A US$1.7-billion programme aims to develop 30 gene-edited plant and animal varieties in the next decade.

Russia is embracing gene-editing. A 111-billion-rouble (US$1.7-billion) federal programme aims to create 10 new varieties of gene-edited crops and animals by 2020 — and another 20 by 2027.

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Barley and beets

The decree lists four crops — barley, sugar beet, wheat and potatoes — as priorities. Russia is the world’s biggest producer of barley and a major producer of the other three, according to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations.

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Yi Li, a plant scientist at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, says that the programme’s launch is “a significant move” both for Russia and the world. He says that it could prompt China to invest more in gene-editing technologies, and help to fuel growing enthusiasm for such technologies in the United States. “For European countries, this can be a very interesting development in the light of the European court of justice ruling on genome editing,” he adds.

In late January the watchdog said that it might ban imports of the US corn and soybeans due to contamination of products by quarantine objects and the risk of delivery of GMO products to Russia.

MOSCOW, February 10. /TASS/. Russia has banned import of soybeans and corn from the United States starting from February 15, Assistant to Head of Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) Alexey Alekseenko told TASS on Wednesday.

"Restrictions will be imposed on imports starting from February 15," he said when answering a respective question, adding that "they (the US) have to establish a system to ensure safety of products imported to Russia."

The Russian government will ban production of goods using genetically modified organisms (GMOs), Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich was quoted as saying Friday.

The import of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into Russia could be prohibited should such products fail to pass inspections, according to a draft law published on the Russian government’s legal web portal.

A group of Russian MPs have prepared a bill severely restricting imports of genetically modified agricultural produce, and completely banning its domestic production.

A group of scientists and food security experts have taken the Russian Government resolution, which will allow the registration of GM crops and products containing GMOs from June 1, 2014, to the Supreme Court.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has ordered the relevant agencies to consider a possible ban on the import into Russia of products containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) by October 15.

Protests against genetically modified food grow in Russia after WTO ascension. Yet some scientists insist there are no large health risks. [...] Valery Glazko, who is in charge of Centre for Nanobiotechnology at the Russian State Agrarian University, says that thanks to GMO technology, we will finally be able to feed the world and a new generation of more intelligent people will appear. “If a pregnant woman is not getting enough food, then her haemoglobin levels will drop. Her baby will be born and have every chance of living a full life, but he or she will not be able to make decisions. The baby will adapt, but its brain will not develop in the correct manner,” he says. “GMO is our saviour.” [...] “Hunger is the flip side of terrorism. We are faced with a choice: cannibalism or GMO.”

A bill to introduce compulsory registration of all products containing GM-components is in the final stages of adoption by the Russian parliament. [...] “Already 10 varieties of genetically modified crops have passed certification in Russia. And these are only crops that have been in use for a long time abroad without any negative consequences for human health. I think that GM crops are already cultivated in Russia, but until now this area has not been under our control” - Nikolai Vlasov Deputy Head of Russian veterinary watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor report.

Russia needs to clear the way for imports of genetically modified food and feed, particularly from the US to ease Russia’s accession to the World Trade Organisation [...] according to Alexander Baranov, the President of the National Association for Genetic Security [...] since 2007 products containing 0.9% of GMO ingredients must be specially marked. [...] “In the US products containing GMO are considering safe for humans and are not subject to labeling, as well as in Brazil and Argentina. In Japan, they applied the appropriate labeling if they contain 5% or more of the GMO components”- Gennady Ivanov, head of the Department of sanitary supervision of food hygiene under Rospotrebnadzor, pointed out.