Altering the genetic makeup of plants with gamma radiation or chemicals is considered a traditional breeding technique in the United States.
It is not mandatory to test the possible adverse health or environmental effects of this technique, known as mutagenesis. It is allowed to use mutagenesis-derived crops in organic agriculture.
Canadians, however, see the matter differently. In Canada, organisms shaped by mutagenesis are genetically modified organisms (GMOs) by law. In Europe, mutagenesis cannot be used in organic farming, but neither are new varieties created with this method considered GMOs.
Industrial, and even organic, breeding programs use biotechnology techniques, such as selecting plant traits using molecular markers. The dividing line between the biotechnology of the last century and traditional breeding techniques dating back centuries and millennia is becoming increasingly blurred.
Read the full, original article here: It’s Labeled Organic, But Its Genes Were Scrambled With Gamma Rays
