Hundreds of producers, processors, merchandisers and service providers will discuss the industry’s most pressing issues at the fourth annual Organic & Non-GMO Forum on October 29-30 at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch.

Featured speakers will discuss what’s new in gene-editing tools; the latest information about the USDA National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard; and what’s being done to stop fraud in the organic sector:

Emily Whiston of EnviroLogix, a global leader in the development of rapid GMO and mycotoxin detection technology, will speak on the radical transformation that CRISPR and other gene editing tools can have in agriculture, and how the industry is reacting to this. She will highlight which technologies qualify as genetically modifying, and where the industry sits on that fence.

Gregory Jaffee, biotechnology project director for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, will present “Potential Impacts of the USDA's National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard.” This new set of laws will become the benchmark for all things scientifically created or altered in the food world, define "bioengineering" and set the threshold for GMO presence in a food product. Additionally, the standard will establish uniform labeling for disclosing information about bioengineered food and ingredients.

Gwendolyn Wyard, vice president of regulatory and technical affairs for the Organic Trade Association (OTA), will highlight the efforts of the Global Organic Supply Chain Integrity (GOSCI) to develop a fraud prevention program for the organic industry. Already, the group has created a comprehensive best practices guide of systems and measures the industry could implement to preserve the integrity of organic. The group is overseeing a pilot to prevent and detect fraud in the global organic system.

Other topics on the agenda include the use of blockchain to eradicate fraud; ingredient processing; investing in organic farmland; and sustainable farming practices. Learn more at www.ongforum.com or @ONGforum.

Source: Organic & Non-GMO Forum