Genetic Editing for a Sustainable Future: CRISPR and the Next Agricultural Revolution

Boyce Thompson Institute professor Georg Jander recently urged policymakers to support and finance emerging agricultural technologies during a speech to the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. In his presentation titled “The Next Agricultural Revolution: Targeted Gene Editing Using CRISPR,” Jander emphasized the transformative impact of CRISPR technologies in agriculture.

Jander explained how CRISPR is leading to a new “green revolution” by enabling precise editing of plant genes, something previously not possible. He highlighted how CRISPR has the potential to revolutionize agriculture by modifying crop genes to enhance desirable traits, suppress negative ones, or introduce novel characteristics from different species. According to Jander, CRISPR offers immense promise for enhancing food security, agricultural sustainability, and crop durability.

Joining Jander were Dan Jenkins from Pairwise and Emily Negrin from Inari, who shared insights into how their companies are using CRISPR gene editing to improve crops. They believe that these emerging technologies have the potential to significantly improve the agricultural industry and help address challenges such as food security and sustainability.

Therefore, Jander and his colleagues are calling on policymakers to support and fund these emerging technologies to ensure their widespread adoption and integration into farming practices. By doing so, they hope to make agriculture more efficient, sustainable, and productive while ensuring food security for future generations.