Brazil: CTNBio postpones decision on 1st transgenic wheat, asks Bioceres, TMG for more information

By Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages

The decision on the commercial release of the first transgenic wheat in Brazil was postponed, after it had been scheduled to be considered during the 242nd ordinary meeting of the National Technical Biosafety Commission (CTNBio), held on June 10, 2021.

Tropical Improvement Genetic (TMG), a partner in Brazil of the breeder of HB4 wheat, the Argentinian Bioceres, informed AgroPages exclusively that the decision was postponed because CTNBio requested more information. They issued a press release which stated:

Clarification Note

Bioceres received on Thursday, June 10, from the CTNBio – National Technical Commission on Biosafety, a request for information to give a guarantee for HB4^® wheat. This guarantee refers to the commercialization of wheat produced in Argentina. The information by the federal agency was given to TMG, Bioceres' partner in Brazil for regulatory affairs of HB4^® wheat and in the development of HB4^® soybean cultivars.

The planting of HB4^® wheat seeds has not yet been approved in Brazil. Currently, biotechnology is being tested by national research entities, to develop cultivars adapted to climatic conditions and the Brazilian soil. For the production of HB4^® wheat in Brazil, it is necessary, in addition to the approval of Organs competent bodies, for investments in cultivation and traceability, which are on the company's horizon and will be carried out in the coming years.

HB4^® technology has been in development for 18 years. It gives greater tolerance to drought, thus, Brazilian regions that have a water deficit will be able to produce wheat. In addition, the cultivation of cereal may be an alternative crop rotation for some locations, such as the Midwest and Northeast, expanding the crop area.

Another central point for the company is the focus on reducing the carbon footprint, as a result of the regenerative agriculture cultivation system. HB4^® protein has a long history of safe use and different studies carried out by reference institutions prove that HB4^® wheat is substantially equivalent to the conventional in functional, nutritional, and compositional analyses.

HB4^® was released in Argentina by regulatory bodies in October 2020. The neighboring country regulates advances and developments in agricultural biotechnology to ensure that Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are safe for the agroecosystem and suitable for human and animal consumption.

HB4^® wheat was submitted to multiple Argentine instances to verify its safety, from an environmental point of view by the National Consultative Commission on Agricultural Biotechnology (CONABIA), human and animal consumption by the National Food Safety and Quality Service (SENASA), and productive impact and commercial by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (MINAGRI).

In this context, the HB4^® technology, resulting from genetic modifications, has been evaluated by regulatory authorities in several countries for more than 10 years. These assessments have the special objective of ensuring that GMOs are safe for the agro-ecosystem and suitable for human and animal consumption.

Currently, regulatory processes for HB4^® wheat are underway in several countries, such as Bolivia, Uruguay, Paraguay, United States, Colombia, Indonesia, South Africa, and Australia.