How is the CFIA regulating plants for molecular farming?
CFIA’s Plant Biosafety Office (PBO) is responsible for assessing PNTs, including those used for molecular farming. All PNT products undergo a stepwise assessment process before unconfined release into the environment is permitted. Before any PNT can be considered for commercial production in Canada it must undergo confined field testing to gather information about the potential impacts on the Canadian environment and biodiversity. (See Regulatory Directive 2000-07 Guidelines for the Environmental Release of Plants with Novel Traits Within Confined Field Trials in Canada.) In granting approval for confined field trials, CFIA evaluators carefully consider potential impacts of the PNT on wildlife and other non-target organisms. To mitigate against potential negative environmental effects, terms and conditions are imposed by the CFIA on confined field trials including: 1. Reproductive isolation of the PNT from all other similar crops 2. Plants and plant material from the trial site must no
