We have a supply chain crisis, a steadily increasing population, and food is getting more expensive. Extending the growing season for crops is one way we could ensure a stable food supply in the face of these challenges—and gene editing can help.
Why does the growing season matter? “Longer growing seasons can double—even triple—crops in a single year, but shorter windows routinely restrict land use and expose farmers to increased risk of weak or failed harvests,” explains Innovature.
Enter gene editing—which “can allow farmers to take advantage of their fallow months to grow crops that yield additional produce and income.”
How they’re doing it: “Crop scientists are now pursuing gene-edited plants that can be successfully cultivated before a primary crop is planted, and after that crop is harvested. These cover crops—most commonly fodder, cereals, legumes, or oil-producing grasses—bring significant benefits both to farmers and to soil conservation and soil regeneration efforts,” continues Innovature.
These gene-edited crops have broad benefits, as they also “enrich soils, soak up excess carbon, and aid in the wider processes of efficient crop rotation and shallower plowing”—read the whole thing.
The context: As of January 1, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is requiring food manufacturers to disclose whether foods may be “bioengineered”—and the benefits of gene editing for our food supply is just another reason why we should be celebrating bioengineered crops. Learn more about the USDA’s labeling guidelines.
