New Genetic Techniques and the debate on genetic editing in agriculture can be found here.