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Survey: German Agriculture Minister Rainer should advocate for GMO labelling

Negotiations for new genetic engineering regulations are underway at the EU. According to a recent survey, nearly 80 percent want German Agriculture Minister Alois Rainer (CSU) to advocate for maintaining mandatory labelling for food produced using new genetic engineering.

New genetic engineering: More show than substance? "New GMOs Market Report" shows market reality and developments

Currently, only three new genetically engineered plants are on the market worldwide, with 49 in the development stage. Contributions to sustainability are hardly among them.

New German Agriculture Minister Alois Rainer: A practitioner for decent genetic engineering regulations?

Alois Rainer is to be the new German Minister of Agriculture. The politician of the CSU party is well qualified to advocate genetic engineering regulations in the interests of the food industry.

"Ohne Gentechnik" products sold for over 17 billion euros

In 2024, around 17.1 billion euros were spent on "Ohne Gentechnik" (Non-GMO) food in Germany. The successful market is now counting on political support from the new German government.

Sales of "Ohne Gentechnik" eggs doubled in past 5 years

In 2024, eggs with the "Ohne GenTechnik" (Non-GMO) seal were sold for over 1.6 billion euros, which is 6.4 percent more than in the previous year. Over the last five years, sales of labelled eggs have almost doubled, from around 0.8 billion euros in 2019.

Coalition Agreement: Positive signals for "Ohne Gentechnik" and consumers

The coalition agreement presented by the German parties CDU, CSU and SPD on 9 April 2025 contains positive signals for the GMO-free food industry. According to media reports, Michaela Kaniber (CSU) could become Minister of Agriculture in the upcoming German government.

Mandate for new government coalition: 94 percent want labelling of new genetic engineering

According to a study by the German government, 94 percent of adults in Germany want mandatory labelling for new genetic engineering (NGT) in food. The future German government must take this seriously and enforce it in Brussels.

Majority position of EU Member States: Major need for improvement in NGT deregulation

After more than a year and a half, the EU Member States have agreed on a common position on the deregulation of new genetic engineering (NGT). This is unlikely to be the hoped-for breakthrough, as there are still no regulations on labelling requirements and coexistence. The food industry and consumers will not accept this.

Özdemir supports demands for freedom of choice and coexistence

German Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir has received the Open Letter from the business initiative "Food Industry for Freedom of Choice on Genetic Engineering in Food" in Stuttgart, Germany, on 7 March 2025. The minister promised the Managing Directors of dm, Alnatura and other signatories to support the businesses' demands. In just a few days, there could be a major decision on this subject in Brussels.

Legal opinion: Do not shift liability risks for new genetic engineering to the EU food industry!

The planned dilution of genetic engineering regulations in the EU would shift safety testing and liability risks for plants produced with new genetic engineering and the products derived from them from biotechnology businesses to the food industry. These hitherto unnoticed consequences of the EU Commission's plans to deregulate genetic engineering are highlighted in a new legal opinion by the Berlin law firm GGSC on behalf of the German Association for Food without Genetic Engineering (VLOG).

New genetic engineering proposal not helpful

The current Polish Council Presidency has presented a new proposal for the future regulation of new genetic engineering in the EU. However, the key issues of labeling, risk assessment, liability and coexistence remain unresolved.

Non-GMO Summit 2024: international Non-GMO industry calls for transparency on NGTs and fair cooperation throughout the whole value chain

More than 160 representatives from a thriving international Non-GMO industry and leading European associations from 23 countries and four continents met on 7th and 8th October 2024 at the ‘International Non-GMO Summit 2024’ in Frankfurt.

Non-GMO industry meets for the "International Non-GMO Summit"

The leading European associations of the Non-GMO food and feed industry are hosting the "International Non-GMO Summit 2024" in Frankfurt am Main on 7-8 October 2024. International experts from politics, business, agricultural production and science will present the latest on trends in global Non-GMO markets and on the current debate in the EU on new genomic techniques (NGTs).

GMO-free milk accounts for over 75 percent of total German milk volume

Well over three-quarters of milk in 2023 was produced in Germany without genetic engineering, 72.1 percent conventionally and 4.5 percent under organic farming criteria. Many dairies, including the Berchtesgadener Land dairy, help ensuring that GMO-free milk is available at a consistently high level.

European enterprises call for rigorous labelling of NGTs

Dr István Nagy, current EU Council President for Agriculture and Fisheries, met today with representatives of a business initiative to submit an Open Letter “Food Industry for Freedom of Choice”. 376 businesses from the food industry in 16 EU Member States have signed the letter. Among them are renowned industry giants as the REWE Group, the third largest food retailer in the EU, the leading retailer in Austria, SPAR Austria, Europe's largest drugstore chain, dm-drogerie markt and the world's largest organic supermarket chain Biocoop.

International conference on the future of the Non-GMO industry

The most important European industry associations of the "Non-GMO" sector will be hosting the "International Non-GMO Summit 2024" in Frankfurt am Main in Germany on 8 October 2024. International experts from politics, business and science will provide information on current important topics and trends in the "Non-GMO" markets worldwide. The focus will be on the ongoing political debate surrounding new genetic engineering and its potential impact on the "Non-GMO" and organic sectors.

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