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AnnouncementFebruary 1, 2013
Greetings!

 

The National Organic Program (NOP) is pleased to announce a new resource to its program handbook addressing cell fusion in seed production.  

Cell Fusion in Seed Production

In the scientific literature, cell fusion is defined as the fusing of two cells to form a single cell.

In response to inquiries, the NOP developed a policy addressing when cell fusion is considered an excluded method:

  • Cell fusion techniques involving recombinant DNA technology or different taxonomic families are considered excluded methods. Seeds produced from these techniques are prohibited in organic production.
  • Seeds produced from cell fusion used as part of traditional breeding techniques that do not involve recombinant DNA technology may be used in organic production.

View Policy Memo 13-1
Cell Fusion Techniques Used in Seed Production

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