Georg Jander, a Boyce Thompson Institute professor, recently spoke to the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry about the potential of CRISPR in revolutionizing agriculture. In his presentation titled “The Next Agricultural Revolution: Targeted Gene Editing Using CRISPR,” Jander emphasized the importance of supporting emerging agricultural technologies.
Jander discussed how CRISPR is transforming farming by enabling precise plant gene editing that was previously impossible. He highlighted the potential of CRISPR to change agriculture by allowing farmers to modify crop genes to enhance positive traits, suppress negative ones or introduce new characteristics from other species.
Industry experts Dan Jenkins from Pairwise and Emily Negrin from Inari joined Jander in his presentation to provide insights into how their companies are utilizing CRISPR gene editing to improve crops. They shared their experiences on how they are leveraging this technology to develop more sustainable and resilient crops that can withstand environmental challenges such as drought and disease.
In a news release, Jander expressed his belief in the promise of CRISPR in increasing food security, promoting agricultural sustainability, and improving crop resilience. He urged policymakers to provide support and funding for these emerging technologies to ensure a more secure and sustainable agricultural future for all.
