File photo of a CFIA vehicle. (Dave Bedard photo)

Gene-edited crops clear CFIA’s regulatory bar

Agency guidance puts gene editing on level of conventional breeding

Plants gene-edited for efficient use of water or nutrients or to better withstand pests or drought now won’t have to clear the same regulatory hurdles in Canada as any crops that are modified for herbicide tolerance or include foreign genes. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Wednesday announced updated guidance from the Canadian Food Inspection […] Read more

A view of the pig heart used in the transplant, before its removal from the pig, on Jan. 7, 2022. (Medschool.umaryland.edu)

U.S. man with transplanted GM pig heart dies, hospital says

Reuters — A 57-year-old man with terminal heart disease who made history as the first person to receive a genetically modified pig’s heart died Tuesday afternoon at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), the hospital said. David Bennett received the transplant on Jan 7. His condition began deteriorating several days ago, the hospital said […] Read more


File photo of equipment tracks over a field in England. (Georgeclerk/E+/Getty Images)

Regulations on gene-edited crops to be eased in England

London | Reuters — Britain’s farming and environment minister George Eustice announced Wednesday that regulations related to gene editing in agricultural research would be eased in England following a public consultation. Rules will now largely be aligned with conventional breeding methods for research and development into plants although scientists will still be required to notify […] Read more




Green, leafy plants on a table.

Plant-based veterinary vaccines

Plenty of challenges remain but researchers now have 
the pieces in place to someday vaccinate at the feed trough

A workshop sponsored by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Canadian Society of Microbiologists (CSM) on the application of plant-based immunotherapeutics and vaccines in veterinary medicine was held recently in London, Ont. The event was organized by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research scientists Rima Menassa and Ed Topp and was attended […] Read more