Despite this group’s (op)position and history of engaging with controversy around genetic modification technologies, and despite scholarly attention to the conceptual compatibility of organic and gene editing, i.e., whether some versions of gene editing may be in alignment with organic values (e.g., Andersen et al., 2015a Palmgren et al., 2015 Wickson et al., 2016 Ryffel, 2017), the sector’s responses to gene editing have received little to no attention in the form of empirical study. Given that the organic community’s stance symbolizes for many the mark of “good” food, its attitudes towards these technologies have had far-reaching implications for farmers and eaters alike. Indeed, the organic community and sector is viewed by many as an “anti-GM” stalwart as a result of their united and international opposition to the first wave of GMOs in the food system ( International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements, 2016). The organic seal is one of only a few existing guarantees for eaters that their food does not contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs) ( Organic Trade Association, 2020). We also argue that debates about gene editing and organic breeding may be “bounding out” important actors from deliberation processes, and note initial attempts to reckon with this exclusion. The resulting questions about what distinguishes acceptable levels of human intervention in plant genomes are highlighting some differences within the diverse organic community. The sector is also redrawing existing boundaries, as the advent of gene editing has forced conversations about the compatibility of both new and established breeding methods with organic.
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Both internal and external pressures on the sector are facilitating a dampening effect on conversations about the boundaries between gene editing and organic agriculture, as the sector is compelled to present a united voice against the affront of new genetic technologies. We find that the organic community is reaffirming and deepening boundaries in response to arguments made by proponents of gene editing. We draw upon semi-structured interviews with organic sector representatives, a review of documents published by organic organizations, and data from participant observation. We employ the concept of “boundary work” to illuminate how key actors and institutions delineate the concept of organic breeding in the face of emerging technologies.
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This paper employs the case of the organic sectors in Canada and the United States, strongholds of GM resistance, to examine conversations about gene-editing technologies unfolding within the organic community, and elucidate their implications for the sector.
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These new technologies-particularly gene editing-represent multifaceted shifts beyond “genetic modification” (GM), and are outpacing both public understanding and the capacity of regulatory regimes. A host of technologies is rapidly entering agriculture.