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When the new EU rules come into force from summer 2028, the current legal requirement for GMO labelling will no longer apply to the majority of NGT plants, even though they will still be classified as "genetically modified organisms" (GMOs), which are not permitted in organic and "Ohne Gentechnik“ food.

Conventional seed will therefore be highly susceptible to NGT contamination. Consequently, anyone wishing to grow crops that are guaranteed to be GMO-free in the future, will initially have to rely on organic seed and planting material – at least until adequate detection methods have been established.

Reliance on conventional seed increases susceptibility to NGT

The introduction of NGT without mandatory labelling poses major challenges for the traceability of organic and "Ohne Gentechnik“ products. This is because the risk is thereby shifted to regional breeding and seed propagation.

Crops such as maize/corn, rapeseed/canola and sunflowers carry the highest risk, as the harvest itself consists of the seed, making them susceptible to contamination both during propagation and whilst growing in the field. Vegetables and lettuces are considered to carry a somewhat lower risk, as they are harvested for their green leaves rather than their seeds.

EU Organic Regulation: The target is 100 percent organic seed by 2037 

To date, only around half of the seed used in organic crop production comes from organic breeding, as there is a lack of sufficient propagation material for many crops. The rest is produced conventionally. This is set to change by 2037: By then, under the EU Organic Regulation, all organic plant-based food must be produced from organic seeds and planting material.

According to the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), this target poses a challenge, partly due to the low demand for organic seeds to date. If this demand now increases among conventional "Ohne Gentechnik“ producers, it could well prove helpful.

Database ensures greater transparency

The European "organicXseed" database set up by FiBL ensures transparency. Farmers can use it to check the availability of organic seeds before applying for exemptions for non-organic seeds. 

Authorities must provide registers for NGT1 plants

At the Non-GMO Summit 2026, Dr Freya Schäfer from FiBL called for an update to the terms and conditions of national and European organic databases to ensure that all seeds listed as organic are verifiably free from NGT contamination. The relevant authorities would need to provide a register of all NGT varieties to ensure that these are excluded from the exemption procedure for organic farmers.

Minimising risk through precautionary measures and the expansion of GMO-free breeding programmes 

To prevent cross-pollination and contamination, farms and seed companies must also consistently implement appropriate precautionary measures, such as maintaining sufficient spatial distances for cross-pollinating crops and carefully cleaning machinery and equipment before and after use.

At the same time, there would be an urgent need to promote regional GMO-free breeding programmes and to ensure greater transparency along the seed and value chains, for example by expanding relevant information and database systems, according to Freya Schäfer. For the time being, however, the use of certified organic seed by farms would remain the most effective way to minimise the risk of contamination and ensure production free of NGT.

Smart Seed Choices: Minimising GMO Contamination Risk on Farms, Dr Freya Schäfer (FiBL)

OrganicXseeds – National database for organic plant propagating material in Germany (German)

Organic seeds: Why the sector fears supply bottlenecks (German)

Detection methods: Plants produced using "new genetic engineering" can be identified specifically and unambiguously

International Non-GMO Summit 2026: Strong signal - “Non-GMO” has a future!