Health Canada is looking at whether the U.S. action would help Canadian farmers.Ottawa-The USDA plans to modernize its regulations on biotechnology innovation and gene editing this summer and Canada needs to keep pace so its farmers don't fall any further behind in new crop options, say agrifood groups.U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue said the updating of U.S. biotechnology regulations will bring them into the 21st Century by removing duplicative and antiquated processes to create a transparent, consistent, science-based, and risk-proportionate regulatory system.“This new rule will help provide America's farmers access to these critical tools to help increase agricultural productivity and sustainability, improve the nutritional value and quality of crops, combat pests and diseases, and enhance food safety.”Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said the government “is considering whether elements of this approach would be beneficial to Canadian agriculture. Continuing to improve the effectiveness of Canada's approach to regulating plant products of biotechnology, while upholding our standards for environmental safety, is a priority for the government.”Erin Gowriluk, Executive Director of Grain Growers of Canada, said, “The U.S. is paving the way for their farmers to access much-needed innovation. But here in Canada our farmers also need these tools. They can help us increase productivity and sustainability, improve crop nutritional value and quality, combat pests and diseases, and enhance food safety.“New plant breeding tools like gene editing are tremendously important for Canada's innovation-focussed agriculture sector. These tools will help us meet our sustainability goals--and those of our markets--by allowing farmers to produce more, while using less land, water and inputs. Plant breeding innovation will also help us meet consumer demands for more nutritious, convenient and varied food.”Ian Afleck, Vice-President of Plant Biotechnology at CropLife Canada, said the U.S. began its biotech reform under the Obama administration. “We hope Canada will take similar steps along the lines of where the global technology is headed. Our farm groups have been pushing for it and more countries are moving in this direction.“The agrifood strategy table proposed in its 2018 report that biotechnology approval rules be changed as part of the government's regulatory review,” he said. “It should be part of the modernization of research and development in Canada.”Liz Lumsden, Communications Manager for the Canadian Seed Trade Association (CSTA), said her organization “is hopeful that the Canadian government will take similar steps. Modernizing the Canadian regulatory system to enable innovation in plant breeding and pave the way for investments in new technologies like gene editing will bring enormous benefits for farmers, consumers, and the environment.The USDA is following “moves by other countries like Australia, Japan, and Argentina to enable innovation in plant breeding. The decision recognizes the long history of safety of plant breeding and creates a clear and predictable regulatory pathway for innovators.“The Canadian agricultural industry has been signaling to the Canadian government the need for similar changes to the Canadian regulatory programs for plant breeding innovation for many years,” she said. “We have been engaged in discussions on this topic and are disappointed that progress has been slow.“The modernization of plant breeding innovation regulations in Canada will be even more important as we rely on agriculture to help drive sustainable agriculture and economic growth once we emerge from this global health crisis,” she said.Gowriluk said, “Even before the USDA announcement, Canadian farmers were losing out to the U.S. on opportunities to grow new and value-added crops. Why market a new crop variety in Canada, where you might face years of regulatory delays and costs, if you can go across the border and not face the same hurdles?“We need Canada to follow the U.S. example. Federal regulatory agencies should provide clear rules and update their procedures based on science and risk.”Alex Binkley is a freelance journalist and writes for domestic and international publications about agriculture, food and transportation issues. He's also the author of two science fiction novels with more in the works.