Science Speaks - Blog by ISAAA

Global Approaches to GM and Non-GM Crop Coexistence

By Janine Cyren Escasura
April 10, 2025

As the adoption rate for genetically modified (GM) crops increases, the question of how they can coexist with non-GM farming systems has sparked global discussion. Definitions of GM vary across countries, making it difficult to set international standards for labeling and regulation. Numerous peer-reviewed studies confirm that GM plants pose no health risk and are nutritionally equivalent and as safe as their conventional counterparts. However, public skepticism still persists in the background of research and discoveries.

In a review published in GM Crops & Food, the importance of the coexistence of GM and non-GM crops is highlighted, particularly in the case of New Zealand. The review explored practical containment measures, such as pollen management, seed segregation, and traceability in the supply chain. Dr. John Caradus, the author of the paper and Chief Technical Officer for AgResearch subsidiary Grasslanz Technology, stated that the goal of the review is to find workable solutions that allow both systems to thrive.

This review provides a comprehensive overview of coexisting systems in different regions and countries, including the USA, South America, Australia, and Europe. In this article, learnings from the experiences of these countries are discussed.

USA

In the USA, farmers were once allowed to keep their organic certification even if their crops were unintentionally exposed to pollen flow from GM crops. Over time, however, the USDA began requiring more preventive actions to limit the risk of cross-contamination. The issue with the release of GM maize in Boulder County, Colorado, led to the development of protocols that support organic, conventional, and GM crop farmers.

The protocols include GM maize hybrid-specific approvals, minimum separation distances between fields, insect resistance management, and systems for communication and conflict resolution. As stated in the review, “shared responsibility for coexistence is a practical and desirable strategy, if based upon an acceptably low level of cross-pollination rather than a ‘zero-tolerance’ level.”

Eventually, Boulder County decided to phase out GM crops completely in 2018. After protests from the agricultural community, the policy was modified to allow these GM crops to be grown until 2021 and 2025 for maize and sugar beet, respectively. The new policy states that any new GM crop must go through a review process before cultivation. The shift in policy demonstrates the country authorities’ support for regenerative and organic farming.

South America

South America has become one of the leading producers of soybeans worldwide, with Brazil and Argentina contributing to over half of the world’s soybean production. This growth has been largely driven by the adoption of GM soybeans that was introduced in Argentina in 1996. The Argentine Ministry of Agriculture determined that GM food safety has been technically tested and scientifically proven, resulting in the absence of segregation infrastructure in Argentina.

In the early 2000s, Brazil was the world's leading producer of non-GM soybeans. However, today, GM soybeans account for 97% of the total production. Brazil has developed upgraded soybean supply chains to accommodate both GM and non-GM production. This strategy allows farmers to access premium prices in niche non-GM markets, particularly in Europe.

Chile has positioned itself as a key player in the global seed production industry by implementing a stringent coexistence strategy between GM and non-GM seed activities and crops. Chile effectively manages the spatial arrangement of seed fields to prevent cross-pollination using a GPS-based platform supervised by the National Seed Trade Association (ANPROS). This approach has enabled the simultaneous expansion of GM seed exports and organically grown food products and successfully demonstrated the model of coexistence in the agricultural sector.

Australia

In Australia, an industry-driven initiative called “Market Choice” has been implemented to enable the coexistence of GM and non-GM crops, including canola, cotton, and saffron. This initiative aims to balance consumer, farmer, and supply-chain stakeholder interests by ensuring that GM and non-GM crops coexist efficiently. A survey showed that coexistence is achievable by the number of farmers growing both GM and non-GM canola. However, non-GM canola growers express their concerns about pollen flow from GM crops.

The Market Choice criteria for GM canola, also known as the National Market Access Framework (NMAF), involves a five-step process designed to manage potential coexistence issues and facilitate the smooth integration of GM crops into the agricultural system:

  1. Regulatory Approval: GM crops must have approval from Australia's Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR).
  2. Market Requirements: Market needs for segregation will be identified to meet both domestic and international consumer demands.
  3. Threshold Levels: Australian Adventitious Presence thresholds for GM canola are set at 0.5% for seeds and 0.9% for grain.
  4. Importing Market Approvals: GM canola varieties must have approval from key importing countries.
  5. Segregation Processes: Supply chain protocols ensure GM and non-GM seeds are properly segregated to meet market requirements.

Europe

In the late 1990s, the European Commission developed a policy framework aimed at ensuring the coexistence of GM and non-GM crops. This policy framework is an attempt to manage the political and economic conflicts that arose from the use of GM crops. This framework, introduced in 2002, provided recommendations for separating GM and non-GM crops and addressing the issue from an economic perspective, with a focus on minimizing gene flow between crops.

Although the EU approved over 100 GM crops for food and feed use, only one crop (i.e., MON 810 insect-resistant maize) has been authorized for cultivation as of 2018. Despite MON 810’s success in controlling pests, the concept of coexistence remains contentious in many parts of Europe. In Spain, organic farmers must coordinate their supply chains to maintain GM-free products. Despite the presence of regulations, there have been instances of GM contamination in food and feed products, as seen in tests from Latvia, Turkey, and Serbia.

The contamination incidents, such as the presence of unapproved GM events in food and feed products in countries like Turkey and Serbia, reveal challenges in maintaining segregation within the supply chain. This ongoing issue underscores the complexities of coexistence policies and the challenges of implementing effective segregation measures across the EU.

Can GM and non-GM crops coexist?

The coexistence of GM and non-GM crops may be challenging, but it is possible and achievable. With the learnings from the experiences of other countries, countries must establish clear coexistence regulatory frameworks and guidelines to prevent cross-contamination and avoid negative environmental and economic consequences. Effective segregation practices must also be laid out throughout the supply chain to achieve effective coexistence.

Countries must recognize the potential benefits of GM technology while addressing concerns over cross-contamination, market access, and consumer preferences. Through robust and stringent regulatory frameworks, countries can ensure that both GM and non-GM farming systems can coexist sustainably. The agricultural sector can benefit from the advances in GM technology while maintaining market trust, minimizing environmental impacts, and contributing to global food security and agricultural sustainability.

Read the review article titled Is co-existence and/or containment of genetically modified plants possible, and is it important? from GM Crops & Food for more information. For further reading:



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