There is uproar amongst organic food groups in Canada following the Canadian Federal Government’s decision to allow new genetically engineered seeds to be released in Canada without health or safety assessments, with voluntary disclosure. The issue is that disclosure that is not mandatory puts the organic sector at risk, as organic foods prohibit all forms of genetic engineering.

The Canadian organic sector is very disappointed in this decision to update the guidance related to the seeds regulations without requiring the reporting of all gene-edited seeds. Mandatory disclosure is considered a minimum to provide the transparency and traceability needed for organic businesses and consumers. The organic sector has consistently communicated this to the government.

Another issue that comes to light for organic merchants in the United States is that the Canadian organic sector is globally recognized and has equivalency arrangements with 33 countries to…