New techniques in EU farming – level 1
07-04-2025 07:00
The European Union wants to change farming rules. New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) can change plants without adding new genes.
Some people think this will help plants grow better and need fewer chemicals. But others are worried that it could be bad for nature and people’s health. The European Parliament and the European Council do not agree on some things. One problem is patents. The Council says that companies can have patents, but the Parliament wants to stop them. The Parliament thinks that big companies will control seeds, and small farmers will have problems.
Before, some countries do not allow GMOs, but new rules may change this. Some people say that these new plants are almost the same as normal ones. Others say they could hurt nature. Scientists are also using artificial intelligence to help with these new plants.
Difficult words: rule (something what tells people what they can or cannot do), add (to put something more into something else), patent (a special right that only one person or company has to make or sell something) seed (the small part of a plant which can grow into a new plant).
You can watch the original video in the Level 3 section.
How might patents and seed ownership shift if companies are allowed to patent plants modified by New Genomic Techniques, and what concerns does this raise for small farmers and the environment?
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